How To Clean Your Bathroom in About 15 Minutes

Who really likes cleaning the bathroom? While it’s something we all need to too, many people put it off week after week. This only makes cleaning your bathroom hard when you finally need to do it. However, with a little organization and the right techniques, you can thoroughly clean your bathroom in about 15 minutes. Our step-by-step guide will help you effectively and efficiently clean your bathroom quickly. Plus, we explain how often you should clean your bathroom and when you need to do a deep cleaning.

How Do You Clean a Bathroom Fast?

The secret to cleaning a bathroom fast is having the right supplies and following a simple procedure. It might take you longer than 15 minutes the first few times you clean your bathroom. With regular cleaning and practice, it should go by quickly with just a little effort.

Supplies:

Measuring cup
Distilled white vinegar
Baking soda
Spray bottle
Funnel (optional)
Liquid dish soap
Microfiber cloth(s)
Toilet brush
Vacuum
Mop
Bucket
Latex or rubber gloves (optional)

Steps to Cleaning Your Bathroom:

Here are the steps for cleaning any bathroom in about 15 minutes. While not necessary, waterproof latex or rubber gloves will prevent the vinegar and bleach from clinging to your hands while cleaning.

Pour one cup each of baking soda and vinegar into the toilet and allow it to foam.
Put towels, wash clothes, and bath mats in the laundry, following the washing instructions on the label. If you have a fabric shower curtain, add that to the laundry as well.
Make a multipurpose cleaning solution by adding a few drops of liquid dish soap to the spray bottle, then fill it with vinegar. Gently shake to combine. Although optional, a funnel will make filling the bottle much easier.
Spray the cleaner on your shower walls, the faucet, the shower head, and around the bathtub. If you have a plastic shower curtain or a glass shower door, spray them down as well. Let soak for a few minutes
While the cleaner soaks in your shower and tub, remove any clutter on the countertops. Then use a toilet brush to scrub around the foaming vinegar and baking soda in your toilet bowl. However, do not flush yet.
Wipe down your shower and bathtub with a microfiber cloth. If needed, use more cleaner to get rid of spots and stains.
Spray cleaner on your countertops, sink, faucet, and mirror. Then wipe down with the microfiber cloth. Spray tough stains with additional cleaner and gently scrub them away.
Spray more cleaner on the cloth and then wipe down the toilet. Make sure you get the tank, lid, seat, and the outside of the toilet bowl.
The vinegar and baking soda should still be gently foaming, so scrub it around again with a toilet brush. Once the toilet bowl is clean, flush the toilet. Then add one cup of bleach and allow it to sit.
Add one squirt of liquid dish soap and two cups of vinegar to the bucket and start filling it with warm water.
While the bucket is filling, vacuum the floor to remove dirt and debris.
Flush the toilet, then add one cup of bleach to the toilet tank.
Mop the bathroom floor to remove stains and allow it to air dry.
Replace your towels, floor mats, and shower curtains.

Most people think fancy cleaners work better, and they do to a certain degree. But it actually has less to do with the cleaner and more to do with how often we tend to wash our bathrooms.

If you wash your bathroom once a week, vinegar, baking soda, liquid dish soap, and bleach are just as effective. They are also much cheaper, and you can use them on almost anything.

If you do use store-bought cleaners, avoid using more than one at a time. Certain cleaners and chemicals can produce toxic gases when mixed. Also, read the instructions thoroughly before each use.

How Often Should You Clean Your Bathroom?

You should clean your bathroom once a week to keep dirt and grime from building up. While that may seem like a big commitment, you can normally finish your bathroom in 15 to 30 minutes if you follow the cleaning steps above. The more regularly you do it, the easier – and faster – it will become.

However, you may need to clean your bathroom more often if you use it frequently. For example, if you have a large family or if you have guests over, you may want to clean your bathroom every few days to keep it looking fresh.

In addition to regular cleaning, it is also a good idea to do a more thorough deep cleaning of your bathroom every few months.

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What Is Deep Cleaning a Bathroom?

While cleaning your bathroom once a week will keep the most used surfaces looking fresh, dirt, dust, and grime will eventually build up. The occasional bathroom deep clean with take care of that grime. From scrubbing tile grout to washing the walls, here is everything you need to know about deep cleaning your bathroom.

How Often Does Your Bathroom Need a Deep Cleaning?

As long as you are cleaning your bathroom regularly, you only need a deep cleaning once every two to three months. However, you may need or want to deep clean your bathroom more often. Here are some reasons you might need to deep clean more frequently:

You have a large family or track in a lot of dirt, oil, or mud.
Guests visit you regularly.
Hard water leaves mineral stains in the bathtub, on tile surfaces, or around the sink and toilet.
Poor ventilation causes mold, mildew, or red mold on the walls or in the shower.
You are planning to sell your home.

Depending on the situation, you might need to deep clean your bathroom as often as once a month. However, you may only need to deep clean once or twice a year if you have a second bathroom that you rarely use.

Bathroom Deep Cleaning Checklist

Here are the most common areas you need to deep clean in your bathroom:

Vanity and cabinets: Clean the inside and outside of your vanity and cabinets with a multipurpose solution of white vinegar and dish soap. Make sure to get under the lip of your countertop and underneath the vanity if possible.
Walls and ceiling: Spray walls with cleaner, then wipe them with a microfiber cloth. Use an old toothbrush or a soft-bristle scrub brush to get any grime out of the corners.
Tile grout: Add one cup of bleach to a spray bottle, then fill it with water and spray on the tile grout. Let it sit for a few minutes, then clean the grout with either a soft scrub brush or an old toothbrush. Work in a well-ventilated area and wear gloves and a face mask, so the bleach doesn’t cling to your skin or become overwhelming.
Tub and shower caulk: Clean the caulk around the bathtub with bleach and water, gently scrubbing to remove stains and soap scum buildup. Take safety precautions when using bleach, including opening a window and wearing gloves and a face mask.
Light fixtures: Dust light fixtures and light bulbs with a dry microfiber cloth, then clean them with a multipurpose cleaning solution like vinegar and dish soap.
Exhaust vent: Wipe the exhaust vent cover with a multipurpose cleaner. For stubborn grime, soak the cover in hot water and dish soap.
Mineral and rust stains: Use trisodium phosphate (TSP) to remove mineral buildup and stains. You can use powdered TSP and mix up your own cleaner or buy a commercial cleaning product. In either case, open a window and wear long sleeves, gloves, a face mask, and eye protection. Spray the TSP on the stains, then wipe it away after five minutes. Repeat as necessary.