How to Clean a Bathroom the Right Way
Most people clean their bathroom in the wrong order, which means they're re-contaminating surfaces they've already cleaned. Here's the professional method used by house cleaners across Canada.
Step 1: Remove Everything First
Before you touch a cleaning product, clear the counters, remove rugs and towels, and take everything off the toilet tank and edges of the tub. Cleaning around objects wastes time and leaves missed spots.
Step 2: Apply Cleaner to the Toilet First (Let It Sit)
Apply toilet bowl cleaner inside the bowl first and let it sit while you clean the rest of the bathroom. This gives the cleaner time to break down mineral deposits and stains without extra scrubbing.
Step 3: Dust and Wipe High Surfaces
Work from top to bottom. Wipe the ceiling fan or vent, light fixtures, shelves, and the top of the toilet tank before cleaning lower surfaces. Any dust or drips fall downward — you'll clean it up as you go.
Step 4: Clean the Shower and Tub
Spray shower walls, doors, and the tub with an all-purpose or bathroom cleaner. Let it sit for 2–3 minutes. Scrub in circles, paying attention to grout lines, the faucet base, and the drain. Rinse thoroughly.
For soap scum on glass doors: a paste of baking soda and dish soap scrubbed with a non-scratch pad works better than most commercial products.
Step 5: Clean the Sink and Vanity
Spray the sink basin, faucet, and counter. Wipe in circles, cleaning around the drain and the base of the faucet — where mineral deposits accumulate. A toothbrush helps with the faucet base.
Step 6: Clean the Toilet
Scrub the inside of the bowl with the brush, then flush. Wipe the outside of the toilet with a disinfectant wipe or cloth — starting from the top (tank, handle, lid) down to the base. Don't forget the back of the base where the toilet meets the floor.
Step 7: Clean the Mirror
Spray glass cleaner and wipe with a microfibre cloth in an S-pattern (not circles) to avoid streaks. Alternatively, a damp microfibre cloth with no product at all leaves a streak-free finish.
Step 8: Mop the Floor Last
Always clean the floor last. Sweep or vacuum first to pick up hair and debris, then mop. Pay attention to behind the toilet and along the baseboards.
How Often Should You Clean Your Bathroom?
- Weekly: Toilet, sink, counter, mirror
- Bi-weekly: Shower and tub scrub, floor mop
- Monthly: Grout deep scrub, vents, behind toilet base
If keeping up with bathroom cleaning feels like a chore you always push off, Maidless can handle it on a recurring schedule. Book at maidless.ca.