Cleaning a bathroom always seems to be extra sucky because of all the products, lotions, potions and even stubborn toothpaste spittle that seems to never end. There's toilets to clean, nooks and crannies to get to and soap scum, ugh, don't get us started. Forget all your worries, these tips will have you keeping your bathroom clean in just 5 minutes or five 60 second intervals throughout your day. Fabulous!
The idea of dragging in a mop and bucket and spending 30 minutes on your hands and knees scrubbing tile is appealing to almost no one. Instead, take care of one of the most well used rooms in the house in small intervals throughout your day.
If you happen to have children old enough to help, give them a single task to do to help out and make it all that much quicker! Check out the tips below and see if you can't put them to use in your own home today.
1. Do Something While You Brush Your Teeth: It only takes one hand to brush your teeth, assuming you still have an extra available, tidy and straighten as you brush those pearly whites. Grab dirty clothes and toss them in the hamper, straighten makeup that was left out, or simply note what surfaces need to be wiped down.
2. Nothing Should Take More Than 60 Seconds: It doesn't matter what size bathroom you have, how many people use it or how dirty it is. When the basics of bathroom cleaning are done every single day, they can be done in a single minute of time.
3. Make Cleaning Easy: You might use commercial cleaners or homemade, but no matter what, you shouldn't have to fight with them. If single use cleaning wipes allow you to get the job done in record time, use them. Is your broom frayed and not quite get all the dirt from under the counter? Replace it! The bathroom is a small enough space that if you can house all your cleansers right there, you're more likely to take 60 seconds and wipe something down than if you have to remember to trudge into the kitchen to get a spray bottle and towel. Doing small things like spraying your shower down with vinegar can put off scrubbing of walls until much later.
4. Clear The Clutter: The key to keeping any home, big or small, clean in record time is keeping the clutter trimmed down. Yes that little collection of glass bottles is pretty, but they collect dust like crazy. If you can eliminate it, do. It's less things to move to clean counters and less items to clean toothpaste spittle off.
5. Clean Something Every Time You Go Potty: (because potty is a funny word) 60 seconds isn't long, but you can put it off if you don't work it in to the times you're already in the bathroom. Use the seconds after you've washed your hands to tackle an item and be on your merry way, then you don't even have to program yourself to come back in.
These tips, in conjunction with the basics of bathroom cleaning (wiping down toilet, wiping down sink and counters, wiping down mirror, sweeping floor, shower maintenance) can all be tackled with lightning speed. Just tell yourself you can instead of saying it won't work for you. You'll be amazed at how much things sparkle a week or two down the line.
(Image: Marcia Prentice for Adrianna & Paul's Eclectic Perfection Home)
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Keep a shammy in the shower... wipe down any potentially spotty surfaces and corners before each time before you get out of the shower. done and done.
Two things that help me a lot in cleaning the bathroom:
1. Dust before you spray cleaner. My bathroom has a long white vanity counter, white beadboard with a chair rail and white fixtures. When I do the big clean once a week, I dust everything before I start to clean it. Otherwise, the first spray of cleaner gets the dust wet, it turns to glue and it takes twice as long to clean things, because of having to rinse and clean again, just to deal with the dust.
2. Microfiber cleaning cloths. I keep one on a hook by the sink. Last thing at night, after washing and brushing, I wipe down the counter, sink and faucet. The microfiber cloths get all the water up and leaves the chrome on the faucet spotless. It's nice to stumble into a clean and shining bathroom first thing in the morning.
Like Foog, I wipe down the problem spots after every shower. I use a new wash cloth every day (I've found it helps prevent acne), so I just wring out the wet wash cloth and use it to wipe out the corners and along the edge of the tub. I hang it on the edge of the hamper to dry before it gets mixed in with the dirty laundry.
I also keep a small basket of rags under the sink, and use one to wipe down the counter every evening after I wash my face. I always splash some water on the counter, which dampens the rag just enough for a surface clean. I also wipe the metal fixtures, then polish with a dray cotton rag - no streaks and no special cleaners needed! I use the same dry cloth to wipe/dust the candles and vases on the counter. If I'm feeling industrious, I will then use that damp rag to wipe down the exterior of the toilet, starting with the top of the tank and working down.
I have a cat, so I sweep every time I scoop the litter box. It's a small bathroom, and I'm already on the floor, so I just use a whisk brush.
If I can do these things most days during the week, all I have to do on weekends is clean the inside of the toilet, give the tub a quick scrub to get rid of scum, and spot clean the floor.
I can't clean while I brush my teeth, for me it is like rubbing my stomach and patting my head at the same time, just not coordinated that way.
What an awesome bathroom. Love the mirror in the shower thing (no, not for puerile reasons) as it adds so much to the depth of space. And it's beautiful arch.
In my life, this would count as an April Fool post!
However, I'll toss in the point that keeping a squeegee in the shower and USING it every time you shower postpones having to clean soap scum for a long time. Also, after cleaning the shower to shiny and new, a coating of a clear acrylic car "wax" also protects for a long time.
I'm obviously not as much of a multi-tasker as the poster... there is no way I'm doing extra things while using the toilet or brushing my teeth.
Multitasking is so over. Just focus on one thing at a time & you'll be less stressed.
to clean behind and around the base of the potty-- dust those little plumbing nooks --I keep some clean old mismatched socks in a rag bag in the bathroom closet--I put a sock on my hand & give this area and quick cleaning--It takes less than 15 seconds and it works. Dusting and sweeping before using water is the way to go to save a lot of time.
Ooo Kass, the sock thing is a great idea! (p.s. to Foog, "chamois" ...sorry!)
Cute bathroom! I love the blue tile!
I keep a small floor sweeper (like a dustbuster with a long handle) in our in-bath linen closet. That way I can clean the floor up a few times a week.
I find taking a tissue and sweeping up hair every morning (after I brush my hair) and night (after the shower) from the floor and sink makes a HUGE difference. There's nothing that makes a bathroom look untidier than stray hairs everywhere. It also helps cut down on dust.
Now, if I could convince my husband to wipe the mirror after he's done washing his face as splashily as possible...
I have a big pile of rags (6"x6" squares from old towels) under my sink. Every night before bed, I spray all-purpose cleaner on the mirror, sink, counter and toilet. I use the dry rag to clean the mirror and faucet, then wet the same rag and wipe down the sink, counter, and finally the toilet. Last step, a quick swish of the toilet bowl with the toilet brush and throw rag in hamper. Takes 2.5 minutes.
I'm lucky to have a full guest bathroom. I keep the bare necessitiies in that bathroom, so it's never hard to clean it up. Heck, no one ever uses the shower in there!
On a somewhat related note, the other day I decided to use a magic eraser (Target generic) to clean the bathtup. Wow--never have I cleaned it faster than then! I'm sure others do this already, but it never occurred to me to use an eraser. I'd ever run out of Method bathroom cleaner and started using good ol' bodywash to finish up. It cleaned just as good and smelled just as good!
Screw using a brush. Magic erasr from now on!
Oh! I forgot to add my tip:
Please keep your toilet clean regularly! If your toilet is old and dirties in a matter of days--still, clean it! It's embarrassing for the guest and the host when a guest uses the toilet and it's not clean . . . no matter how small!
I worked for a summer cleaning hotel rooms before college. The head maid advised that it didn't matter how clean or dirty the place was ... as long as the taps were shiny and the mirror was spotless it LOOKED clean to people LOL. I do agree with her a little, shiny taps and clean mirrors do make the place sparkle ... but it can only distract so long from a dirty toilet LOL.
It may not be the type of cleaning you think of when doing a bathroom but I find that vacuuming regularly (especially before using a cleansing product) can keep your bathroom looking cleaner longer.
Clorox wipes (for toilet) and microfiber/old washcloths as rags, Handmade swiffer to mop floor (small bathroom) on Saturdays and vinegar & water are a godsend. Makes my bathroom cleaning simple and to the point. Alternate chore every other day, bathroom will always stay clean.
One of the easiest tips to keeping the tub walls clean is to use a liquid body wash instead of bar soap. For some reason, bar soap scum builds up much, much faster and is more difficult to remove than the residue left from a liquid body wash.
After I shower, while the medicine cabinet door mirrors are all steamed up, I wiped them down with the bathmat, leaving bright, clear mirrors.
Lysol recently came out with cleaning wipes that have a SUPER scrubby side. They are amazing at taking off grime that doesn't want to come off. I highly recommend them to anyone who does use wipes. I've never raved so much about a cleaning product. (I wouldn't use them on glass, though... the scrubbing side is a lot like the scrubby side on a sponge, and I know some of those can scratch glass.)
I'm not usually into disposable products, but the bathroom is one place where I make an exception because I have to use rags multiple times because I don't own a laundry machine. Using a bathroom rag more than once is kinda yucky.
It was hard to give up the under-cabinet space in my tiny bathroom, but I agree that keeping cleaning supplies in the bathroom has made all the difference for me. Instead of having to run to the kitchen and get distracted on the way by 10 other things or just not bother to do it, I can just grab a paper towel and take care of it right then. Also makes it easy if, for example, friends unexpectedly come back to our place after dinner to excuse myself to go to the bathroom and give things a 60-second wipe-down just to make sure nothing's too gross since my bathroom is also the guest bathroom.
Adding to K2YHE's comment. If you must use a bar use one specially formulated to not leave residue. Zest and Dove are two of the most widely available in the US and Canada. But liquid bath products really are your best bet. Also invest in a handheld and spray down the shower walls, glass or curtain after every shower. If you have glass, rain-x will eliminate spotting.
While you're brushing those teeth, make sure you turn on the water just before spitting. That way you don't get as much of that nasty toothpaste scum in the sink. (Also why I brush my teeth in the shower in the mornings!) Another nastiness-prevention tip - I have very thick and long hair, so whenever I straighten it (and sometimes when I blowdry) I do it upside down over the bathtub. Then it just gets pulled out of the tub drain next time I shower, rather than ending up on the floor!
I found that if I keep Lysol surface wipes, paper towels, windex, and toilet bowl cleaner IN the bathroom (under the sink, right at the front) I am much more likely to wipe everything down as I brush my teeth every other night or so. I spray the mirrors with windex and wipe them down, use one wipe for the sink and one for the toilet, and am done. Every week or so I scrub the toilet bowl, and my wonderful husband scrubs the shower every other week for me. I know that even if I do have unexpected guests, I can easily tidy the bathroom in about one minute :-).
Any good tips on how to clean a translucent shower curtain or a shaving mirror? I have Kaboom and Windex, but neither seem to do a very good job.
Your best bet for a translucent shower curtain is to use one of those scum-preventing sprays (lots on the market now) and always make sure the curtains are spread out so they can dry completely after showers.
If you've got someone in the house that uses hairspray, ask them to *not* spray it near the curtain, because that just helps permanently trap hair and dust on the curtains.
If Windex and some elbow grease can't clean your shaving mirror of spots, I'd just buy a new one, because it must be damaged in some way. If you've got streaks on the glass after cleaning it, then you're probably just using TOO MUCH cleaner - I use the tiniest bit of spray, wipe it with one half of a cloth, and then wipe the glass completely clear with the dry half. A bone-dry cloth really prevents any streaks.
If your problem is fogging, I've heard a lot of people absolutely *swear* by cleaning the mirror with shaving cream (like old school Barbasol, not gels or anything) to prevent fogging. Never tried it myself, but it could be worth an experiment.
"(because potty is a funny word)"
love it! good tips too, thanks.
Shower curtains can be washed in the washer and then hung back up on the shower curtain rod to dry.
Just before getting in the shower, give the toilet a douse of cleaner. Let it sit while you shower, then when you get out, give it a good swish with the toilet brush. If you do this every day, you'll never have a crappy (get it?) looking toilet.
Awesome! Totally use those single-use wipes, even better if they're loaded with chemicals and bleach. AT - why bother with "green" posts when your underlying message seems to be: F*** the planet - everything is cool as long as your house is clean and "sanitary." This reminds me of the post about taking your garbage out daily.
Throw the shower curtain in washer with some vinegar. Works like a charm.
Throw a couple of towels in with the shower curtain. Helps scrub.
Tyger2012 - That too was my post. We have many different types of readers who are all doing their part in one way or another. Just because this isn't your preferred method, doesn't mean it's wrong for someone else.
Pitch - You can put a translucent shower curtain in the washing machine on cold water and add 3 cups of white vinegar to the fill cycle. It will help! You can do the same thing in the bathtub, but somehow it seems messier.
If you can get your shaving mirror clean, using a product intended for car windows (RainX) is a great way to keep them clean as most things will just roll off.
Sarah - Thanks for your response. I wish it were true that everyone is doing their part in one way or another and that less eco methods aren't 'wrong for someone else.' The sad truth is that we all share our larger home - a planet with finite resources, so your choices affect us all. It is so easy to make changes like using rags and less toxic cleansers and I think it does make a difference. It makes me sad to see AT, which fronts as being pretty conscientious, advocate such irresponsible and selfish choices - at this point Martha Stewart is more green.
One more thing to add to the great tips about washing shower curtains: use WARM water. I almost always use only cold, and the first time I washed it, my shower curtain came out of the washer no cleaner than it went in.
Warm water softens the vinyl so the towels and vinegar can do their magic!
To the user who has switched to Magic Eraser for cleaning:
Magic Eraser products are actually melamine foam, which is is a foam-like material consisting of a formaldehyde-melamine-sodium bisulfite copolymer.
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melamine_foam
Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen. It's a surface you touch with bare skin (and your children too, if you have any), and it's entering the water supply that belongs to all of us.
Please reconsider the ease of use of this toxin. Vinegar and baking soda truly works wonders and it's not hurting anyone or anything.
To TYGER2012
I second your wish that AT would attempt to promote more conscientious cleaning. It takes time and repetition to get out the message to read labels, research ingredients and to think about the long term ramifications of the products, rather than be excited about the very short-term results of a clean bathtub. This is about a lot more than a clean bathtub, and besides, there are many non-toxic ways to keep a bathtub clean, especially for people like the superclean and tidy posters here who are willing to wipe things down every day.
As homekeeping padawan, I am still trying to figure out ways to make home cleaning more efficient. Add me to the list of those who has a set of cleaning products (all natural) under my sink so that I don't go running around for them. Another trick, putting all my stuff in a caddy, that way when I do my daily wipe of all surfaces, it takes seconds to remove them to get the job done and to put them back. And because I put my clothes rack in the bathroom for my laundry to dry, I set my timer to 15 mins to fold and put away everything (to say that I hate that chore is an understatement but the timer works).
For the toilet, my cleaning guru says that using the brush alone just as good as using products if you do it daily, and if you have some leftover shampoo that you don't use you can always use that to do the cleaning. To keep the yellow goo and mildew in the showerat bay open curtain and shower doors to let the air circulate (though don't forget to pull the curtain to let it dry afterwards).
Sarahrae, Please don't feel you have to respond to posts with the tone used by Tyger2012 in his/her first response. (The second was more reasonable.) The sad truth is that such hostility probably does as much harm to the cause as some of those throwaway wipes! Hostility rarely wins converts. Diane
Eco-friendly products are great. However, I draw the line on using reusable wipes to clean certain germy areas such as the toilet seat, toilet rim, sink and tub. Personally, I don't want to put germ laden cloths in my washing machine even with bleach. Paper towels, Lysol wipes will continue to be a part of my future.
Does anyone else think there's a huge ick factor to putting those nasty rags in the washing machine?
Love the last comment! And I agree with every single tip. :)
Bluebungalow: I share your ick factor, however most people who have ever used cloth diapers will disagree. Soaking in something to keep the cooties at bay until they can be laundered properly is the key to keeping the ickiness down.
Greenheronfarm: We take great strides to promote earth friendly choices, but I think our Editor Cambria said it best with this post: http://bit.ly/yG9CPQ
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