Bathroom cleaning

Cleaning and housework are the chores most dreaded and frequently put off in any household (especially cleaning the bathroom). However a regular deep clean should be carried out to remove germs that aren’t visible to the naked eye, it will also leave your bathroom looking clean and shiny. If you don’t want to purchase lots of harsh cleaning agents there are household alternatives you could use instead, such as vinegar which is great for cutting through limescale and bicarbonate of soda which is effective at removing dirt.

The most effective way to clean your bathroom is to remove any toiletries, the bin and anything else that will create space and ease the process. It is good practice to start with the top of the room and work your way downwards and towards the door to avoid making areas dirty again.

Cleaning the mold

If you have any mold on the ceiling or walls you can create a watered down bleach solution to spray onto the affected areas, leave this a few minutes then scrub clean, rinsing and drying the area afterwards to avoid streaky patches. Shower curtains are also prone to mold so this solution can also be used to treat this, alternatively if it is really bad or you find it easier you can take it down and wash it in a similar solution in a bowl of hot water.

Taps and showers

A toothbrush is handy for scrubbing in the small gaps around the taps and shower. Using a suitable cleaning agent you can spray the taps and shower head, leave to soak for a few minutes before giving them a good scrub and rinsing it off, hopefully to leave a sparkling finish.

Tip: For an instant sparkle, rub some lemon juice over taps, tiles and shower doors then rinse well.

Basins and baths

Generally the basin and bath will need a good scrub with some disinfectant and a scrubbing brush to remove limescale, toothpaste or soap scum, this will require some elbow grease but is not such an unpleasant task.

Tip: Diluted vinegar can be used to make the basin and bath look clean and shiny.

Cleaning the toilet

Here comes the bit we all look forward to, cleaning the toilet. If it is done regularly it shouldn’t become such a problem as the build up of visible dirt won’t be as bad (that’s not to say there aren’t germs lurking). When cleaning the toilet it is important to firstly clean the handle and pan’s exterior with disinfectant, the cloth used for this task should be thrown away afterwards to avoid contamination. Flush the toilet then pour some bleach into the toilet bowl and immerse the toilet brush in this solution to clean the brush before using it to scrub the inside of the bowl.

Tips: Pouring some bicarbonate of soda into the toilet bowl and giving it a scrub will help it look even cleaner.

For tough limescale stains mix some vinegar with borax in a bowl, remove some of the water from the pan if necessary, pour the solution on the affected areas and leave for a couple of hours before scrubbing clean.

Finishing touches

Now the hard work has been done all that remains is cleaning any mirrors and windows with glass cleaner then mopping the floor on your way out. If there are lots of bits of dirt it may be worth sweeping or vacuuming the floor prior to mopping (working towards the door to avoid stepping across your handiwork!)