Cleaning your bathroom isn’t high on most people’s priority lists. No one likes spending valuable time cleaning their house when they could be doing something fun instead. It seems like even more of a punishment when the cleaning chore involves the bathroom. After all, it’s the one room in your house where you’re most likely to find grime, mold, and other gross residue lurking.

Sure, you could hire a cleaning company to do the dirty work of cleaning your bathroom. Or you could suck it up and try these useful tips for cleaning your entire bathroom that make the task less torturous.

In this blog, we’ll discuss:

• What supplies do you need for cleaning your bathroom?
• What are some natural cleaning solutions for the bathroom?
• Do you have to clean your bathroom daily?
• What should you avoid when cleaning your bathroom?

What supplies do you need for cleaning your bathroom?

Gathering the supplies that you need for cleaning your bathroom can feel more like preparing to enter a toxic landfill. You strap on your rubber gloves and charge into the room armed with a well-stocked supply of disinfecting chemicals to battle an army of germs that await.

What should you include in your cleaning supply kit? Here are a few of the tried-and-true products you may want to consider.

All-purpose cleaner

Bathrooms come with plenty of hard surfaces like counters, sinks, and toilets. Choose one of your favorite all-purpose bathroom cleaners and put it in a handy spray bottle for use on these areas. Just spray it on, wipe it down, and voila! The area is clean and germ-free.  

Disinfectant wipes

Disinfectant wipes should be part of every bathroom cleaning kit. They are useful for quick wipe downs of surface areas and door handles to prevent the spread of germs. Use them daily between regular bathroom cleanings to keep surfaces sanitized.

Glass cleaner

If your bathroom mirror looks anything like ours, you probably find toothpaste spittle and water splashes from the sink on it regularly. A glass cleaner is a must for keeping your mirrors sparkling clean. Use only a small amount of glass cleaner and a paper towel for streak-free results.

Grout and tile cleaner

Grout can get gross looking fast. A heavy-duty grout and tile cleaner, coupled with a grout brush, can keep it looking fresh and new without too much effort on your part. While you don’t need to scrub your grout every time you clean the bathroom, doing so twice a year is recommended for the best results. The rest of the time, just spray the tile with an all-purpose cleaner or one made specifically for bathroom tile, and then wipe it down.

Mop and vacuum

Bathroom floors are notorious for harboring some serious debris, including shedding hair and toenail clippings that missed the trash bin. Some vacuums work well on tile flooring in the bathrooms. You can use them weekly to remove the surface dirt from your bathroom floor.

At least once monthly, give your bathroom floors a thorough mopping. If you have several people sharing a bathroom, you may need to scrub the floors more frequently.

Rubber gloves

Most people use harsh chemical products to clean their bathrooms. Protect your skin from the damaging effects of repeated exposure to these toxins by wearing rubber gloves every time you scrub down the bathroom.

It’s also not a bad idea to open a window while cleaning with these products to protect your lungs from inhaling the fumes they produce.

Toilet bowl cleaner and brush

Cleaning the toilet is perhaps the least desirable chore. Nevertheless, it must be done if you want to prevent the spread of nasty germs. Use a high-quality toilet bowl cleaner and a sturdy toilet brush to remove grime from the inside of the bowl.

Toilet bowls can smell gross, even after cleaning. Consider using a toilet bowl deodorizer if you find this is a problem in your bathroom.

Don’t forget to occasionally clean the toilet bowl brush. Use a disinfectant like bleach on it, rinse it clean, then allow it to dry before putting it back in the holder.

What are some natural cleaning solutions for the bathroom?

Some people prefer not to use harsh chemicals in their homes for many reasons. The good news is you don’t have to rely on commercial cleaners. You can make natural, eco-friendly solutions that work just as well for cleaning and preventing the spread of germs.  

An effective replacement for commercial surface cleaners requires 2 cups of baking soda, ½ cup of all-natural dish soap, ½ cup of vinegar, and 1 cup of water. Mix thoroughly and pour into a spray bottle. It works on soap scum and other grime that sticks to hard surfaces in your bathroom.

To clean floors, mix ½ cup of baking soda and ¼ cup of lemon juice into a bucket of warm water. If you want a scented all-natural floor cleaner, consider adding a few drops of essential oil to the mix.

Vinegar is another all-natural solution you can use for mold and mildew buildup in showers, tubs, and other tiled surfaces in your bathroom. Spray it on, let it dry, spray again, then wipe it down for the best results.

Dealing with some particularly tough soap scum that’s not responding to vinegar or baking soda? Take half a grapefruit and pour some salt on top. Then, rub the grapefruit on the soap scum.

Do you have to clean your bathroom daily?

Cleaning your bathroom daily is probably not necessary. Yes, germs, mildew, mold, and other scum can build up quickly in a bathroom. That doesn’t mean you need to obsess about their cleanliness.

Bathrooms may be gross, but that doesn’t mean you need to give them a full cleaning every day. Wiping hard surfaces down with sanitizing wipes can keep your bathroom relatively germ-free in between more intensive cleanings.

As a rule, you should give your bathroom a good scrubbing down at least once a week. That includes wiping down the toilet and sink, plus cleaning the shower or bathtub.

If bathtubs and showers become overrun with mildew and other surface slimes you can’t seem to scrub away, it may be time to consider a bathroom conversion project.

What should you avoid when cleaning your bathroom?

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when cleaning your bathroom is mixing cleaning products. Not only can this ruin delicate surfaces like marble, but it also can cause you serious harm if you inhale certain mixtures.

An important rule of thumb is to never combine ammonia and bleach. Each has its place in cleaning, but when you combine them, it creates a toxic gas that can singe your lungs and even cause death. The same guidance applies to bleach and vinegar.

Another common error people make when cleaning the bathroom is to use the same sponge for every surface. Doing so risks transferring germs from one area of the bathroom to another. Use a separate sponge or cleaning cloth for every surface.