How to Deep Clean a Bathroom

• Clear the sink top and other surfaces.
• Wipe down toiletries and/or dust, if necessary, bathroom storage containers with a damp microfiber cloth or duster. Throw away expired or empty products.
• Place any towels and/or laundry in the hamper.
• Remove bathmats from the floor.

Once the bathroom's surfaces and floor are cleared, you can begin the top-to-bottom deep clean of your bathroom. If you need more storage, we have a helpful guide that may give you a few ideas.

The ventilation fan is crucial for preventing mold and mildew from growing in your bathroom. It removes moisture from steamy showers and baths as well as unpleasant odors.

Unfortunately, vent fans also take in dust as they pull the moist air out, and that moisture can cause dust to cake on the vent. Over time, it builds up and can limit the effectiveness of your fan. To help alleviate this, you’ll need to clean the vent fan.

• Remove the vent fan cover. This may require a screwdriver, or the cover may be held on with wires.
• Use the brush attachment on your vacuum to clean out any loose dust inside the vent, on the fan blades and on the vent cover.
• Clean the vent cover in the sink with warm water and several drops of mild liquid dish soap and a cleaning brush or cloth. Rinse well and allow it to dry completely before placing it back over the vent.
• Use a damp microfiber or dust cloth to carefully wipe away any dust on the fan blades and within the vent box.
• Reassemble your vent fan and replace the cover once everything is completely dry.

Moisture from the shower traps airborne particles like hair and skin cells, causing them to cling to the wall and other surfaces. This creates a sticky film that’s hard to remove and attracts dirt, soap scum, mildew and even more dust.

First, use a microfiber cloth to remove any loose dust and cobwebs from the wall. How you clean your bathroom walls depends on the material.

If your bathroom walls are painted:

• Mix warm water and several drops of mild liquid dish soap in a bucket to create soapy water. Dip a soft cloth or sponge in the water, then thoroughly wring it out.
• Wash the wall in a circular motion while applying gentle pressure. Continue until the entire wall has been cleaned.
• Continue by cleaning the baseboards. For cleaning scuff marks, apply baking soda to a damp cloth or a cleaning pad and gently rub.
• Finish with a clean, damp cloth to remove any leftover cleaner on the walls or baseboards.

If your bathroom walls are tiled:

• Mix warm water and several drops of mild liquid dish soap in a spray bottle. Spray the tile and wipe it with a soft microfiber cloth.

Bathroom sinks harbor lots of bacteria from things like tap water, handwashing, teeth-brushing, flushing, and other things that cause buildup. Using 3% hydrogen peroxide is great for disinfecting the sink because it breaks down biological materials.

To disinfect your bathroom sink,

• First, clean the sink and surrounding surfaces well with a mix of warm water and a few drops of liquid dish soap. For areas that are difficult to reach, like behind faucets, use a toothbrush. Rinse well to remove all soap residue.
• Next, apply a disinfectant. Use a commercial disinfectant, or you can make your own. If using a commercial disinfectant, follow the manufacturer’s label instructions.
• To make your own disinfectant, mix 3% hydrogen peroxide and a squirt of liquid dish soap in an empty spray bottle and shake well. Spray down the entire surface of your sink and any counter areas and allow it to sit.

You’ll come back to the sink after giving the disinfectant time to work.

To disinfect the toilet:

• Apply a disinfectant cleaner generously under the lip of the toilet bowl and all the way around the entire rim. Make sure you cover the entire surface of the bowl.
• Let the disinfectant sit and move on to another area.

As with the sink, you'll come back to the toilet after giving the disinfectant time to work.

White vinegar is amazing at breaking down mineral deposits, so it's great for unclogging hard water deposits in shower heads.

• Pour distilled white vinegar (no need to dilute it) into a plastic sandwich bag and secure it around the shower head with a rubber band. Be sure the shower head is completely submerged. If your showerhead is a removable wand, remove it and place it in a bowl filled with white vinegar.
• Allow this to soak for at least an hour so it can dissolve the mineral deposits. Remove the bag and scrub away any remaining buildup with an old toothbrush. Turn on the shower to flush away the remains thoroughly.

A clean bathtub and shower can make your bathing experience so much more pleasant and hygienic. You'll want to wash the plastic shower curtain liner with old towels in the washing machine and hang it to dry. If it’s beyond the washing phase, replace it

• Spray down the shower walls and doors, if you have them, with the peroxide and dish soap spray or other shower cleaning spray.

Use a scrub brush or a gentle scrubbing sponge to clean the walls and doors, then rinse well with water. To prevent streaks, use a squeegee to remove water from the shower walls and doors.

• If you have shower doors, use a small scrub brush or toothbrush to clean the door track. Use vinegar to help break down any mineral deposits and soap scum that may have accumulated. Rinse well with water.
• Spray the floor of the shower, deep clean the bathtub and the surrounding ledge with peroxide and dish soap or shower cleaning spray.
• Use a scrub brush or soft sponge and rinse well with water.
• To clean grout, mix equal parts warm water and white vinegar in a spray bottle, spray on the grout and let it sit for a few minutes. Scrub with a grout brush or an old toothbrush, then rinse well with warm water.

The disinfecting cleaning spray has had time to loosen up any biofilm and soap scum on the sink and counter. Go over the sink and countertops with a damp sponge or cloth. Thoroughly rinse the sink and surrounding surfaces with warm water to wash away the disinfectant. Dry with a clean microfiber cloth.

Now that the inside of the toilet has had sufficient time to disinfect, it’s time to finish cleaning it.

• Use a toilet brush to scrub the inside of the toilet bowl, from under the lip all the way into the drain.
• Rinse the toilet brush head in the swirling water as the toilet flushes. Spray the outside of the toilet, including both sides of the seat and lid, with your bathroom cleaner of choice. Make sure to also spray the sides and base of the toilet.
• Use microfiber cloths to clean the seat, lid and outside of the toilet and tank.

For clean mirrors, use commercial glass cleaner or spray a 1:1 mixture of white vinegar and distilled water to a paper towel or clean microfiber cloth and wipe until they’re dry and streak-free. Use disinfectant wipes to wipe down doorknobs, cabinet handles, light fixtures, shades and light switches.

Sweep or vacuum the floor to remove dust, dirt, hair, etc. Empty the trash can and ensure there’s no trash lying about. Next, clean or mop the floor as recommended for your flooring type (ceramic tile, luxury vinyl tile, engineered hardwood flooring, etc.). Allow the floor to dry.