I'm a Neat-Freak Who Hates Chores — But These 6 Bathroom Cleaning Hacks Helped Me Get Mine Streak-Free, Without Breaking a Sweat

If you're anything like me and you aren't the biggest fan of cleaning your bathroom — I totally get it. Cleaning, at the best of times, can be a bit overwhelming and unapproachable, but there's something about the bathroom that ups the level of friction between myself and getting the chore done.

I always clean my bathroom regularly. Nonetheless, as I know how often you should clean your bathroom and why it's so important, I sometimes wish there were easier ways to do it. Little nifty tricks that make tough cleaning jobs a bit more interesting and easy...

It turns out there are, in fact, lots of little techniques out there to make cleaning a bathroom simple. I talked to cleaning experts to hear their top hacks for cleaning a bathroom and tips on how to execute each one. Here's what they had to say.

1. Tackling hard to reach areas with a toothbrush

All the time you've spent tirelessly trying to clean around the circumference of your taps, between your tiles, and around the drain could have been spared if you simply scrubbed them with a toothbrush.

The head of a toothbrush is sturdy but small, so it's able to get into hard-to-reach nooks with ease under the control of your hand. This hack is honestly genius and a great way to recycle old toothbrushes once they're looking a bit worn. You'll be feeling like you have a low-maintenance bathroom in no time.

Muffetta Krueger, owner of Muffetta's Housekeeping, says, "Using a toothbrush to clean tight corners, faucet bases, and drain rims is a great way to tackle hard-to-reach areas minus the stress. You can also use cotton swabs."

If you'd like to recycle your old toothbrush to use as a cleaning supply, rinse it under boiling hot water to sterilize it, and then you're good to go. But if you'd rather purchase a pack of dedicated cleaning toothbrushes, the Colgate extra clean flexible grip toothbrushes from Walmart are a great choice.

Walmart sells cotton swabs super affordably if you'd like to try using cotton swabs for finer cleaning details. Their Q-Tips original cotton swab 500 count pack is amazing value.

2. Descaling your shower head with vinegar

What if someone told you that the frustrating limescale that's been building up since the dawn of time on your shower head can be removed using just one household staple and zero elbow grease? Well, it isn't too good to be true, according to cleaning experts.

Karina Toner, professional cleaner and operations manager at Spekless, says, "The acetic acid in vinegar effectively dissolves limescale and hard water deposits, so if you submerge your shower head in vinegar, it will clean up really well."

To do this hack, all you need is vinegar, a plastic bag that can hold liquid, and an elastic band. You likely already have these things in your home, but if you're missing a couple, you can substitute an elastic band for a hair tie or string and a plastic bag for a reusable shopping bag or sandwich bag like the transparent food bags with handles from Walmart.

"For shower heads, tie a bag of vinegar around the head and let it soak overnight to dissolve buildup," says Muffetta.

Fill up your bag halfway with vinegar (preferably white vinegar as it's more acidic) and tie the handles around your shower head once it is submerged in the vinegar. Then, using an elastic band, hair tie, or string, tie the bag in place so it's as secure as possible.

The next day, rinse your shower head with water and run it for a little while to wake it up. It should not only be free from limescale now, but also very shiny. If it wasn't before your shower room will now be the star of your bathroom space.

3. A DIY grout cleaner

If your bathroom flooring is tiled, you'll be familiar with the pain that comes with cleaning all the tile grout. Especially if your floor is of a lighter color and not one of the easiest bathroom floor tiles to clean, the dirt and dust left behind between the tiles show up so boldly and can look incredibly unappealing.

Muffetta told me about a DIY grout cleaning hack that not only tackles the grime in between your tiles, but also brightens them up to look more vibrant than ever before. "If you mix baking soda and hydrogen peroxide together to form a paste and scrub the grouting with a toothbrush, it will remove tough stains and brighten the grout at the same time," says Muffetta.

Start with two tablespoons of baking soda and one tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide, then keep adding more hydrogen peroxide slowly to make your paste. Then, allow it to sit on your grout lines.

"Apply your paste generously to grout lines or stained tiles, and leave it to sit for fifteen minutes to allow the mixture time to break down dirt, mold and stains," says Karina. "Before wiping the paste off using a damp microfiber cloth, scrub the paste into the grout lines with a toothbrush in circular motions to dislodge dirt and whiten the area."

The MR.SIGA microfiber cleaning cloth 12 pack from Walmart is a great investment for all of your household cleaning, including cleaning the bathroom. Hydrogen peroxide is available at many stores as well, including Target. Their hydrogen peroxide topical solution USP 32oz costs less than a dollar.

4. Using dryer sheets and vinegar to remove soap scum

I find soap scum to be one of the most annoying messes to clean in my small bathroom because the mess is caused by soap — something inherently clean! It clings to sinks, glass shower doors, and mirrors and can be difficult to make budge.

According to Karina, though, all that's needed to make someone's soap scum woes disappear is vinegar and some dryer sheets.

"Dryer sheets contain anti-static agents that break down soap scum effectively, and vinegar dissolves mineral deposits," says Karina. "So if you combine these two items and their properties, they're amazing at lifting soap scum from surfaces without causing scratches."

To do this hack, first, soak a dryer sheet in warm water to soften it. While you're doing this add some diluted vinegar (one part vinegar to two parts water) to the soap scum you'd like to remove. Then, once your dryer sheet has softened, scrub the soap scum with it. The soap scum should lift relatively easily.

The Downy infusions calm dryer sheets from Target are great value and, what's best about this hack, is you don't need to use brand-new dryer sheets for the job. Use and enjoy them in your laundry first, then save them up with your cleaning supplies.

5. Preventing foggy, cloudy mirrors with shaving cream

We've all experienced fog in our bathroom mirrors, as it's an unavoidable occurrence in a bathroom. When we run our hot showers and baths, the temperature difference between the warm room and the cool surface of the mirror creates condensation, causing misting up and dampness that can leave unsightly watermarks on the glass.

This can be tricky to clean and requires a lot of patience and glass cleaner. But the secret professional cleaners keep is that you can prevent your mirror from fogging up at all using shaving cream. "Shaving cream forms a protective barrier that prevents condensation from clinging to the mirror," says Karina. Without the worry of condensation and water stains, your mirror will be easier to clean overall, but if your mirror is already foggy, shaving cream can be used to clear it up as well.

To harness the power of this trick, spray shaving cream onto a microfiber cloth and buff it into your mirror in circular motions until you've gone over the entire surface. Keep going until your mirror is free from streaks. The layer of shaving cream should keep your mirror shining for around four days.

If your mirror has a frame do your best to avoid pushing shaving cream into where the frame fixes onto the mirror. Otherwise your frame may get damaged.

6. Deep cleaning your toilet with vinegar and baking soda

And lastly (but not least!), you can tackle toilet troubles with just a little scrubbing and two pantry ingredients: vinegar and baking soda If the bowl in your toilet gathers brown stains and grime no matter how much you seem to scrub it, this trick will work wonders.

"Vinegar kills bacteria and deodorizes while baking soda provides gentle abrasion to lift stains," says Karina. When these two ingredients are mixed together it causes a chemical reaction, resulting in fizz that helps to loosen dirt and debris.

To make this hack work and have a good-smelling bathroom, all you need to do is pour a cup of vinegar around the bowl of your toilet and let it sit for five minutes before sprinkling over half a cup of baking soda. Do your best to cover as much of the toilet's surface area as possible for the best result. Let the baking soda and vinegar sit together for a further ten minutes before scrubbing everything thoroughly with a toilet brush.

"After letting the vinegar and baking soda fizz for five to ten minutes, scrub and flush," says Muffetta. "The chemical reaction will lift the stains, making them easier to scrub away, and the solution will also disinfect your toilet without the use of harsh chemicals." Repeat this as needed until your toilet reaches your desired cleanliness.

FAQs

Why should I clean my bathroom?

There are many reasons why you should clean your bathroom, from maintaining good hygiene to cultivating a beautiful bathroom aesthetic.

Karina Toner, professional cleaner and operations manager at Spekless, breaks down the four top reasons you should always keep on top of your bathroom cleaning routine:

1. Preventing bacteria and mold: Bathrooms are a breeding ground for bacteria, fungi, and mold due to constant moisture and warmth. Regular cleaning reduces health risks and allergens.
2. Aesthetic appeal: A sparkling bathroom is inviting and enhances the overall ambiance of your home.
3. Prolonging fixture lifespan: Dirt, soap scum, and mineral deposits can corrode or damage fixtures over time. Cleaning helps maintain their functionality and appearance.
4. Odor control: Frequent cleaning prevents unpleasant odors caused by bacteria and mildew.