15 Genius Bathroom Cleaning HACKS for an Easy Deep Clean

Cleaning the bathroom might not be anybody’s favorite. Unfortunately, it’s a household chore that still has to get done. Luckily, these 15 bathroom cleaning hacks will make the job a little faster and easier, so you get that sparkly clean feeling in less time.

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We were on a road trip this week and stopped at a rest area along the highway. It was quite possibly the dirtiest bathroom I’ve ever been in. I don’t even know how people can miss the toilet so completely. Even my kids noticed the smell and mess. One of them asked, “Is it really that hard to just put your garbage in the trash can? I mean it’s sitting right there!”

The crazy reality is all bathrooms have the possibility of getting that bad, especially with newly aiming Littles. 😉 Bathrooms are a haven for potential germ fests, soap scum build-up, and uncomfortable smells. But with these bathroom cleaning hacks, you can keep your bathroom smelling fresh and feeling clean in less time.

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15 Bathroom Cleaning Hacks

Whether your bathroom has slowly faded into a dirtier state than you hoped and now you’re ready to get on top of it, or you simply want to keep the bathroom clean faster, these bathroom cleaning hacks will help. Some will help get the cleaning done faster, easier, and better. Other hacks will help prevent the need for laborious cleaning altogether.

1. Store Cleaning Supplies in the Bathroom

It’s normal to keep the toilet scrub brush right by the toilet, but keep all the cleaning supplies handy. Then you can do a quick clean while the kids are in the bathtub or anytime you notice the need. It’s amazing how two-minute clean-ups can keep a bathroom sparkly. Make sure to store your cleaning supplies safely from kids either in a high cabinet or with a child-lock.

2. Clean the Shower Right after Showering

Save time and elbow grease by letting the science of heat work its magic. Simply plan on cleaning the shower right after you shower or right before you finish. While you take a hot shower, the steam loosens the grime, making your scrubbing job much easier.

3. Keep a Dish Scrubber in the Shower

Here’s an easy way to do that cleaning while you’re in the hot shower and a great tool for the job. It’s so convenient to keep this type of dish scrubber in the shower. It dispenses soap, can be used to scrub, and usually has one side that can gently “scrape” soap scum. If you don’t have time for a full clean, simply do one wall or section and pick-up where you left off next time. You can typically grab a dish scrubber at the dollar store, but if you want one that will last longer, I recommend this OXO Soap Dispensing Dish Brush.

4. Label a Toothbrush for Cleaning

After your toothbrush is to worn out for teeth (six months as recommended by dentists or when the bristles fray), save it for cleaning. Label it with a sharpie and keep it away from kids, of course. The size and shape of toothbrushes make them perfect for scrubbing around faucets, toilets, or grout.

5. Use an Old Credit Card

I read this cleaning hack in the comments section of a blog long ago, and it’s an amazing one! The rounded corners and hard plastic edges of credit cards make them ideal for scrubbing stubborn soap scum and cleaning porcelain sinks or toilets. Again, clearly label your card for cleaning so a well-intentioned kid or partner doesn’t put it back in your purse. 🙂

6. Use a Toothpick for Tiny Spaces

Sometimes you just need to take care of the details! Toothpicks are great for cleaning around the edges of drains, corners or sliding tracks of the shower, or other hard-to-reach spaces.

7. Combine Your Tool with a Cleansing Wipe

Wrap the credit card or toothpick in a cleansing or disinfecting wipe to clean between the top and bottom of the toilet, the slats of the fan, and other thin areas. Toilet seats can also be removed occasionally to clean around the screw area.

8. Hang a Squeegee in the Shower & Keep Surfaces Dry

Quickly squeegee down the walls and door of the shower after you finish. This prevents build-up and saves time from scrubbing. Even kids can learn to get in this one-minute habit.

Turn on the fan while you shower to help steam move through and prevent water from sitting and molding on ceilings, walls, and other surfaces.

Additionally, keep other surfaces dry too. Use a floor towel to quickly dry the floor after bathing. If you have tile counters, keep them dry too. You can also use an old sock for drying or dusting. When water evaporates on its own, it leaves behind the dirt and grime. But a quick towel will soak up the dirty water and keep surfaces cleaner without having to scrub.

Squeeze the water out of bath toys when kids are done playing with them, or only have toys that don’t fill with water. Use a mesh bag for bath toy storage, so toys can drip dry. These foam bath letters are some of our favorite bath toys that don’t fill with water, and this set comes with a storage bag too…

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9. Use a Coffee Filter for Cleaning Glass

Paper coffee filters clean mirrors without leaving streaks or the small flecks that paper towel often leaves behind.

10. Use the Gentlest Cleansers First on Grout

When tile or stone are installed, typically the grout is covered with a protective sealant. The gentler we are when cleaning, the longer this sealant will last and prevent deep cleaning. So start with the gentlest cleansers first, like warm water and dish soap. While vinegar is a natural cleanser, it’s also really acidic which can break down the sealant faster. Instead choose a neutral cleanser.

Periodically, a deep clean might be necessary. In that case, start with gentle and then try other cleansers. Here are some good options.

• Dish soap
• Baking soda (Baking soda is slightly basic and much closer to neutral than vinegar.)
• Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Multi-Surface Cleaner Concentrate, Lemon Verbena Scent (Mix some of this with water in a spray bottle and use it for grout, counters, floors, and more for a refreshing smell and good clean.)
• Scrubbing Bubbles (This has worked well for us.)
• Vinegar (A natural, acidic cleanser.)
• Bleach (Bleach is very powerful, so consider using it as a last resort.)

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11. Wrangle the Hairbrushes

Spend 20 seconds after brushing hair to pull the hair from the brush. If not, over time the loose hair and product builds up in the brush and will take a lot longer to clean. Use plastic storage containers to separate the brushes from other items in the drawer. (The containers are also handy for toothbrushes, facial products, or other bathroom items.) And in general, try to keep hair brushing and teeth brushing in the bathroom to prevent spreading hair or spilling toothpaste in other parts of the house.

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12. Use the Dishwasher

Periodically put hair brushes, toothbrushes, and their storage containers through the dishwasher for hands-free cleaning. Without cleaning, these items can eventually build-up scum. This is one of the bathroom cleaning hacks that truly takes no extra time!

13. Deep Clean with Vinegar or Baking Soda

One of the rental homes we moved into had a toilet with a ton of buildup inside. Regular cleaning didn’t work. The same can happen if water sits in the toilet while you’re on vacation or if it isn’t cleaned for a while. I used the following bathroom cleaning hack for that problem toilet, and it was amazing! For deep cleaning, vinegar is super helpful.

How to Deep Clean the Toilet with Vinegar

1. Turn off the water supply to the toilet.
2. Flush to remove the water from the bowl. (This will keep vinegar strong rather than diluted by the water.)
3. Pour vinegar into the bowl, covering the trouble spots.
4. Let the vinegar sit overnight.
5. Scrub the toilet, flush, and it’s ready to go!

How to Deep Clean the Shower Head with Vinegar

Sometimes hard water will build up in the shower head. Here’s how to clean it without requiring a lot of elbow grease.

1. Remove the shower head.
2. Put the shower head into a zip-tight bag.
3. Pour vinegar into the bag, submerging the shower head.
4. Let the bag sit (longer for tougher build-up).
5. Rinse the shower head, and it’s ready!

Bathroom Cleaning with Baking Soda

Baking soda is a great natural cleanser. It neutralizes odors and since it has a little friction, it’s helpful for scrubbing the grime. It’s not a disinfectant, so you may want to use another cleanser after or combine it with vinegar.

Here are a few ways to clean the bathroom with baking soda:

• Drain: Pour some baking soda down the drain. Let it sit to absorb odors. Pour a little vinegar down, followed by warm water.
• Walls and floors: Dissolve baking soda in some warm water. It’ll be a little cloudy. Dip a sponge or soft cloth in the water, and use it to scrub the walls and/or floors. It works a little bit like a magic eraser.
• Toilet: Sprinkle baking soda around the toilet bowl. Let it sit then use the toilet brush to scrub.
• Faucets: Mix baking soda with a little water to make a paste. Scrub the faucet, and wipe down with water.
• Tub: Sprinkle baking soda around the tub. Let it sit. Use a sponge and warm water to scrub the tub. Rinse the tub clean with warm water.

14. Get Kids on Board with Cleaning Bathrooms Too

At first, this definitely won’t feel like a bathroom cleaning hack! It will most likely take longer to clean and probably won’t be quite as clean as you’d get it. However, the investment of time to teach kids to clean well is definitely worth it! Cleaning is a lifelong skill that will serve kids well forever. Sharing the cleaning load is good for the whole family. Plus, when kids are responsible for cleaning, they learn to prevent messes and clean as they go too.

Here are a few resources to help teach kids to clean bathrooms:

• The Five E’s of Teaching Kids to Work
• Free Printable Bathroom Cleaning Checklist for Kids

15. Clean Quickly and Often

One of the best bathroom cleaning hacks is simply to clean often. When we clean frequently, it can happen FAST, in a matter of minutes. We don’t let grime get stuck or built up. Over time the standing water, toothpaste, and other bathroom messes can even ruin metal faucets or other fixtures. But a quick wipe-down regularly will prevent a lot of ruin and deep cleaning. A full clean of the bathroom once a week is a good minimum to aim for.

Do you have good intentions of keeping the bathroom clean, and then somehow the time between cleanings slips by and you’re left suddenly wondering, “How did this bathroom get so gross again?”

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You can also check out these posts related to bathroom cleaning hacks:

• 10 Cleaning Hacks for Busy Moms (Tips to Stress Less about Cleaning and Enjoy Life More)
• How to Clean Less and Still Have a Tidy Home
• 7 Simple Ways to Get Your 4-Year-Old to Clean Up

I hope these simple bathroom hacks help you keep your bathroom clean with less time and effort! Because I’m all about a clean home, but I don’t want to spend all day doing it. Life with Littles is far too short.

Which of these bathroom hacks sounds helpful? Do you have any tips for keeping the bathroom clean? Please share in the comments!

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