Cleaning your bathroom is one thing all of us dread. So, for that reason, we have come up with a few top tips to help you complete this task (to freakin’ perfection might we add) in the most effortless and time saving way. So, if you can no longer put off cleaning your bathroom and are dreading getting to grips with limescale, dull taps, dusty floors and grimy tiles then you’re in for a treat. I don’t know what it is that makes us so squeamish around cleaning the bathroom; is it the hard work and elbow grease it requires? Confined spaces? The strong smell of cleaning products? Or that the toilet sees plenty of action (to put it nicely)?
We think a bathroom should be a place for you to relax, unwind and forget about the stresses of the world for half an hour. (Or maybe half a minute if you have little ones running around)! To be able to slide into a mountain of bubbles with a candle lit and a glass of those ‘different’ kind of bubbles in hand. If you follow our tips, that is exactly what you could be doing this evening and surly that’s enough to persuade you to reach for the rubber gloves…
Before we start, we have 1 rule; get in the right head-space (you’ll need to be for when it comes to cleaning the loo). Do you prefer to clean alone so you can crack on with no interruptions? Make sure the house is empty when you decide to take this on. Will music help you through? Then dig out some oldie but goldies. Or even put on your favourite TV series, comedy show or film on in the background - anything that isn’t silence with help you through. So here we go…
Spray and soak
To make our lives easier later on, we are going to tackle the stubborn areas now! Apply a generous amount of cleaning fluid, like bleach in and around the toilet bowl (cola is great, too!). Then using your preferred cleaner/disinfectant, spray the sink, bath, taps (on both) and tiles then leave it to work its magic whilst you move on to the next stage.
Have a tidy up
When you enter your bathroom, look up, look down and look left to right and have a scan around for anything that needs to be ‘dealt with’ first of all. For example, any empty toiletries like shampoo, conditioner and bubble bath bottles. Make-up or hair products that are lying around and need to go back to their homes (yes, all our products have a home you know!) and take out any dirty washing and put that in the laundry basket to deal with later.
Cleaning your toilet
Now that’s done, we’re in to the nitty gritty and because we prepped earlier, this next job should be a lot easier. Take your toilet bowl brush and with a little elbow grease, scrub-a-dub-dub! Start with under the rim (stand back!) and then swirl your way all the down. Next, using toilet cleaning wipes (or any kind of anti-bacterial wipes will do), eliminate your toilet seat, flush handle and outer area of dirt and grime. Now flush and see it sparkle! Phew! Can you believe that is one part complete already?
Sink, taps and tub
Your sink is a miniature version of the tub, so treat them with the same care. Begin by working from top to bottom wiping down the inside of the tub or sink with a damp cloth. If your struggling to get the sparkle back in your tub, add a little more all-purpose cleaner and let it sit for an extra 3-5 minutes. Now time to tackle the taps. Start by wiping off the cleaning product you applied earlier with a damp cloth. If there is leftover limescale, soak a cloth in some limescale remover (or a white vinegar and water solution) then wrap this around the tap and leave it for a while. Once it’s all clean, buff each of the taps with a dry cloth for extra added shine.
Grubby grout
Grout is one of the all-time worst offenders in any bathroom, often turning black with mould over time despite all our careful cleaning. Dip an old toothbrush in bleach before scrubbing discoloured grout with it. For stubborn areas, try a mixture of bicarbonate of soda and water, brushing this paste into the grout with an old toothbrush. Then spray the area with a white vinegar and water solution. This makes the bicarbonate of soda get to work, lifting soap scum up off the grout.
Steam
We are going to create steam by turning your shower on. Once the steam has built up (this tends to take about 5 minutes), and we have created our very own home-made sauna, turn the shower off and leave the room, shutting the door behind you. This is the ideal time to grab a drink and take a breather. Return after approximately 20 minutes and wipe down all the surfaces. It’s as simple as that!
Mirrors and floors
Streaky mirrors frustrate all of us. No matter how much we wipe, whenever we take a few steps back to admire our work, the smears are there, staring you in the face! Our bathroom mirrors suffer a lot of unwanted attention from splats of toothpaste, numerous coats of hairspray and regularly smeared-on fingerprints. But fear not; a streak-free shine is well within reach. Take an all-purpose glass cleaner and a dry, clean microfiber cloth (or a newspaper is great too!) and clean the mirror in a circular motion.
Refresh
It’s time to add a pop of summer to one of the most used rooms in the house. By simply updating the hand towel to a more colourful one, changing (or just cleaning) the shower curtain or even adding a small vase of flowers or a fresh new scented candle. Sometimes the smallest and simplest changes make the biggest and most noticeable changes to a room.
You time
I know what you’re thinking ‘all this damn cleaning – when will it end?!’ We haven’t forgot about you don’t worry! Rip those rubber gloves off and give yourself a well-deserved a pat on the back. Now get sat in front of the TV with a well-deserved cuppa and some delicious treats, choc chip cookie’s maybe?
Got some handy cleaning hacks? We’d love to hear about them so make sure to tag us @yorkshiretradingco and share!
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