Seven bathroom cleaning mistakes and the easy fixes
Bathrooms are the room most likely to look tired first, and usually not because they are cleaned too rarely. They are cleaned in the wrong order, with the wrong product, or too fast for it to work. Here are the seven that come up most often.
1. Not letting the product dwell
Disinfectants and limescale removers need contact time. Spraying and immediately wiping removes the product before it has done anything. Apply to the toilet, tub and shower first, clean something else for a few minutes, then come back.
2. Scrubbing grout with the wrong tool
A stiff nylon brush and a dedicated grout cleaner will lift what a sponge only smears around. Work in small sections and rinse as you go, or the loosened soil dries back into the joint.
3. Cleaning the mirror last
Aerosols and splashes from the rest of the room land on the glass. Do the mirror after the surfaces but before the floor, and dry it with a separate lint-free cloth rather than the one you have been using on the tiles.
4. Using the same cloth everywhere
One cloth carrying soil from the toilet to the sink is the shortest route to cross-contamination. Colour-code: one for the toilet, one for the tub and sink, one for glass.
5. Forgetting the extractor fan
A clogged fan cover stops moving air, and moisture that does not leave the room becomes the mould you will be scrubbing next month. Vacuum the cover, wash it, and let it dry fully before refitting.
6. Leaving the shower wet
- Squeegee the glass after every shower
- Leave the door or curtain open so air can move through
- Run the fan for ten minutes after the water goes off
7. Attacking limescale with abrasives
Scouring pads scratch chrome and glazed ceramic, and a scratched surface holds soil better than a smooth one. Use an acidic descaler, give it time, and let chemistry do the scrubbing.
