10 of the best and easiest ways to clean your bathroom

When it comes to bathroom suites, Northern Ireland homeowners love to create a sanctuary of self-care in the home. The most beautiful bathroom furniture can soon look dull and uninviting without the right cleaning.

The good news is that some of the most effective bathroom cleaning products are cheap items you probably already have in your cupboard! Our top ten tips cover everything from affordable natural cleaning products to tips and tricks to get the most out of your traditional cleaning items. 

1. Natural bathroom cleaning products

Baking soda, vinegar and lemon juice are some of nature’s most effective cleaning and disinfecting agents. They can cut through bathroom nasties like soap scum and toilet bowl stains, and are great for descaling shower heads and taps.

2. Cleaning your bathroom suite in the right order to minimise cleaning time

• Remove items from shelves and surfaces, wipe down and set aside
• Remove dust from all surfaces and sweep or vacuum floor
• Spray/apply all-purpose cleaner. Leave bath and shower to soak while wiping down other surfaces
• Clean toilet
• Clean bath and/or shower
• Finally mop yourself out of the room and leave floor to dry

3.Mould and mildew stains

If traditional mould removers can’t shift unsightly black mould or mildew, try applying a paste of baking soda and water, leaving it on the stain for about four hours before removing with a hot water rinse. 

Another effective cleaning hack doing the rounds online is the loo roll and bleach trick for removing mould from bath or shower sealant. Make sure to wear gloves! Take a length of loo roll as long as the edge of the surface you wish to treat. Bunch up the toilet roll until you have a strip about 2cm thick sitting along the affected sealant. Carefully pour bleach along the loo roll strip until it is saturated. Leave for 12 – 24 hours before carefully disposing and rinsing away the bleach with warm water.

4. Descale your shower head

If you find water shooting off in all directions from your shower head, this could be a build up of limescale. Fill a sandwich bag with warm vinegar and submerge the shower head in it, securing it with an elastic band. Leave it to soak for at least an hour before rinsing with hot water and running the shower for a few seconds. It should be good as new!

5. Keep your shower sparkling

A spray bottle full of warm vinegar can act as a great shower glass cleaner. Adding some dish soap can add to grime-cutting power! Spray on to the shower cubicle and tiles, rinsing tiles and using a squeegee for a clear finish on the glass. It’s good to keep your squeegee to hand to remove soap and water from glass after a shower – a spray with your vinegar cleaning solution or a good glass cleaner will help keep your shower looking clean and inviting. 

6. Tackle the toilet

It’s one piece of bathroom furniture Northern Ireland homeowners dread cleaning, but there are so many ways to clean the toilet without too much elbow grease. Sprinkle a cup of baking soda into the toilet bowl before spraying or drizzling a little vinegar. Let it sit for between 15 minutes and 30 minutes, then scrub the bowl with a toilet brush and flush.

7. Restore shine to mirrors and chrome

It’s really hard to keep mirrors and chrome shiny when cleaning your bathroom – all the steam plus splashes from the sink can leave constant water marks, which are hard to remove streak free. Add three tablespoons of lemon juice and a cup of water into a spray bottle – spray on to mirrors and wipe away with a clean microfibre cloth or a paper towel. Rubbing a cut lemon on to chrome taps before wiping with a paper towel can remove water marks.

8. When the bathroom needs a deep clean

If the bathroom you’re tackling has been neglected, it might need some more deep cleaning. A broom can be a good way to tackle tough dirt on a large scale – apply bleach or thick, soapy bathroom cleaner to floors and bathtubs before scrubbing with a hard-bristle sweeping brush. For smaller nooks and crannies, try a firm toothbrush dipped in cream cleaner or bleach. 

A mix of baking soda and bleach can be effective at cleaning filthy tile grout. Add one part bleach to two parts baking soda, mix well and apply the paste to the grout. Scrub it away with a brush after half an hour. 

9. Don’t forget the shower curtain

You can pop your shower curtain in the washing machine, using warm water with either vinegar, baking soda or a gentle laundry detergent. If you’re nervous about putting it in the machine, sprinkle some baking soda on to a damp cloth and give it a scrub in the bathtub before rinsing with warm water. Whichever method you choose, simply hang it back up in the shower to dry.

10. Keep your extractor fan clean

It’s easy to forget to clean the fan in your bathroom, and if this gets clogged it won’t work as well. Use a vacuum or soft brush to remove dust from the filter and clean the rest with soapy water and a damp cloth. If the front grill is removable, take that off and give it a good scrub or soak in soapy water. 

 

*Using any abrasive cleaners (like bleach, pink stuff etc) can affect the finish of products and to seek manufacturer’s recommendations before hand*