How to Clean a Bathroom Properly

Bathroom cleaning is one of those tasks where the order you do things in matters as much as the products you use. Done in the wrong sequence, you re-contaminate surfaces you have already cleaned. Done in the right order with appropriate products, a bathroom can be thoroughly cleaned in under 30 minutes.

Before You Start

Gather everything you need before starting. Stopping mid-clean to find a product interrupts the process and lets cleaning solutions dry on surfaces before they have done their job.

Products:

• Bathroom spray cleaner or diluted all-purpose cleaner
• Toilet bowl cleaner
• Glass cleaner or diluted white vinegar for mirrors
• Mould and mildew spray if needed
• Grout brush or old toothbrush

Tools:

• Microfibre cloths (two or three, clean)
• Toilet brush
• Scrubbing sponge with a non-scratch side
• Mop or floor cloth

Remove everything from the shower, bath, and vanity surfaces before starting.

The Right Order

The principle is to work from top to bottom, and to apply products and let them dwell before scrubbing. This is where most people lose time: spraying and wiping immediately is less effective than spraying, moving on, and coming back after the product has had a few minutes to work.

Step 1: Apply Toilet Bowl Cleaner First

Squirt toilet bowl cleaner under the rim and allow it to soak while you clean the rest of the room. By the time you get to scrubbing it, the product has had time to work properly and the job takes half the effort.

Step 2: Spray Down Shower and Bath

Spray the shower walls, base, and any bath surfaces with your cleaner. If there is significant soap scum build-up, a dedicated soap scum remover or undiluted white vinegar left to sit for five minutes works better than a standard spray. Leave this to dwell and move on.

Step 3: Spray the Vanity, Sink, and Tap Fittings

Apply cleaner to the vanity surface, basin, and around the tap fittings. Tap fittings often have mineral deposit build-up at the base where they meet the basin. A small amount of white vinegar on a cloth wrapped around the fitting and left for a few minutes loosens this.

Step 4: Clean the Mirror and Exhaust Fan Cover

Spray the mirror with glass cleaner or diluted white vinegar and wipe with a clean microfibre cloth using vertical strokes. Horizontal and circular wiping tends to leave streaks on glass surfaces.

While you have the cloth out, wipe the exhaust fan cover. Dust builds up here quickly and, once dislodged, falls onto cleaned surfaces if you do it later.

Step 5: Scrub the Shower and Bath

Return to the shower. Scrub the walls and base with your sponge, paying attention to the grout lines, the floor corners, and the area around the drain. Use the grout brush for any discoloured grout lines.

Rinse thoroughly. Soap scum and cleaning product residue left on shower walls will attract new build-up faster.

Step 6: Scrub and Rinse the Vanity and Sink

Scrub the basin, sink edges, and around the tap fittings. Pay attention to the overflow drain hole in the basin, which is often overlooked and collects grime. Rinse and dry with a clean cloth.

Tap fittings look best wiped dry with a microfibre cloth after rinsing. Water spots and residue are visible on chrome and brushed nickel when left to air dry.

Step 7: Clean the Toilet

Wipe the outside of the toilet in this order: tank, seat (top and underside), base of the bowl, and the floor around the base. Use a separate cloth or disposable wipes for the toilet to avoid cross-contamination with other surfaces.

Scrub the inside of the bowl with the toilet brush, getting under the rim where the water enters. Flush.

Step 8: Wipe Down Doors and Door Frames

Bathroom doors accumulate fingerprints, moisture, and toothpaste splashes. Wipe both sides of the door and the door frame down with a damp cloth. Include the area around the door handle.

If there are shower screen doors, clean the tracks along the base. Soap residue and hair collect here and are easy to miss.

Step 9: Mop the Floor

Sweep or vacuum the floor first to remove hair and loose debris, then mop. Work from the far corner toward the door.

If there is grout on the floor, pay attention to the lines. Floor grout tends to collect more than wall grout and is worth a pass with the grout brush occasionally.

Common Areas People Miss

• Behind the toilet. The space between the wall and the back of the cistern is rarely cleaned and visible once you are looking for it.
• Under the vanity cabinet edge. Dust and hair collect in the gap between the cabinet base and the floor.
• The outside of the toilet water supply pipe. A quick wipe makes the whole area look noticeably cleaner.
• Towel rail and toilet paper holder. These collect dust and often have water marks where towels have dripped.