Deep Cleaning the Bathroom

I bet this post will please some of you. The ones I'm addressing are those who have asked Martin to secretly insert a messy drawer in a post. Sorry, it's not a drawer but what I can show you a dirty bathroom. Wohoo (on your part)! Eeek (on my)!

Sometimes there's just not the time to clean everything as well or as often as I'd like. The downstairs bathroom is one of those places that sometimes get grubbier than I'd prefer. I try to keep everything nice and fresh but I guess the fact that I don't like this room also makes it prone to not being tended to as lovingly as the rest of the house. Does that make sense?

Exhibit #1 Dirty stained floor grout

Exhibit #2 Dusty grimy exhaust fan

Exhibit #3 Dusty surfaces

So, am I making you happy so far? Thought so, but enough is enough. I prefer showing you getting it done and some end results to boost, so here goes.


These Tile Guard products (besides aside from my Japanese eraser) are my best buddies when it comes to getting the bathroom really clean. The "Mögelbort" removes mildew (=Mildew Away) to which the corner in the shower area is prone. You simply spray it on (and almost suffocate in the process, because this is stinky stuff, so be sure to keep a window open!) leave for a few minutes and then hose off. Mildew gone magically!
 

After cleaning the grout on the floor  (using my regular cleaner Mrs Meyers and the eraser) I resealed the grout. The original seal wears off after a while and that's what allows dirt to penetrate. By resealing the grout you'll prevent that. It's super simple. After cleaning you wait for your grout to dry and then just run the applicator along and wipe off any excess from the tiles themselves. If you have really grimy tiles that are worse off than ours Tile Guard also carries a cleaner that is probably worth trying because their stuff seems to work. And no I'm not endorsed by Tile Guard, but I should be :).

Before

After

When the bathroom gets as dirty as this time I prefer to start over so I empty everything out instead of trying to clean around things. 

I put everything in the laundry room and it's a good opportunity to take a proper look at the stuff to see whether some towels are ready for recycling or maybe weed out some lotions or sun screens which are past their best by date.

I've praised this contraption before but It's still a firm favorit for cleaning the bathroom. Using it gives you ten times the strength to clean the tiles (or a tub if you have one, lucky you!) with ten times less elbow grease. Instead of just using your arms you can get your whole body behind it. It's like using your legs when lifting heavy things as opposed to just your poor back. No, Vileda haven't contacted me either. But they too should!

While I'm cleaning the bathroom I'm washing the shower curtain, the bath mat and the towels. I love that it all gets done at the same time so while the tile sealant dries, this dries and I can later put it all back, fresh and clean at the same time.

Clean.

Comments

[Sarah]

hi (^^), a question for you...how do you get your whites so white? do you use bleach in your laundry? thanks and have a wonderful day ^^.

[Messy@Bungalow'56]

So nice to see the dirty fan. I ignore mine until I can't anymore, which is crazy because it's so easy to clean. Having the right tools makes such a difference. I just posted yesterday that I was thankful for my Bissel Green machine, and my H2O steamer mop. Thanks for the tips on grout, my bathroom floor is calling my name.
Dana

[Carlos]

I use detergent for white laundry and occasionally add what's called Vanish over here and Oxy Clean elsewhere.

[Messy]

Whahaha, sorry, but my whole house looks like your dirty spots. ;-) Still waiting for Martin to show us something truly guilty, but I'm starting to believe that it doesn't exist. :-)
Excellent tips by the way, thank you again.

[Spotted Sparrow]

Can you share where you find Mrs. Meyers in Europe? I used to love their products when living in the US, but have not been able to find them here.

[Carlos]

I stock up when I go to the States... I found this source though http://worldofgood.ebay.com/list?Query=mrs+meyers&ArtisanCustomCategory=-1&SearchFromHeader=1

[Monnah]

Wow. Squeaky-clean! Very inspiring. I've been thinking about that Vileda handle, but now I really have to get it!

[nr14]

Oh, you are welcome to my bathroom too;)....its not clean;(....hm, maybe I should do something now....getting inspired, thank you:)

[kellee]

Great post, though I am now feeling majorly guilty about the state of my bathroom. I love the wall-mop idea - cleaning the tiles is the worst bit for me (after the shower screen, ugh) so I may have to invest in one. Great tip!

[Sara]

Nice!! I like the Vileda scrubber thing... :)

[Robyn]

Very motivating post! I can hear my bathroom calling out for the same treatment. If only I had the energy to do it ;)

[Ann-Louise [En bulle ur ugnen]]

Fiiiiint! :) Åh jag vill också ha ett frächt badrum! Vårt är helt hemskt. Inväntar fortfarande kostnadsförslag för helrenovering. Kram

[Leslie]

Love love love your front-loading washing machine. I have a top loader with the spindle and it's not very large. Do you find you can wash a large (double size) bedspread or blanket in your washer? Also, do you get hard water stains in your toilets and if so, what do you use to clean?

[Mrs. Happy Housewife]

Thanks for sneak peek into your bathroom. It's great to get other ideas for cleaning them. Bathrooms are my worst cleaning area right now.

[Lizzy]

Ah! That is so satifying - dirty to clean! Cleaning tile is my least favorite household task, and I'm glad to know how you do it. Maybe it'll make it easier for me next time. I always wonder about the balance between the good cleaners (like Mrs. Meyer's) and the stinky stuff, so it's helpful to know that sometimes you have to bring in the big guns. too.

[lisa h.]

I think you've hit upon something very important when you say that you might not clean this room as religiously as the rest of the house because you simply don't like the room. I have a similar problem with my bathroom. I really hate my bathroom, and no amount of cleaning makes me like it more, so I tend to really let it slide. Cleaning of course improves the bathroom immensely, but I still don't like it.

Does your Vileda wall sponge mop swivel in every direction? I need to find something like that! Ingenius design.

[lisa h.]

Oops, misspelling! That should be *ingenious* design.

[Carlos]

It does and the handle is telescopic so you can lengthen or shorten it depending on your need.

[Kari]

Thanks for the inspiration. We've got guests coming this weekend and need to do a spring clean of the bathroom. This will help get us on track!

And I know exactly what you mean about it being harder to clean rooms you don't like; I am the same way!

[Carlos]

I can! Front loading machines have been standard housekeeping equipment over here since the 70's. I've never understood the top loading things, especially since you can't use the area above it.

We don't get those hard water stains in our area but I hear you can remove them with cola?! Check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn0VomxPkos There's a comment underneath the video though that it may stain it more... There are some other videos next to that one though which may have other options.

[Carlos]

Fast badrumet i sig är ju inte fint i mina ögon. Jag gillar det verkligen inte. Det är typ det enda jag inte gillar i vårt hus. Har försökt piffa med hyllorna och måla taket men jag får leva med molnkaklet och golvet och fönsterlösheten och avsaknad av badkar ett tag till tyvärr... :)

[Anne]

It simply doesn't exist. Even Benita's laundry bag looks neater than anything in my household. But she's such a lovely friend that I forgive her for this. :)

[Carlos]

It actually says biodegradeable on the Tile Guard stuff but I'm not sure how good or bad it is for the environment. I try to use the good stuff but sometimes I succumb to getting it really really clean.

[Marianne@Songbird]

Hi Benita,
Just wanted to let you know your blog has been featured!
Go see here: http://beautifulblogdesigns.blogspot.com/2010/02/beautiful-blog-series-chez-larsson.html

[Charlotta]

Jag känner igen mig så väl. Det är svårt att vara inspirerad att städa och fixa i rum som man inte har känslor för. Vet inte vilket ord jag ska använda. Känslor... Nja. Förut var vårt badrum mitt hatrum. Ditt badrum är toppen i jämförelse. Vår gamla duschkabin var så äcklig att jag knappt ville duscha och inte var jag sugen på att städa där heller för det blev aldrig riktigt rent.

I höstas fick vi badrummet renoverat. Nu är det alldeles ljuvligt. Jag älskar att vara i rummet och jag tycker det är kul att städa i det. Tänk vilken skillnad det kan bli.

Men. Det gäller att göra som du. Bita i det sura äpplet och även ägna omsorg åt husets sorgebarn. Vårt hus är stort och har fortfarande många rum som inte är på topp. Det dröjer innan dessa rum är renoverade och så länge får jag städa och fixa så gott det går.

Tack för din underbara blogg Benita. Jag njuter och njuter när jag läser. Det har ibland varit lite krångligt med engelskan trots att jag anser mig vara nästan flytande. Men man har inte koll på "husmorsvokabulären" (hi hi). Nu befinner jag mig i USA några månader och då är det perfekt att fått lite skolning i ord som detergent m.fl.

Ha det så bra!
//Charlotta

[Jenifir]

What a satisfying post. I wish I could cut and paste it to my bathrooms. I think that you are correct about how much you like a room will determine how you care for it. I also feel if there is a diy job that needs doing but you can't do for lack of time or money it interferes with how clean and tidy you keep the space. Thanks for the inspiration!

[Nichole]

Thanks so much for all the great tips. My tile and I need a lot of help!

[Vicki K]

That was a vicarious experience! Your bathroom looks wonderful and then I went into mine and was quickly brought back to real life. But I did go to the Vileda site and was able to ask a question - so thank you!

[Carlos]

Thank you so much!

[Carlos]

Nu är jag så avis, jag vill också vara hemmafru i USA!

[Chrystelle]

As sparkling clean as a nice hotel bathroom! The colors of the room, and the bath linens you have chosen contribute to the clean look! White towels that are regularly laundered always look to be more tidy.
Perhaps the reason we don't really like the small baths is many do not have a window?

[Sarah Sarniak]

Thank you so much for sharing. I really want to try those products you showed, but alas I'm in the US so probably not. :) But anyways, my bathroom(s) definitely need this done as well, especially the grout resealing.

[Carlos]

I agree, if there had been a window I'd be much more happy with the rest of it!

[Ann]

Hej!

Vad fint det blev. Du är verkligen en mästare på att göra till och med tråkig badrumsstädning till någonting intressant och inspirerande.

Jag gillar verkligen din blogg!

[Kristianna]

Nice post!

Question: what are those crazy serpentine pipes? I'm in the US and never have seen anything like that.

[Carlos]

Heated towel rack. Ugly variety.

[Amy]

That grout looks super clean, I love it. I did my bathroom floor a couple of weeks ago & it made me sooo happy, haha! Are those pom-poms on the end of your shower curtain I spy?

[Linda]

Good job! You are so right, I never feel very motivated to clean a space when I don't 'like' it.

[Jaclyn Ehrlich]

Well tomorrow is cleaning day, so I guess there are no excuses!

[Carlos]

Yes :) Check them out here http://chezlarsson.com/myblog/2009/07/pimp-my-shower-curtain.html

[jja]

I like to see this open shelving. But I always wonder if the stuff gets humid and dusty between using them?

[Carlos]

There's no denying that open shelves get dustier than those behind closed doors. I think they work well for things you use everyday though. That stuff won't have time to get dusty until it's being used again.

[Messy]

Haha, I'm sure she doesn't keep her house clean to make us feel bad. :-) I enjoy admiring it all.

[Leena]

Hi Benita,
The link about the Mrs. Meyers reminded me that you said in one post that you use dryer sheets, but you still don't seem to have a dryer or do you? You use them for their scent only? or how do you actually use them?
Are those things sold in sweden and do you know their name in swedish? I have tryed to look for those things here in Finland, but with no result. I wonder if the swedish name could give me some more hints.
I love you blog, I have found myself being much more interested in house work and organizing, so much that my boyfriend has felt somewhat overwhelmed :)

[Amanda]

I have never heard of Mrs. Meyes before, but will definitely go looking for it now!

Your site is fantastic and I so appreciate Marianne sharing it with us at Beautiful Blog Designs. Your blog design and content are both lovely!!

[Carlos]

Haha, so funny!

I buy Bounce dryer sheets in the States simply because I love the clean scent.
Dryer sheets can be used in several ways though:

* Deodorizing a diaper pail, trash can or work out bag.

* Removing static cling from garments and hair, just wipe the cling away.

* Pets can get frightened by thunder and it's not just the sound that freaks them out there is static in the air during a thunder storm and it can affect pets through their fur. Just run a dryer sheet over them and it helps apparently!

[Renée Backe]

Du skulle se vårt badum... dock har vi badkar! Men det är också det enda positiva. Skulle definitivt behöva en total make-over à la Bygglov...

[Cat]

Tack för alla råd... my dilemma is the peeling filler or sealer in the corners of the shower. Is it crucial to have it? My husband painstakingly removed the sealer along the edges of the shower stall and then re sealed it. But it was not even or dry or something and the orange mold creeps into this filler and I can just tell it is not right! It is all kind of mucky.

[Elaina]

You are totally my bathroom-cleaning hero. And my bed-making hero. And my organizing.. oh all right I'll just shut up.

[JB]

HEATED Towel Rack?!?! Why aren't these standard north of the 44th parallel!?!?

[Carlos]

I'd say yes, you need it! The reason being that the corners are more vulnerable than flat surfaces in terms of water damage.

Over here you can get white sealer and clear sealer (and possibly other colors too but they are the ones I go for). The clear one of the brans I buy is different than the white because it has an inti mold ingredient so it prevents mold from staining it. Ask at your hardware store, I'm sure theres a similar product available where you are.

[Carlos]

Now I'm realizing you may be in Sweden. I think the type of product is called "Våtrumssilikon antimögelbehandlad".

[Carlos]

I'm really surprised you don't have them! Ours is a very ugly one and because it's installed on the main heating system it shuts off in summer. I hate that. If I were to install one myself I'd put it on a system of it's own and get my towels dry 365 days a year.

[Shannon]

You. Are. A. Goddess!

[Gosia]

These posts are so much fun. I'm partial to the waffle weave towels too, so it was nice to see them in your bathroom. Thanks for sharing.

[Patia]

This really inspires me to take everything out of my bathroom and clean and paint.

[Bonnie]

One question related to bathroom cleaning: how do you clean toilet brushes? With bleach? How do you dry it? I am still troubled to find a way to do both. Most people clean the brush with flushing toilet water and then let dry inside the brush holder; but that does not really disinfect the brush enough and also it transfers the germs to the holder. Some online forums suggest to use disposable cloths or used dish sponges instead of toilet brushes (as one can never get them clean enough anyway) but I am concerned with the environmental impact. Just wanna hear your thoughts! Thank you!

[Carlos]

I do the same as most people, flushing with toilet water and putting it back in the brush holder. Once a week when I clean the toilet I soak it in the same soilet cleaner as the bown though. Do agree though that it probably is not as clean as one would wish. I used to fill the holder with water and bleach before but now I buy cheap toitet brushes and swap them out after a while. Don't know which is worse for the environment. Over here there are replacement brushes so you keep the handle and the holder but swap the brush head.

[Gabi]

Can't believe that I am reading a post about bathroom-ceaning on a Sunday morning! Your blog has been such an inspiration to me, since I have found you last week, even for cleaning! I want to go and clean my bathroom right now...how weird is that? And I need this Vileda-thingy, will look for it on Monday!
You are doing such a great work, love your blog! And the cats, they are adorable!
Best wishes from Germany!