Cleaning Your Bathroom

Cleaning your bathroom may not be something to look forward to but with a few tips you can tackle the job no matter your level of vision.

First, gather your cleaning products. Place these with cleaning cloths or a sponge in a bucket or caddy. You’ll want to set them in an easy-to-reach spot near the area to be cleaned. This will save you the trouble of searching for your cleaning products every time you clean a new area. If your products look or feel alike, check out our labeling workshops for ideas to help you identify them.

Before you get started, here are a few hints: Rubber gloves protect your hands from chemicals. Safety glasses can protect your eyes from splashes or spray drifts, and rubber-soled shoes prevent slips.

Let’s start with the sink. You want to remove everything from the sink and countertop and put them in an area where they won’t be knocked over.

Apply the cleanser to the sponge. For a powder cleanser, place the sponge on top of the cleanser. Turn the can and sponge upside down together and shake two or three times to get the right amount on the sponge. If it’s a squeeze bottle, gently squeeze a little onto the damp sponge. Keep the tip close to the sponge and your cleanser will end up right where you want it. To apply spray cleaner to the sponge, use your finger to find the nozzle. Aim the spray opening away from you and then open the spray nozzle. Place the sponge over the opening and then move it about six inches away. Spray two to three times.

Start at the top rim of the sink and work down. Use overlapping movements in circular patterns moving down slightly after cleaning a section. As one hand is cleaning, the other hand can check the progress and find the next area to be cleaned. The faucet and overflow holes are great landmarks when cleaning the sink. Using these helps you know which areas you’ve finished cleaning. Work your way toward the drain as you move from one side of the sink to the other.

Rinse the sink. Then simply remove your gloves and check if the sink is clean by touching it. If any areas aren’t smooth, wipe the areas and rinse the sink again. Toothpaste splatters won’t get a chance to build up in your sink!

Now for the toilet. Start by cleaning the outside of the toilet bowl, around the bowl near the floor, and behind the seat, using overlapping movements in circular patterns.

Then it’s time to clean the inside of the bowl. To make the toilet bowl sparkle, apply cleanser and then scrub it well with a toilet brush. Start at the front of the toilet and circle all around the inside lip of the bowl with the brush – you’ll feel the brush fit under the lip. Then, slowly move the brush down a few inches and scrub it around the bowl in a full circle again. Repeat until you’ve reached the bottom of the bowl. Now it’s clean!

On to the bathtub. It really helps to make a daily habit of wiping out the tub and using a squeegee. This removes stubborn bathtub film and saves a lot of scrubbing time. Now, take everything out of the tub and from around it. Apply your cleanser to the sponge just like you did for the sink.

Divide the bathtub into sections. One way to do this is to mark each section with a small towel.

If you don’t want to section the bathtub, start at the end opposite the drain and work your way toward the drain. Clean the sides and floor of an area before moving to the next section, moving toward the drain as you go.

Also, what about cleaning the walls around the tub area? Use overlapping strokes. As one hand is cleaning, the other hand can check the progress and find the next area to be cleaned.

Then rinse the bathtub. To check if the bathtub is clean, all you need to do is take off your gloves and touch it. If there are areas that aren’t smooth, wipe the areas and rinse the bathtub again. You’ll have a clean tub quickly and easily using these tips.

Now, here are some simple ways for cleaning the shower walls. If your shower is made of 4-inch tiles, clean from top to bottom in 6- or 8-tile sections. If the tiles are bigger, clean 2 to 4 tiles at a time. You’ll know you’ve hit every tile.

Squeegee the shower doors and then spray them with cleanser. If you do this every day it’ll reduce how often you'll need to scrub the shower, especially if the shower is all fiberglass. Finally, for tips on cleaning the bathroom mirror, check out our workshop on cleaning flat surfaces.

Keeping your bathroom clean may not be the most fun thing in the world, but simple changes to your routine make the job easier. Of course, as with anything new, give yourself time, patience, and practice and you’ll get there.