Cleaning products for your bathroom

Cleaning the bathroom is one of the easiest and most necessary chores in the house. It is easy because it is usually the smallest room in the house and it mostly has hard, smooth surfaces that can be easily wiped or scrubbed. It is necessary for obvious reasons: this is the room, not only where people use the toilet, but it is generally the place where our bodies, hands and faces go from dirty to clean. Since many of us use the bathroom for hair styling and even hair cutting, hair becomes an issue. Sprayed substances such as colognes, gels, and hair spray will cause a residue on all surfaces. Mildew and mold can be a problem on walls and ceilings, even if you have a good ventilation system. And of course the soap scum in the bathtub is a seemingly never ending battle. To keep your bathroom healthy and sparkling clean, following are a few tried and true cleaning products which will make your cleaning job easier and more efficient.

First, the best way to store, carry and use all your bathroom cleaning products is to keep them together in a large bucket or bin that can easily be carried if you have more than one bathroom.

Cleaning products will include a variety of things, depending on your preference, but here are the basics: you’ll need a scouring powder like Comet or Ajax, a surface cleaner such as 409 or Fantastik, a glass cleaner, and bleach. Brand names are mentioned here, but any product will do. If you prefer to make your own surface cleaner, mix one part ammonia to three parts water. And speaking of water, most glass and surface cleaners are very concentrated, not to mention, very expensive. Consider pouring half your cleaner into a storage bottle and fill the rest with water. It will still clean just as effectively, but will last twice as long.

The scouring powder will be used primarily in the sink, toilet, and bathtub. The best way to make use of the powder is to sprinkle it around the tub, sink, or bowl, use some water to mix it in, and then let it sit while you clean the counter tops and mirrors with surface and glass cleaner. Counters and mirrors are easily cleaned with paper towels or rags.

Next, go back and scrub the areas where you left the scouring powder, and then rinse. The walls of the bathtub, and any tiles in the room, can be cleaned with the surface cleaner. Surface cleaners will even work on soap scum on the bathtub walls, and on the floor. If mold or mildew seems to gather in your bathroom, use one part bleach to two parts water; wear your rubber gloves and use an old rag to simply wipe the mold or mildew. It will take a couple of minutes, but it will go away completely. Use the toothbrush for hard to reach places for any of these areas.

The key to cleaning a bathroom isn’t the brand of products you use, but the type and the consistency in cleaning. A little organization and planning will make the task much easier.