How do I deep-clean a bathroom? Step-by-step guide

CLEANING a bathroom can be tiresome and time consuming but every once and a while our homes need a deep-clean.

Here are some of our best tips for keeping your bathroom glistening.

How to clean a bathroom

Mould and mildew can easily build up in your bathroom if you don't give everything a good scrub every now and then.

To keep yourself safe from the fumes, keep the bathroom and window open or turn on the fan for ventilation.

Here's how to deep-clean all the areas of your bathroom:

Toilet

It's a job nobody wants, but deep-cleaning the toilet is key to preventing foul smells in your bathroom.

• Using toilet cleaner or bleach, coat the whole toilet bowl, starting underneath the rim.
• Leave the solution to work for a couple of minutes before using a brush to scrub the cleaner into the bowl.
• Leave it for another five minutes and then flush it away.
• For the exterior, start at the bottle of the toilet all the way up to the lid, cleaning the area with a damp cloth in a circular motion.
• Then spray down both sides of the lid leaving it to sit for a couple of minutes.
• Use a separate disinfectant wipe to clean the tough spots that can harbour more germs like the flush handle.
• Then wipe every surface dry with a clean sponge or paper towel.

Sink

Sinks are one of the easier areas to clean, but it makes all the difference to give it a good scrub on occasion.

• Give your sink a thorough rinse to wash away any dirt and debris.
• Make sure there's nothing lurking in the drains.
• Sprinkle baking soda generously, covering the entire sink.
• Put some cleaner or washing up liquid on a damp cloth.
• Scrub away! The baking soda will act as an abrasive and lift any stubborn stains.
• Give it a rinse to remove the mixture.

Shower

It's easy for germs from your body to linger on your walls, so make sure you give your shower a deep-clean regularly.

• Start by decluttering the area and removing accessories like shower gel and shampoo from the shower area.
• Remove any excess hair around the plughole that could clog up the drain.
• If possible, remove your shower head and soak it in a mixture of vinegar and water for an hour, then use a sponge to wipe away any limescale.
• Make a paste with baking soda and a couple teaspoons of water and use a scrubber or old toothbrush to clean the grout in between the tiles, working your way from top to bottom.
• Grab the shower hose and rinse the walls of the shower.
• Then spray your cleaner all over the walls or tiles, using circular motions to break down the limescale.
• Rinse with warm water, then use a squeegee to prevent watermarks forming.

Bathtub

Watermarks and grime can ruin your squeaky clean tub but weekly scrub for your bath should do the trick.

• Mix water and vinegar in a spray bottle, you can even add a it of lemon juice for extra shine and a pleasant smell.
• Spray the solution around the entire tub and allow it to sit for 20 minutes.
• Use a damp cloth or sponge to scrub away the grime.
• For heavier stains, mix some vinegar, baking soda and hot water together, and allow it to sit for up to an hour before giving it a good scrub.

Floor

Now that the hard work is over, give your bathroom floor a once-over to complete the job.

• Remove loose dirt and dust with a soft bristle broom.
• Clean the grout lines with an old toothbrush, using a simple mixture of baking soda and water.
• Use a floor cleaner, or a solution of baking sofa and vinegar to mop away the dirt - be sure to note what kind of tile you have on your floor as harsh chemicals can damage materials like cement.
• To avoid water spots, make sure you dry the floor with a clean towel or buffer.