Quick Bathroom Cleaning Tips

The bathroom gets messy fast, especially in a house with children. Unfortunately, this is one room where cleaning chores get more difficult as the length of time in between cleanings increases. Stay on top of bathroom cleaning duties to keep the room sparkling clean with minimal effort.

Bathroom cleaning duties can focus on preventing scummy build up, quick wipe downs with a natural cleaner and a weekly deep cleaning.

Prevent Hard Water and Soap Scum Build Up

One of the hardest cleaning issues to deal with in the bathroom is hard water. Hard water can make soap residue stick to showers and sinks like glue. It also leaves a visible residue in the toilet.

To prevent soap scum build up caused by hard water, there are options. Water softeners will solve the problem completely. Softened water will rinse soap residue off of showers and sinks.

Soap scum can also be prevented by using liquid soap instead of bar soap in both the shower and the sink. Liquid soap does not leave a residue on shower walls or bathroom fixtures. Eliminating the soap residue will greatly reduce the amount of time it takes to clean the tub and shower. When there is no soap residue to scrub, the shower can be cleaned in a couple of minutes.

To prevent hard water stains in the toilet, spray the inside of the bowl with a toilet bowl cleaner designed specifically for hard water. Scrub with a toilet brush and rinse.

Wipe Toilet, Sink, Shower and Counters Daily

Wiping the bathroom with a rag daily will keep the bathroom fresh and clean. Spritz a rag with vinegar for natural cleaning and wipe the sink, shower, counters and toilet. Wiping down the surfaces should only take a couple of minutes and will remove dust, debris, soap, toothpaste and urine. If some family members have trouble with their aim at the toilet, wipe around the base of the toilet daily as well. Try to teach children to wipe up any urine that doesn't make it into the toilet as soon as possibe to prevent staining.

The Weekly Bathroom Deep Cleaning

Once a week, the bathroom needs a bit more attention than the daily cleaning. Vacuum the floor to remove hair and other debris. Use baking soda or Borax to clean the sink, tub and toilet. Spray mirrors with vinegar and wipe with a rag to remove toothpaste splatters and fingerprints. Use lemon juice or rubbing alcohol on faucets to remove water spots. If necessary, use a small amount of bleach to remove urine stains from the base of the toilet. Finally, clean the floor with a damp rag.

Cleaning the bathroom can be quick and easy if it's attended to on a regular basis. Prevent hard water stains and soap scum by using a water softener or liquid soap. Wipe everything in the bathroom with a damp rag daily. Once a week, give the bathroom a deep cleaning.

Source:

Speed Cleaning: Tips, Tricks & Strategies to Get Everything Done in Half the Time or Less by Jeff Campbell and The Clean Team. Rodale, 2005.