Cleaning the Bathroom
In a word: yuck. It’s your least-favorite room to clean, but new tools make the job easier than ever before. Really.
Toilets
The number one item on readers’ things-to-avoid list? The toilet, especially when it comes to what one reader called the “damp dust” that collects around the base. A swivel-head mop with a detachable pole (such as
Mr. Clean Magic Reach) distances you from the beast. The smart way to clean the bowl’s interior, says Laurie Kilpatrick, cocreator of the video series Miss Laurie’s Smart Guide to House Cleaning ($15,
www.misslauriessmartguide.com), is to pour a bucket of water into the toilet to empty the bowl (trust us — it works) so you can clean with less sloshing. Try a brush with disposable pads (such as the
Scotch Brite Disposable Toilet Scrubber).
Tiles and Grout
Go for a cleaner that’s tough enough for porous, stain-loving surfaces (such as
Ceramiclean Tile & Grout Cleaner). As with any strong product, open a window, wear rubber gloves, and dilute according to the package instructions. “To stay ahead of the grout game,” Kilpatrick says, “keep an old toothbrush in the shower and scrub away mildew the moment you see it.”
Showers and Tubs
Dissolving soap scum (a mysterious combination of soap, sweat, body oil, dirt, and mineral deposits) can require serious elbow grease. Use a product specially formulated to break it up (such as
Scrubbing Bubbles). Or go for a mildly abrasive powder and a nylon-backed sponge, which protects porcelain while loosening dirt. Or invest in a flexible scrubber with single-use pads (such as the
Clorox BathWand).
More Tips
To remove streaks from mirrors, says Peggy Oelschlager of Maids Home Services, a residential-cleaning franchise, use coffee filters. “As a finishing touch,” she says, “you can’t beat them.”Ran out of cleanser? In a pinch, rub a dab of plain toothpaste onto bathroom fixtures, then buff clean to make them shine.Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain, followed by 1/2 cup vinegar. Cover the drain with a wet cloth, wait five minutes, uncover, and flush with steaming-hot water.
