A clean bathroom doesn't have to mean a long Saturday scrub. With a simple routine and the right tools to hand, you can keep it fresh in about 15 minutes a week. Here's a routine that works for most homes.
Before you start: keep everything in the bathroom
The biggest time saver is not having to fetch anything. Keep a small kit in the bathroom: a multi-surface or bathroom spray, a toilet cleaner, a couple of microfibre cloths, a squeegee for the shower and your toilet brush. If it's within reach, you're far more likely to do it.
The 15-minute weekly routine
- Clear the surfaces (1 minute). Move bottles, toothbrushes and anything else off the sink, windowsill and bath edge so you can wipe properly.
- Apply toilet cleaner (1 minute). Squeeze cleaner under the rim and around the bowl, then leave it to work while you do everything else.
- Spray the shower, bath and sink (2 minutes). Give your bathroom spray a few minutes to loosen soap scum and splashes.
- Mirror and taps (2 minutes). Wipe the mirror with a clean microfibre cloth, then polish the taps. Shiny taps make the whole room look cleaner.
- Wipe the shower, bath and sink (4 minutes). Wipe down everything you sprayed, rinse, and squeegee any glass.
- Clean the toilet (3 minutes). Scrub the bowl and under the rim, flush, then wipe the outside: the handle, the seat (both sides), the lid and the base. Work from the cleanest areas to the dirtiest.
- Floor (2 minutes). Give the floor a quick sweep or vacuum, then mop or wipe round the base of the toilet, where drips collect.
Little habits that make the weekly clean easier
- Squeegee the shower glass after each use to stop water marks building up.
- Open a window or run the extractor fan after showers to keep mould away.
- Give the sink a quick wipe when you brush your teeth.
- Swap towels and the bath mat once a week.
Monthly extras
- Wash the shower curtain or clean the shower screen seals.
- Descale the shower head and taps if you're in a hard water area.
- Clear hair from the plughole and drains.
- Wipe the skirting boards, door handle and light switch.
Make the toilet the easy part
For most people, the toilet is the job they put off. A disposable toilet brush takes the grimmest part out of it: click on a fresh head, clean, and click it off into the bin, with no dirty brush to put back. Flush Buddy's flexible heads also work on sinks, baths, shower doors and floor drains. Get the Flush Buddy Starter Kit with free UK delivery.
Want more detail on the toilet itself? Read our guide on how to clean under the toilet rim.