According to Striemer, you should work by cleaning from the top down. “Cleaning from the ground up can be counterintuitive, dispelling more particles all over the places that you just cleaned,” she says. This means starting by dusting any light fixtures, shelves and cabinets and wiping down the walls before you move to the toilet, sink, shower and floors.
Step 3: Toilet cleaning
Now that you’ve finished with the general areas of your bathroom, you can move on to cleaning the toilet. Start by lifting the toilet seat, cleaning the toilet bowl and wiping down the seat and the areas all around it. Amaro emphasizes that the importance of cleaning the outside of the toilet bowl, too—all the way to where it meets the floor. You’d be surprised how much dust and hair collects below.
For deep cleaning the toilet, Birges recommends dropping in three denture tablets and then scrubbing the inside of the toilet bowl with a toilet brush and some toothpaste. Insider tip: Birge recommends put a few drops of essential oil on the inside of the toilet roll to keep the bathroom smelling lovely long after you’re done cleaning.
Step 4: Bath and shower cleaning
For pesky household mold in the shower and around the bath, Birges whips up a DIY spray to banish mold and keep it from returning. To try it, mix one cup of white vinegar, 20 drops of clove oil, and 20 drops of tea tree oil. Spray this mixture on the affected area, wait 20 minutes, and then wipe it all clean with hot water. You can also use this mixture for ceramic tile and grout.
Don’t forget to clean the bathtub or shower floor, too. “When it comes to cleaning a bathroom, one area that often gets overlooked is the bathtub,” Striemer says. “It’s not something we tend to think about cleaning as frequently, but I like to approach it with the same diligence as washing my towels. After all, if it keeps me clean, I must keep it clean too.”
Step 5: Mirror cleaning
Next, tackle the mirrors, which often get marked up with toothpaste, makeup splatter buildup, and water droplets. “When you’re cleaning your bathroom mirrors, turn off any lights directly above the mirror, because the heat of the light bulb can evaporate your cleaning solution and cause streaks,” Amaro notes.
Once you finish, give your sink a good scrub (all around the inside and outside—just like the toilet) and replace any items removed from your cabinet and your sink’s surface.
Step 6: Cleaning the outside of the shower
Now, you can get to the outside of your shower. Birges mixes one cup of white vinegar, half a cup of dishwashing liquid, and one cup of water to create a glass shower door cleaning solution. “I then spray it onto my shower screen and squeegee off,” she says. “This solution is great at removing soap scum, watermarks, and residue.”
Step 7: Bathroom floor cleaning
Finally, you can focus on sweeping and mopping your floor. If you have a litter box in your bathroom, clean up any scattered litter and be sure to mop under the box. You can also use disinfecting wipes to cleanse the outside of the box. If you have time, take the litter box outside and give it a full rinse, using a designated brush to scrub away any gunk with unscented soap, like Dawn Platinum Free & Clear dish soap.
Step 8: Clean and disinfect your cleaning supplies
When you’re wrapping up your deep clean, make sure to give your cleaning supplies some TLC, too. This means your toilet wands, caddy, spray bottle, old toothbrush, squeegee, microfiber cloths, and any other items you’re using. Spraying these with a disinfectant bleach solution, like Clorox Disinfecting Mist will go a long way—especially when it comes to the toilet brush. This important step will help prevent mildew and mold from forming in your toilet brush cleaner holder.
This step can be easily overlooked, so be certain to take those extra few moments. Your future self will thank you.
