Is there a room in your house that you dread cleaning the most? If you said the bathroom, we’ve got the answers for you. One of the toughest rooms to keep clean, bathrooms have all sorts of nooks and crannies that hold germs and grime. From the shower, toilet, and sinks to the ever-streaky mirror, the tasks seem never-ending. However, with a little bit of time, and a whole lot of elbow grease, you can clean your bathroom thoroughly and efficiently. Here’s how:

Step 1: Declutter

Don’t make this harder than it needs to be. Remove excess bottles, hairbrushes, soap dishes, toothbrush holders, and any other clutter out of the room. This will result in a quicker and more thorough clean. For any linens, such as towels, bathmats, and shower curtains, throw them in the washing machine to optimize time and efficiency.

Step 2: Dry Clean All Surfaces

Make sure all the bathroom surfaces are dry before reaching for your sprays and rags. Dust and vacuum first, paying extra attention to the baseboards, toilet, countertops, light fixtures, and shower surfaces. This way, when you go in with your spray, you won’t be struggling to pick up wet dust with your rag. Instead, you can focus on cleaning a dust-free surface.

Step 3: Clean Glass and Mirrors

Once you’ve dusted your surfaces, it’s time to make them shine. Using a non-abrasive cleaner, such as all-purpose bathroom cleaner, give a light spray to your mirrors and glass doors (if you have them). Wipe down with a microfiber cloth or soft rag – even an old cotton t-shirt will do. Just be sure to avoid abrasive cleaners and scrubbing pads as they can scratch the glass surface.

Pro Tip: If your glass surfaces are still cloudy, it’s time to try something a little stronger. White vinegar can be sprayed onto glass shower doors, just be sure to ventilate the area well and protect your skin and clothing in the process.

Step 4: Shine Faucets and Fixtures

Using that same all-purpose bathroom cleaner and cloth, give your faucets a quick spritz and wipe. Areas to remember are the taps in the shower and sink, doorknobs, handles, light fixtures, towel rack, etc. If there’s built up grime around the faucets, a scrub brush should be able to get into those tight spaces.

Step 5: Countertop Cleaning

If you have granite countertops, be sure to use a designated cleaner to get the best shine out of the surface. Otherwise, an all-purpose bathroom cleaner and gentle cloth is perfectly sufficient for most materials.

Pro tip: Clean your counters before your sink, as you’ll be wiping dirt and dust into it while cleaning the counters.

Step 6: Sinks, Tubs, and Showers

Wondering how to clean a shower or sink? There are a few ways to clean these grimy surfaces. You can sprinkle baking soda into your sink or tub to eat at the built-up grime, wiping with a damp cloth after 2-3 minutes. Or, if it’s in a particularly dirty state, try this DIY soap scum solution:

Mix equal parts blue Dawn Dish Soap and white vinegar into a glass bowl.
Pop this in the microwave to warm the solution, making sure not to bring it anywhere near a boil. Anywhere from thirty seconds to two minutes will do, depending on the strength of your microwave.
Stir the solution very well.
If you have a spray bottle, transfer the solution into it using a funnel for a mess-free pour.
Spray this solution onto your tub and sink surfaces, covering all areas. If you don’t have a spray bottle, you can pour and disperse with a cloth, however, be sure to wear gloves to avoid drying out your skin. The pour method also wastes more product, however in a pinch, it’ll get the job done.
Let the solution sit for 5-20 minutes, depending on how much grime has built up.
Use a cloth to wipe down the surfaces and rinse thoroughly with water.

Step 7: Toilet Time

Start with the least to most dirty parts of the toilet. Spritz and wipe the exterior from top to bottom using an all-purpose cleaner and cloth. Once the outside is clean, open the lid and spray down the inside of the lid and the top, bottom, and sides of the toilet seat. Using your go-to commercial toilet cleaner, squeeze the solution along the top rim of the bowl so it drips down the interior. Let it sit for a minute or two, then grab your toilet brush and thoroughly scrub the bowl. After scrubbing, leave the solution to soak for 10-15 minutes before flushing.

Pro tip: sandwich the scrub brush between the top of the bowl and the bottom of the toilet seat so the bristles drip into the toilet, rather than in the holder.

Step 8: Scrub the Floors

Wipe down the baseboards and floors. If you have a smaller space, an all-purpose cleaner and cloth may be the easiest way. However, if your bathroom is on the larger side, a mop might be the best solution.

Pro Tip: For dirty grout between tiles, you can put a cleanser containing bleach on a brush (or old toothbrush) and scrub. Follow with a rinse and dry and you’re good to go!

Step 9: Disinfect

Now that you’ve cleaned all areas and surfaces of your bathroom, it’s time to disinfect. For all high-touch areas, such as your faucets, doorknobs, handles, and light switches, sanitize with a disinfectant spray or bacteria killing wipe such as Lysol.

Step 10: The Finishing Touches

By this point, your bathroom should be feeling and smelling as clean as can be. Time to finish the job by emptying the trash cans, refilling soap dispensers, and replacing any clutter you took out pre-clean. Give a quick wipe down to any clutter that needs it, and your job is complete!

Professional Cleaning Services

If you’ve gotten this far, you know how to clean a bathroom, however, it doesn’t mean you have to. With a busy schedule, it can be easy to neglect these germ-ridden rooms. Lucky for you, our team at Total Commercial Solutions is here to help! We offer professional house cleaning services to get to all the touch-to-reach areas you may be missing. From a one-time deep clean to regular maintenance sessions, we can make your house sparkle and shine. Reach out today to learn more about our services.