The bathroom is one of the most important rooms of the house, and despite the fact that we often want it to be the cleanest, it’s often the one in the worst condition. If your bathroom is a filthy mess, don’t be too hard on yourself; most bathrooms are at least occasionally or partially neglected, and it takes a major proactive effort to achieve better, more thorough bathroom cleaning.
So what’s the right approach for better overall bathroom cleaning?
The Benefits of Better Bathroom Cleaning
Superior, more frequent bathroom cleaning comes with several benefits, including:
- Mold and mildew prevention. If you’re not careful, your bathroom could become a hotbed of mold and mildew development. Mold and mildew are both types of fungi that thrive on moisture and can completely take over your bathroom if you’re not paying attention. While many species of mold and mildew are harmless to humans, mold and mildew spores do have the potential to be incredibly harmful. On top of that, mold and mildew are structurally destructive; you’re best off preventing and mitigating mold in mildew with better cleaning.
- Infectious disease mitigation. Consistent cleaning is also valuable for mitigating the spread of infectious diseases. If one person in your household is sick, and the bathroom is not cleaned regularly, it’s only a matter of time before everyone in the house gets sick as well. But with proper disinfection, you can lower this risk considerably.
- Visuals/aesthetics. A cleaner bathroom is generally a more attractive bathroom. Nobody wants to take a shower in a tub that is caked with residue or use a sink that clearly hasn’t been wiped down in months.
- Condition and preservation. Cleaning is also a way of keeping your bathroom in better condition and preserving the functionality of critical fixtures. For example, if you don’t clean out your bathroom vent regularly, your air circulation and energy efficiency may suffer the consequences.
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Timing and Frequency
Your bathroom doesn’t need a complete, top-to-bottom cleaning every day. However, occasional deep cleaning is a practical requirement. The best approach, then, is to plan for consistent timing and frequency, so you can keep the bathroom as clean as possible without overburdening yourself.
- Daily. Each day, you should at least commit to wiping down commonly touched surfaces, cleaning up any messes, and treating any stains or sources of residue. This should only take a few minutes, and you can do it as part of your nightly ritual.
- Weekly. Every week, you should spend one day cleaning the bathroom more thoroughly. This is your chance to scrub the tubs, scrub the toilets, and wipe down any areas that you don’t usually hit during your daily surface clean. Even this cleaning should only take half an hour.
- Monthly. Every month, you should commit to an even deeper cleaning. This is your chance to wipe down walls, wipe down or wash fixtures like toothbrush holders, and deal with vents, showerheads, and other less commonly cleaned items.
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Extra Tips
These tips can help you get even more out of your bathroom cleaning:
- Focus on the most commonly touched surfaces. Your biggest priority in the bathroom should be surfaces that are regularly touched. These are the areas most likely to accumulate germs and deteriorate over time, so hit them with disinfectant wipes every day if you can.
- Use the right products. Different products are designed for different surfaces and different types of needs, so make sure you have a full supply of different bathroom cleaning products. Household staples, like baking soda and vinegar, can address many problems, but you’ll also want products like ammonia and bleach on hand for tougher jobs. Just make sure you follow the instructions on each product label, and that you never mix different cleaning products together.
- Invest in tools that make the job easier. Certain tools can make it much easier to clean the bathroom. For example, if you invest in a scrubbing brush with an elongated handle, you won’t have to get on your knees to scrub the bottom of the tub.
- Clean your tools regularly. Many people neglect cleaning the tools they use to clean the bathroom, so make it a point to clean these tools regularly. If you’ve never bleached your toilet scrub brush, it could be infested with germs from past scrubbings.
- Give attention to neglected items and areas. There are certain fixtures and areas of your bathroom that will go neglected if you’re not careful to incorporate them into your routine. For example, many people rarely – if ever – take the time to clean and descale their showerhead. Make it a point to address these areas at least occasionally.
- Get everyone involved. If you’re not the only person using this bathroom, you shouldn’t be the only person making an effort to keep it clean. Consider enlisting the help of your family members and roommates, and divide up different bathroom cleaning responsibilities. In addition to reducing the total amount of time and effort you spend cleaning up after others, this system incentivizes everyone to make fewer messes in the bathroom.
Bathroom cleaning isn’t exactly rocket science, but it can be tricky to develop a routine that’s both effective and accessible. With these strategies and tips, you should be in a much better position to keep your bathroom clean, hygienic, and looking its best.
