Do you dread the thought of cleaning your bathroom? I think most moms do! We see cleaning the bathroom as this huge big overwhelming cleaning job, but if you clean your bathroom on a regular basis, it’s really not that big of a deal.
Maintaining a clean and healthy bathroom is vital for your overall well-being. Not only does a clean bathroom prevent the spread of harmful germs and mold, it’s just plain nice to walk into a bathroom that is clean.
If you’re wondering how often should you clean your bathroom, I have the answer for you!
Different areas of your bathroom require different cleaning frequencies, so understanding the best bathroom cleaning guidelines will help you to figure out what needs cleaning on a daily basis,
How Often Should You Clean Your Bathroom?
Here are my recommendations for how often should you clean your bathroom – this is based on a family of 4, 2 adults and two teenage kids.
- Your toilet bowl, the base of your toilet and the lid should be cleaned at least once a week, twice is my preference.
- The bathroom sink should be cleaned twice a week to keep it hygenic and fresh.
- The countertops and mirror should be cleaned at least once a week.
- The shower and tub should be cleaned once a week.
- The bathroom floor should be vacuumed and mopped once a week.
- Bath towels should be cleaned twice a week.
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How Often Should You Clean Your Bathroom?
Regular Cleaning
To keep your bathroom clean and hygenic, you should clean the bathroom at least once a week.
Put it on your regular cleaning schedule and cleaning your bathroom won’t take much time at all.
You will want to wipe down all surfaces, including your countertops, mirrors, and bath fixtures with a disinfectant.
Make sure to pay extra attention to the toilet, especially the toilet seat, the toilet bowl, the toilet lid, and the area around the base of your toilet.
Give your bathroom sink a good clean, including the faucet and handles, as this is a high-touch area which attracts germs. This can be easily done after you brush your teeth in the morning and at night.
I recommend that you clean your shower just before you take a shower
Additionally, sweep or vacuum the floors, and then mop them with a suitable cleaner to remove any dirt and grime.
Here is the cleaning schedule you should follow to keep your bathroom safe from soap scum and smelling fresh.
Toilet cleaning (2x week)
How often do you really need to clean the toilet?
We are a family of four – two teenage kids and two adults.
I highly recommend that you clean the toilet and toilet seats twice a week.
My kids seem to have a hard time undrstanding that they should flush the toilet each time they use it!
So now, I have them use a toilet bowl cleaner twice a week to keep it clean,
Spray the toilet bowl cleaner into the bowl and leave it for a few minutes to soak. Use a disinectant wipe or sponge to wipe down the exterior surfaces, including the seat, lid, tank and the base.
Now, give the bowl a good scrub using your toilet brush, making sure to focus on areas with hard water stains or scum. Finish by flushing the toilet to rinse away any remaining cleaning product.
Make sure you have a toilet brush in the kids bathroom also.
- I always have a bottle of toilet cleaner in my bathroom cupboard so if I do notice any hard water stains, I will add some cleaner and give the toilet a clean. It takes less than a minute to do this and will prevent staining. I keep one in the kids bathroom too.
Sink (2x week)
How often should you clean your sink?
Most peope will tell you to clean your sink once a week, but think about this, how often do you brush your teeth, or wash your hands and face.
At least 2- 3 times per day, right?
I highly recommend that you clean your sink at least twice a week. Doing this helps prevent soap scum, toothpaste residue and other dirt staining your bathroon sink.
Spray some disinfectant into the sink, and use a sponge or a damp cloth to wipe down the sink, as well as the faucet. Make sure to properly clean the handles also.
Countertops and mirrors (1x week)
How often should you clean your countertops and mirrors?
Unless you’re particularly messy, youshould only need to give your mirror and countertops a good cleaning once a week.
Use a damp cloth to remove any debris from the countertops, then go back over them with a microfiber cloth, or a dry cloth. This will help to dry the countertops and pick up any debris you may have missed.
For mirrors, opt for a glass cleaner to remove streaks and smudges. You can use a paper towel or a newspaper to clean with.
Shower and bathtub cleaning (1x week)
Moving onto your shower and bathtub, how often should you clean your shower?
Your shower and bathtub can develop soap scum, hard water stains, biofilm, and even harmful bacteria like MRSA, so it is crucial to clean your shower and tub regularly.
- After you clean the bathroom, put the cleaning products you need into the shower so you know to clean your shower when it’s time to take a shower later in the day.
Bathtub: Spray some disinfectant all around your bathtub and leave it sit for a few minutes. Wipe down every part of your bathtub using hot water, including your faucets etc
Shower: Spray disinfectant onto your shower floors and walls and leave it sit for a few minutes. A scrubbing brush and an old toothbrush will help clean your shower well. I use the toothbrush for areas that are hard to get into.
If you clean your shower on a regular basis, particularly your walls and shower doors, you will be able to remove hard water stains and keep mildew and soap scum out of your shower.
If you keep your shower dry, this will prevent soap scum from setting down in your shower. Take a few seconds after every shower to squeegee the shower walls (and door if you have one), to keep your shower nice and dry.
If you have a fabric shower curtain, you should clean it every few months in your washing machine using hot water. if you notice mold on your plastic curtian, replace it immediately.
If you incorporate this into your routine bathroom cleaning, you will help keep hard water stains at bay in your shower.
Give your shower head a thorough cleaning, use a damp cloth to wipe it down, and don’t forget to clean faucets, and fixtures, as these can collect hard water stains and bacteria over time too.
Bathroom floor (1x week)
How often should you clean your bathroom floor?
This particular bathroom chore only needs to be done once a week!
Start by sweeping or vacuuming to remove loose dirt, dust, and hair. Next, use a mop or cloth and a suitable cleaning solution to scrub the floor, ensuring that you reach into corners and other hard-to-reach areas. Be cautious when choosing cleaning products for certain floor materials like wood or marble, as not all products are safe for every surface.
Bathroom Towels (2x Week)
All bath towels, hand towels, and bath mats should be washed at least once a week to keep them clean and fresh. I recommend washing your towels twice a week, especially if you shower daily.
If I need to fill up a wash, my go to is always my bathroom towels, the kids towels, or hand towels.
Deep Cleaning
Every month, it’s a good idea to perform a more thorough, deep clean of your bathroom. This allows you to address areas that don’t require weekly attention but still need periodic care.
For example, cleaning the grout lines in your shower or tub, as these can become discolored or moldy over time.
Hard water stains on your shower door can really do some damage after a few years.
If you find yourself with a few extra minutes, take the time to clean your shower.
Why not take a few minutes to clean your shower before you take a shower!
I do this all the time and it makes keeping soap scum at bay and my bathroom and my shower looking nice and fresh.
If you do this on a regular basis, you will find it easy enough to deep clean your bathroom.
Don’t forget about the showerhead and curtain, as they can also collect soap scum, mold and mildew.
I recommend checking your shower curtain for mold once a month, and be sure to give your shower curtain a good wash every other month.
I am constantly reminding the kids to make sure they pull their shower curtain all the way across so it can dry out and prevent mold.
Unfortuantely my kids don’t always listen, so I have had to replace shower curtains due to mold.
Always check the manufacturers instructions before washing it.
Scrub your shower head with an old toothbrush and an equal mixture of water and vinegar to keep it free of soap scum.
By following this cleaning schedule, you’ll easily be able to keep your bathroom clean and feeling fresh while also preventing the buildup of harmful germs, bacteria and mold. Happy cleaning!
Tools and Techniques for Effective Cleaning
Choosing the Right Cleaning Products and Tools
When it comes to cleaning your bathroom surfaces, using the right tools and products can make a significant difference.
Opt for a disinfectant cleaner to kill microbes, viruses, and fungi present on surfaces.
For cleaning your shower, you can use a commercial daily shower spray or make your own using water, vodka or rubbing alcohol, and peppermint essential oil.
A microfiber cloth is great for wiping countertops and sinks, while a vacuum can help clean the bathroom floor. I like to use a handheld vacuum for hard to reach areas.
For a more eco-friendly option, use a microfiber deep clean mop to disinfect your bathroom floor using just water.
Don’t forget to have a squeegee handy to remove water from your shower doors and your shower walls and floor.
Cleaning Tips and Tricks
Incorporating a few tips and tricks into your routine bathroom cleaning can save you both time and effort. For instance, soaking your showerhead in a bag filled with white vinegar overnight will help remove buildup and improve water flow.
Prevent mold and soap scum by using a squeegee on your shower curtain and doors after every use.
When deep cleaning your bathtub, use hot water to help break up dirt and residue, while vinegar can work wonders for removing soap scum.
If your tiles require some extra attention, create a mixture of baking soda and water to effectively remove stubborn buildup. However, be cautious not to use this mixture on marble or granite surfaces, as it could cause damage. Instead, stick to warm, soapy water when cleaning these specific surfaces.
Make sure your bathroom is well-ventilated by opening windows and using exhaust fans during and after showers.
Eliminate standing water by wiping down your shower walls, bathtub, and other surfaces to remove excess moisture after use. This will prevent water from lingering and creating an environment conducive to mold and mildew growth.
By doing regular maintenance in your bathroom to remove stains and keep soap scum at bay, you will be able to ensure a clean bathroom between deep cleaning sessions.
I hope the above bathroom cleaning guidelines will help you to figure out how often should you clean your bathroom.
As busy moms, we can’t always stick to cleaning our bathroom every week, you may have a sick child, or a particularly busy week with sports, or whatever it is. If you skip cleaning your bathroom for a couple of weeks, don’t stress over it. Just get to it when you can!
Always remember, a clean bathroom is essential for your health and well-being.
Other cleaning articles you may like:
- How to deep clean your bathroom
- How to clean the bathroom floor
- How to clean bathroom rugs
- How to clean a bathroon sink overflow hole?
- List of household chores
- Best way to clean bath toys
- Get rid of smell in your fridge super fast
- How often realistically should you dust your house
- How to declutter your bathroom?
- How to clean a shower head without vinegar
Grainne Foley
Grainne Foley is a wife and mother of 2 great kids. During her 5 years of full time RV travel, Grainne learned to become very efficient at household chores, in order to make time for family adventures. Now, back in a house, she has continued to create tools and techniques to help others lighten the load of household organization and cleaning.
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