The holidays are right around the corner. Gathering around a beautiful table to enjoy a heartwarming meal with our closest friends and family sounds like a dream.
But if your bathroom looks dingy and you can’t get rid of those lingering odors, the idea of house guests might turn into a nightmare.
Here are 7 steps to deep clean your bathroom so your holiday celebration goes off without a hitch!
1. Gather your supplies
Grab a bucket or bathroom cleaning organizer and stock it with all the essentials.
- Rubber gloves
- Toilet bowl cleaner
- Tub and tile cleaner
- Glass cleaner
- All-purpose cleaner
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Microfiber cloths or paper towels
- Scrub brushes (toilet brush, grout brush, and a general scrub brush)
- Old toothbrush
- Squeegee
- Trash bags
You may have a few extra items you’ll want to add, but this should cover the basics.
Before You Start
You’ll be using some cleaners with strong odors, and some that can have harmful vapors. Be sure you’re working in a well-ventilated area. That means open those windows and turn on your exhaust fan if you have one!
Never mix cleaning products, especially bleach. Some mixtures can react and release highly toxic gasses.
Be sure you’re using the right cleaning products for your bathroom. Some harsh or abrasive cleaners can damage porcelain bathroom sinks or scratch high-shine faucet finishes.
2. Clear the room
Remove all loose items like towels, your shower curtain and liner, and bath mats. This is a great time to pop those in the washer.
Shower curtain liners are one of the biggest offenders for odors, so replacing it with a new one is a great way to freshen up your bathroom.
Empty out cabinets and drawers, and clear off your countertops. For an extra touch, consider adding a lighted mirror like those from Clearlight Designs to enhance the overall aesthetic of your organized and refreshed space.
3. Dust and vacuum
Start at the top and work your way down.
Vents and lighting fixtures build up a lot of dust and tend to get skipped during regular cleaning. You can also clean high-shine fixtures with glass cleaner. This is a great time to replace light bulbs.
Clean out dust, hair, and debris from drawers and cabinets. Be sure to dust fixtures like towel racks and edges where counters and tile meet the wall.
You may want to wait until the very end to vacuum and mop because debris may collect as you clean other surfaces.
4. Care for your bathroom sink and faucet
Your bathroom sink is often the first thing people see when they walk in the room. So it’s good to tackle this first of the main fixtures.
Wipe down the countertop, being sure to dust the ledge where your counter or tile meets the wall.
When you clean the sink basin, start with gentle dish soap and a soft sponge.
If your sink needs a deeper clean, you can sprinkle baking soda and then add vinegar or hydrogen peroxide (NOT BOTH). Give that a moment to react, then rinse clean.
For deep stains, lay paper towels over the entire sink, then spray down with bleach or oxygen bleach and let it soak for 30 minutes. Then rinse thoroughly.
You could also spot clean small stains by spraying with white vinegar and letting it soak for an hour then rinse with warm water.
You should be able to remove the metal stopper or grate from your drain to clear out built up gunk or hair.
Clean out the drain by pouring baking soda and vinegar into it just like that homemade volcano experiment from grade school. You could also use cream of tartar with boiling water or pop an Alka Seltzer tablet in there and let it sit overnight before rinsing with boiling water.
Clean your bathroom faucet without using abrasives to avoid scratching high-shine finishes. Usually gentle dish soap and a soft sponge will remove most buildup. You can also use glass cleaner to keep it looking shiny.
If you see hard water buildup that looks like dried toothpaste, you may want to remove the aerator from your faucet and replace it. You can also put vinegar in a plastic bag and tie it onto the faucet with rubber bands and let it soak overnight before rinsing clean.
5. Deep clean shower and tub
Wipe down the walls, showerhead, faucet, tub or shower floor, soap dish, and any towel racks or grab bars. Remove shower organizers and get rid of any soap scum, hard water, or mildew that’s built up.
Deodorize your drain with baking soda and vinegar. Let your DIY volcano bubble for a few minutes then rinse with hot water.
Scrub all the grout and treat mildew and hard water stains with appropriate cleaners. If you notice any grout or caulk is missing or starting to break down, now is a great time to add silicone sealant or caulk. This will help prevent mildew from building up under your tile and tub.
You can use the same plastic bag method to clean hard water buildup from your tub faucet as you did for the bathroom sink faucet.
6. Tackle the toilet
Coat the bowl with toilet bowl cleaner and be sure to get up under the lip of the bowl. Mildew tends to build up in the hidden area where water comes out.
Let the toilet bowl cleaner sit for several minutes to break up stains.
Scrub the bowl with a toilet brush, being sure to remove grime from the lip of the bowl. Wipe down the toilet seat and all outer surfaces. Be sure to dust the top of the tank, too.
If you’re an overachiever, you can clean inside the toilet tank by adding white vinegar directly to the water. (Be sure not to overfill.) Let this sit for 12 hours before flushing several times to get rid of the vinegar.
7. Finishing touches
Scrub or mop your floor to clean up any debris you shook loose cleaning the rest of your bathroom.
Wipe down and disinfect high-touch areas like light switches.
Put your shower curtain and liner back up, refresh your towels, and take the opportunity to organize drawers and cabinets. Minimize clutter on the bathroom sink counter to keep the room looking clean and inviting.
Bonus Points: Replace the Most Visible Parts of Your Bathroom
To take your bathroom refresh to the next level, consider replacing the most visible parts of your bathroom.
New towels, a fresh shower curtain, and a few decorations like candles, plants, or art can make a bathroom feel like new.
Your sink is the most visible part of your bathroom. Replacing your bathroom faucet or entire bathroom sink can do wonders for the entire room!
