10 Spots You’re Not Cleaning Well Enough in the Bathroom

A good bathroom cleaning routine should be more than a hard-surface wipe-down. Make your space a sanctuary of cleanliness by adopting a more rigorous process for disinfecting and cleaning. A little extra work now saves a lot of time and money in the long run.

By: Emily Fazio

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Photo By: Emily Fazio

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Photo By: Emily Fazio

Photo By: John Gruen

The Showerhead

Mineral deposits in water can affect the showerhead and even shorten its life. Keep the jets in the nozzle clear and clean by misting the showerhead every week with a mixture of 50 percent white vinegar and 50 percent water. Allow it to sit and drip for a few minutes and then wipe it clean with a dry cloth.

From: Emily Fazio

The Base of the Toilet

During the next toilet scrub-down, consider which areas you focus on most. The bowl, seat, lid, and top of the tank are the highly visible spots, but the underside of the bowl and the plumbing piping behind the toilet gets dusty and affected by germs too. To sanitize hard-to-reach places behind the toilet, try using a steam wand to disinfect and then wipe down using a dry cloth.

From: Sam Henderson

Light Bulbs and Light Fixtures

It’s easy to forget to dust your bathroom light fixtures, but so easy to do with the help of a microfiber cloth. With the light turned off (and the lightbulb cooled) use the cloth to clean the inside and outside of the fixture, as well as the surface of the bulb. If the lightbulbs you use are a focal point (such as clear glass globes) remove the bulb from the fixture, clean the surface with glass cleaner, and allow it to dry completely before putting it back into the fixture.

From: Emily Fazio

Sink, Bathtub and Shower Drains

Sink, shower and bathtub drains probably do get a good surface scrubbing when you’re doing your weekly wipe-down. But to prevent additional grime and hair build up, make it a habit to remove the drain or drain cover, rinse it clean and use a soft bristled brush to clean inside of the drain as well. With regular maintenance, you can avoid tougher chores, like having to snake a clogged drain.

From: Emily Fazio

Air Vents, Fans and Returns

Dusting and disinfecting the products in your bathroom that keep the air clean and circulating are essential to cleanliness. To clean an exhaust fan, you can always dust the surface but it’s usually more effective to remove the cover and do a deep clean with a hand-held vacuum. Can’t remove the cover? Spray a dusting wand with 50 percent white vinegar and 50 percent water, and a few drops of tea tree oil to naturally disinfect and freshen the air.

Bath Toys

Children’s bath toys are magnets for mold. First and foremost, get in the habit of allowing all toys to air dry completely before packing them away, and attempt to remove all water inside squirt toys to reduce the chance of mold growing inside the toy. Keep germs and mold at bay by regularly washing the toys in a bath of tea tree oil, white vinegar and water.

Up Inside the Faucet

Mineral deposits such as lime will build up inside your faucet spout, especially if you have hard water. Depending on the faucet you have, these deposits can clog the aerator and affect water pressure. Disassemble the sink's nozzle and easily clean the aerator and other components using ordinary white vinegar. You can also take a small stiff-bristled bottle brush dipped in vinegar to keep the inside of the faucet clean and debris-free.

From: Emily Fazio

Curtains and Window Screens

You’re likely to crack the window in the bathroom any time of the year for — ahem — reasons. Remember to clean your bathroom window screen as often as you would clean other screens in your home to reduce any dust and dirt that may gather or blow in through the open window.

From: Emily Fazio

Drawers

The drawers in the bathroom vanity are a perpetual magnet for hair that fell off the hairbrush, spilled makeup, powders, and product samples. Every month, do a drawer deep clean. Empty it out, wipe it down with a damp cloth and then reorganize the contents. To make this chore even easier, line the drawer with a piece of colorful make-you-smile cloth that can be removed and laundered.

From: Emily Fazio

Exposed Plumbing

Pipes that are visible beneath a countertop or vanity need to be maintained from time to time. Spray and wipe the pipes down periodically with a diluted white vinegar as part of your cleaning routine. Buff with a metal polish as well, so they always look shiny and new.

From: Hendricks Churchill LLC

10 Spots You’re Not Cleaning Well Enough in the Bathroom

Related To:

Shop This Look

The Showerhead

The Base of the Toilet

Light Bulbs and Light Fixtures

Sink, Bathtub and Shower Drains

Air Vents, Fans and Returns

Bath Toys

Up Inside the Faucet

Curtains and Window Screens

Drawers

Exposed Plumbing

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