Let me paint you a picture. You open the bathroom door, then notice gray gunk on the edge of your bathroom tiles. A dingy smell fills the room. There’s a yellow film on your sink and dried splotches of water on your shower screen. You try to take a shower, but now your drain isn’t working properly. Could it get any worse? “I’m sure I have been wiping the vanity and making sure my toilet is clean but–” Yes, my dear. I think it’s time for a deep clean.
The Sleek Dwellings site provides tips, tricks on everyday living, and reviews on your modern home appliances. In this article, we will be tackling the question: “how often do we need to deep clean our bathrooms?”
Importance of a Safe and Clean Bathroom
Like any other area in our home, it is highly important to maintain a clean bathroom. An unkept washroom leads to:
- Inhaling mold and dust is a problem, especially for people with asthma, chronic bronchitis, and other respiratory issues.
- Growth of microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, and fungi. You don’t want E. Coli, Norovirus, salmonella, staph, mold, and many others thrive in your small bathroom?
Other than maintaining a clean bathroom, we also need to ensure that accidents are down to zero. Make sure that you remove anything (especially on your floors) that could cause accidents. It is also not bad to have a safety bar installed by a professional.
Appearance of Unwanted Guests
Germs are realistically, everywhere, and we expect to see double when talking about the bathroom. I do not dare to put the bathroom surfaces under a microscope. Did you know that according to nbcnews, “E. Coli can be found within six feet of the toilet and in the sink”?
Since the bathroom is prone to moisture and humidity, expect to see colonies emerge. Mildew tends to thrive in shower curtains; mold tends to grow under the rim of the toilet and in the grout of your shower tiles.
A daily clean such as wiping down surfaces, a weekly switch of bathroom rugs or mats, and overall making sure your bathroom is dry (a bathroom heater may help) can lower the risk of these pesky microbes.
Do’s and Don’t of Bathroom Cleaning
We understand that one cannot have the time for bathroom cleaning daily,, so maybe following life-hacks on YouTube or Tiktok can help smoothen things out for you. Right? Wrong. Sometimes, these “influencers” use way too many cleaning agents on their videos, posing a health risk and safety hazard.
DON’T use those blue toilet tank tablets. These may be all the rage right now, but these chemical tablets are not good for your tank as they break down its essential parts. They corrode the tank.
DON’T dump half of the cleaning agent on your toilet or bathroom floors. We understand that more may mean more effectiveness, but there is a reason why there are instructions on the back of the label to make sure you don’t create a hazard while cleaning.
DO scrub your toilet every week. Pouring toilet cleaning solution under the rims of your toilet is not enough. A good scrubadubdub rids the yellow film on your toilet and ensures that every nook and cranny of your “throne” is squeaky clean.
DO feel free to use home ingredients to incorporate in your cleaning concoction. Baking soda, vinegar (white distilled, or apple cider), and maybe Coca-Cola (yes, you read that right). But please take note that you must not mix vinegar with bleach as this creates a potentially lethal chlorine gas.
Cleaning Checklist
To prevent any inconvenience in the bathroom (health or safety), here’s a checklist that may aid you on which items to pay attention to.
Daily
- Countertops are clutter-free – While getting ready, try your best to adopt a CLAYGO (Clean as you go) policy. You don’t have to worry about coming home to a messy bathroom.
- Towels belong to the rack – Wet towels, when left on the floor, can increase your chances of rubbing germs (or even worse, mold) on your face.
- Wipe wipe wipe – countertops sinks enough to rid of those blobs of toothpaste, mirrors, and faucets. This little amount of effort can help you avoid those “guests.”
Weekly
- Scrub your countertops – If you fail to wipe your countertops, you may notice dried splotches of water on them or maybe dried out the spilled liquid. A little scrubby with a brush and diluted liquid soap should do the trick.
- Disinfect that toilet – Wipe off the lid and tank. Then sanitize it by working your way outside going in. Don’t forget to scrub. Make sure to open windows when using bleach to clean.
- Clean the drain – Long or short hair is still prone to having hair going to the blocked drain. To avoid any buildup, remove the stopped, unclog the drain (using the end of a wire hanger can help or a commercial clog remover) to let that water drain smoothly.
- Focus on the floors – This may be the last step to cleaning the bathroom. After vacuuming to remove any dust and hair, mop your floors properly with soapy water.
Monthly
- Drawers – Organize the contents of your drawers. Small trays can be a big help.
- Polish Mirrors – See the fairest of them again all by using a dry lint-free towel and a glass cleaner to wipe your mirrors.
- Shower and Tub – Go from top to bottom by spraying an ammonia-based cleaner on your shower and tub. Let it soak for 5-10 minutes before giving it a good old scrub. Use your showerhead to wash it all off, squeegee it, and then wipe the surface dry.
- Wash shower curtain and liner – Avoid mildew by throwing these into the washing machine (read the washing instruction first).
- Don’t forget the bathroom rugs and shower mat – You can also throw these into the washing machine to get rid of the dirt and the smell. Read the care tag first!
Conclusion
There you have it! Cleanliness is subjective to everyone, so don’t beat yourself up for not following these to a T, but always remember that a clean bathroom is a top-tier requirement as with any other room in the house. After maybe a 45-minute cleaning sesh, you can relax without wondering if you grew a biohazard in your home.
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