Maintaining a clean bathroom is not an easy task as it is a frequently used space. However, you don’t have to spend too much time cleaning your bathroom as weekly cleaning should be enough. Here are shortcuts to keep different bathroom surfaces, including the toilet, faucet, tub, and shower, sparkling. These clever cleaning hacks utilize common household items such as baking soda, vinegar, citrus fruits, and so on to keep the bathroom clean.

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1. Create an All-Purpose Cleaner

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Mix equal parts of apple cider vinegar and water in a spray bottle. This homemade solution offers a safe, eco-friendly alternative to sanitize various bathroom surfaces like shower tiles, sinks, and countertops, leaving them gleaming without streaks.

2. Clear Shower Drains with Baking Soda

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In addition to tackling tub stains and tile grout, baking soda is great for unclogging shower drains. Simply pour some down the drain, then follow with hot water to dissolve grime, hair, and other debris lurking within.

3. Descale Shower Heads with Vinegar

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If you want to thoroughly clean your shower head and household faucets, just pour diluted white vinegar into a zip-top plastic baggie, secure it around the shower head or faucet with a twist tie, and let it sit overnight. This effortless trick naturally dissolves and eliminates stubborn grime buildup.

4. Clean Crevices around Fixtures with an old toothbrush

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Scrub tight spaces around fixtures with an old toothbrush. The toothbrush is effective at removing dirt from the hard-to-reach corners of your kitchen and bathroom. Simply use it to clean vents, grout, faucets, and other small fixtures and crevices that are difficult to access.

5. Use a Squeegee

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Squeegee your tile, tub, and doors promptly after each shower to swiftly remove water and condensation from glass surfaces. This simple routine aids in preventing soap scum buildup, ultimately decreasing the need for frequent bathroom cleaning sessions.

6. Go for Machine-Washable Shower Curtain Liners

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Shower curtain liners can get dirty quickly. That’s why it’s best to choose liners you can wash in the machine with your regular laundry. Keep a spare liner in your linen closet to switch it out while one is being washed. This way, you’ll always have a clean shower curtain.

7. Use Baking Soda for the Toilet Bowl

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A baking soda container in your bathroom can help extend the time between toilet cleanings. It’s a simple and effective way to keep your toilet bowl clean between thorough cleanings. Baking soda absorbs odors and is slightly abrasive, so sprinkling it generously into the toilet bowl before flushing can lessen the need for frequent use of a toilet brush.

8. Place Silica Gel Packets in the Medicine Cabinet

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The small silica gel packets found at home serve a useful purpose. Designed to absorb moisture, placing a few desiccant packs inside your medicine cabinet helps regulate humidity. This ensures the stability of medications and prevents razors from rusting. Remember to store them safely away from children and pets to avoid any choking hazards.

9. Sparkling Clean Windows

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Combine one part white vinegar with half a part rubbing alcohol, (look for a 70% concentration) and two parts of water in a spray bottle to create an effective cleaner for bathroom windows, shower screens, and mirrors all in one. For optimal results when cleaning windows with vinegar, choose cooler days without direct sunlight and use a microfiber cloth for streak-free results.

10. Make Your Taps Shine with Lemon

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If water spots have dulled your taps, rub them with the cut half of a lemon, then rinse and buff. Alternatively, dampen an old toothbrush with water, sprinkle baking soda directly onto the bristles, and scrub the problem areas. Leave for 10 minutes, then rinse and buff.

11. Maintain White Tile Grout with a Toothbrush

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There are several methods to clean grout. You can spray a mixture of half water and half white vinegar on your shower area as you exit the shower, or simply use a bleach pen. Scrub discolored grout with an old toothbrush dipped in a solution of one part bleach to four parts water. Let it soak for a while before rinsing.

12. Clean the Toilet Brush

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After cleaning the toilet as usual, rinse the brush with clean water. Then, close the toilet seat and lid over the brush handle to let it drip dry into the toilet bowl—this prevents dirty toilet water from getting into the brush holder. Lastly, pour some bleach or white vinegar into the brush holder to keep the brush fresh for next time.

13. Keep the Bathroom Bin Smelling Fresh

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Bathroom bins can harbor germs and bacteria, so they need regular cleaning. If yours starts to smell bad, it’s likely due to bacteria breeding. However, you can keep it fresh between cleanings by sprinkling baking soda into it every time you empty it.

14. Keep your Mirror Streak-free

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Wipe off splatters with rubbing alcohol on a soft cloth, then use glass cleaner or plain water on a microfiber cloth, avoiding circular motions. For extra sparkle, buff with white vinegar on a paper towel.

15. Ventilate

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Make sure to yurn on the extractor fan or open the bathroom window while showering to prevent the growth of unsightly mold. If there’s already mold present, soak mold-stained shower curtains in a diluted bleach solution if they can’t be machine-washed.

16. Perform Routine Spot Checks

Always have a microfiber cloth within reach in the bathroom to swiftly wipe away toothpaste splatters, watermarks, and other stains before they dry and become more difficult to clean.

17. Get Rid of Makeup Stains

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Remove makeup stains from bathroom mirrors with toothpaste. Apply a small amount to the stained areas, gently rub with a soft cloth, then wipe clean with a damp cloth. Toothpaste’s mild abrasives effectively lift makeup residue without harming the mirror’s surface, leaving it clean and shiny.

18. Use a Chopstick to Access Difficult-to-reach Areas

For weekly cleaning, employ a cloth wrapped around the end of a chopstick to reach tiny spots in your sink. For heavily soiled areas, sprinkle with water and baking soda before cleaning for a deeper cleanse.

19. Consider Citrus Fruits for Cleaning

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Harness the power of citrus for effective cleaning. Use lemon to remove water spots from chrome faucets and shower doors, whether by spraying lemon juice or rubbing a cut lemon directly onto the hardware. Combat toilet odors with a DIY paste of lemon juice and baking soda, leaving it for fifteen minutes before rinsing. For tub cleaning, exfoliate with a halved grapefruit sprinkled with coarse salt, scrub the tub, and drain before rinsing with warm water for a refreshing scent.

20. Use Baby Oil

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Polish away fingerprints and grime from chrome fixtures with baby oil. Apply it using a damp cloth or cotton ball, then buff until you see your reflection.

21. Apply Shaving Cream on Mirrors

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Shaving cream, containing glycerin, forms a protective layer on mirrors, preventing them from steaming up during showers. Simply spray and wipe off with paper towels to keep mirrors clear. It’s also effective for polishing chrome and stainless steel, thanks to its emulsifiers acting as gentle cleaning agents.

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