I’m sure we all have our own routines when it comes to cleaning the bathroom. I usually start with the toilet, then move to the shower, then address the sink, mirror, and floors. In fact, if I can clean all of those in one go, I’m probably feeling really productive!
But beyond those weekly maintenance cleanings, there’s definitely more we should be doing. Bathrooms have the potential to become the dirtiest room in the house if left unchecked, due to the unique combination of warmth, humidity, and bacteria that congregate there.
Related: 9 Things You Need To Replace In Your Bathroom
With just a few basic cleaning supplies, it’s easy to keep your bathroom (and the things you store in there) clean and healthy. Here are 9 common bathroom items that could probably use a cleaning:
9 Things In Your Bathroom You Should Clean More Often
1. Bath Toys
Bath toys can build up layers of soap scum and mildew if they aren’t being cleaned. A quick soak with some vinegar will take care of that! Just put your bath toys into a bucket, then fill with warm water and add 1 cup of white vinegar. Let the toys soak in the vinegar water for an hour, then rinse them with clean water and let them dry completely before storing again.
2. Shower Curtain Liner
Your vinyl shower curtain liner is another item that attracts mildew and soap scum. Rather than replacing your liner when it gets yucky, give it a wash in your washing machine! Shower curtain liners can easily shred in the wash, but you can “cushion” the liner by throwing a couple of your bath towels in the same load.
Use your regular laundry detergent, along with 1 cup of baking soda. The baking soda will help loosen the gunk attached to your shower curtain, and the friction from the bath towels will help wash it away.
Related: How To Clean Your Bathroom Top To Bottom In Record Time
3. Loofahs
You can also wash your bath and shower loofahs in your washing machine. You can wash them on a normal cycle with your normal laundry detergent. Just make sure to hang your loofahs to dry after washing them, rather than using your dryer.
4. Toilet Brush and Brush Holder
I’m sure I don’t need to spell out why it’s a good idea to disinfect your toilet brush every once in a while, right? ;-) You would thoroughly clean and disinfect anything that might have accidentally fallen into the toilet, so why should your toilet brush be any different? Once a month or so, soak your toilet brush and toilet brush holder in a bucket full of warm water and a couple of capfuls of bleach. Let them soak for a half hour or so, then rinse with clean water.
5. Drain Stopper
If you have really long hair, or a lot of girls in your house, chances are you already have to clean out your tub or shower’s drain stopper semi-regularly. But for the rest of us, it can easily slip our minds to keep the drain stopper clean and the drain clear.
Pull the drain stopper out of the drain and soak it in a cup of white vinegar to loosen any gunk that may be clinging to it. While the stopper is soaking, give your drain a quick cleaning with some baking soda and vinegar.
Read More: Simple Remedies For Clogged Drains
6. Shower Door Track
If you have a shower door rather than a curtain, the track or frame of the door can get pretty gross over time. Dissolve all the gunk down in there by pouring white vinegar into the track. (If your track drains too quickly to hold any vinegar in it, line the track with paper towels before pouring the vinegar in. The paper towels will absorb the vinegar and let it do it’s thing.
After letting the vinegar sit in the track for a while, use a paper towel or a microfiber cloth to wipe any gunk out.
7. Hair Brushes
Hair brushes collect more than just your hair! Oils, hair products, dust, and dead skin can build up on your hair brush over time. Loosen any build-up on your hair brushes by soaking them in a sink full of warm, soapy water. (I always use Dawn, but any dish soap will work.) Rinse the brushes clean and let them air dry before storing them back in your drawer or cabinet.
8. Exhaust Fan
If you haven’t taken a peek at your bathroom’s exhaust fan in a while, it’s probably a good time to do it! Your exhaust fan helps remove moisture from the air, which is a pretty important job in a small, often humid room. If your exhaust fan is covered in dust and grime, it probably isn’t doing its job properly. Without the exhaust fan removing moisture, your bathroom could potentially become a breeding ground for mold and mildew. Yuck!
Cleaning your bathroom’s exhaust fan is actually a lot simpler than it may seem at first glance. You’ll be done in less than half an hour, but you’ll be enjoying the benefits of your hard work for months to come.
Read More: How To Clean That Neglected Bathroom Fan
9. Toothbrushes
Your toothbrush may clean your teeth, but it needs a regular cleaning as well. Toothbrushes can be a hotbed for germs and bacteria. Disinfect your toothbrush by soaking it overnight in a cup of warm water along with 10 drops of Tea Tree essential oil. Do this soak once a week for a cleaner, healthier mouth.
Read More: 15 Simple Ways To Use Powerful Tea Tree Oil
What’s your best bathroom cleaning tip or trick?