Her Cleaning Routines are Known to Go Viral — Here’s How a #CleanTok Pro Tackles Her Bathroom

Written by

Stephanie NguyenSenior Editor of Cleaning & Organizing at Apartment Therapy
Stephanie NguyenSenior Editor of Cleaning & Organizing at Apartment Therapy
I cover all the ways to make your home sparkle with decluttering tricks, cleaning tips, and organizing hacks. I have more than five years of experience working in media and hold degrees in English and Journalism from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. I Iive with my husband and dog in Hawaiʻi.
published Jan 24, 2023
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Credit: Lana Kenney

Apartment Therapy’s January Cure is a free 20-day program that’ll help you reset your home for the year ahead. Sign up here and get all assignments delivered to your inbox. Joining us today is guest cure-ator Lori Williamson, the creator behind the NowItsClean TikTok and Instagram.

The bathroom requires regular upkeep and constant attention so that messes don’t pile up. “If you’re going to clean anything, the bathroom and the kitchen are the most important areas to clean,” shares Lori Williamson, a pro cleaner and creator behind the popularly known account NowItsClean on TikTok and Instagram, where she posts content that inspires others to try products and include her cleaning hacks into their routines.

But once you have a schedule and checklist, it’s not so burdensome to get this done. As today’s guest cure-ator, Williamson shares her efficient and effective system for cleaning the bathroom.

Day 17: Clean up the bathroom

Gather your cleaning supplies and let’s get to work! Plan to dedicate at least 30 minutes (or however much time you need) of cleaning per bathroom.

Let’s get everything out of the way — from the floors (trash can, bath mats, and plunger) to the surfaces (items on top of your vanity, shelves, or toilet) and in the shower or bathtub (shampoo and conditioner bottles, soap, and scrubbers). Then, remove any hair on the floor and around the toilet using a vacuum with a brush attachment. 

Then, tackle the toilet. Use a toilet bowl cleaner, scrub it, and let it sit. If possible, remove the toilet seat and scrub it down in the tub or shower. Spray the toilet down with your favorite cleaner. Get the back, top, and all sides, and make sure to get the walls surrounding your toilet, too. You can flush the toilet at the very end of this cleaning session.

From there, Williamson likes to clean the shower or tub. If you have tile, clean that first; Williamson likes a powder or cream cleanser for this part. “One of the things I like that makes my life way easier [and] definitely changed the way I clean is using a tub and tile scrubber,” says Williamson. She recommends the OXO one, but you can also create an inexpensive version with a simple flat mop from a dollar store and add a microfiber pad to it. This makes it easier to clean hard-to-reach spaces, shares Williamson, plus, it makes you hit a lot of areas very quickly. Next, remove your shower head, if you can, and clean that. Now’s also a good time to address any grout issue, says Williamson. Use a detailed brush and scrub it. Before returning items that belong in the shower or tub, give them a clean and toss out anything that’s expired. 

Then, clean the vanity from top to bottom, but leave the mirror for last (Williamson likes to do this in case of any cleaning product splashes onto the mirror when you’re a little too “scrub-happy”). Once you’re done cleaning the vanity inside and out, clean the mirror with long sweeping strokes to avoid streaks. Clean and return the things that belong at your vanity.

Wipe down anything remaining, like the door handles, cabinets, and knobs. Finish by cleaning the floors and all the floor-related items, like the trash can, plunger, toilet brush, and bathmats. Return them to their places. If you haven’t flushed, do it now because things are done!

WILLIAMSON’S PRO TIP: If you’re feeling brave, Williamson says you can get a UV light to really see all the spots that need cleaning. You’ll be surprised by what you find and certainly challenged to get things tidy. One often forgotten spot? The walls, especially by the vanity and toilet. 

Tell us how your bathroom cleaning day went in the comments below. 

More ways to participate in the January Cure:

The Cure Program is a tradition here at Apartment Therapy — it happens every January, April, and September. Click here to learn more about the year-round program and when to sign up.