How to clean a bathroom – the easy way to get your bath, loo, shower and sink sparkling

Want to know how to clean a bathroom? You can't put it off any longer I'm afraid. It’s time to pull on the Marigolds and deep-clean the bathroom. Scrub every nook and cranny, and try some of our home-made cleaning solutions to make it really gleam.

How to clean a bathroom

Pull on those rubber gloves and get your space sparkling again.

1. Clear the decks

You have to take everything out before you can give your bathroom a really deep clean. Remove all toiletries and pull out freestanding furniture to clean behind and underneath. Use a long broom to remove dust from walls and ceilings, then wipe cabinets and shelves with mild detergent.

Organise clutter with these clever bathroom storage solutions.

2. Get the sparkle back

Try inexpensive natural cleaning solutions to make your bathroom shine. Dilute equal parts vinegar with water and decant into a spray bottle. Spray onto basins and shower doors, and clean with a soft cloth.

Be careful not to scratch enamel baths – a damp sponge dipped in bicarbonate of soda should gently remove grime.

3. Lose the limescale

Start by removing as much of the limescale deposits as possible with an old toothbrush or small cleaning brush. For a natural solution to tackle limescale around taps and shower accessories, try vinegar. Keep it in contact with the surface by wrapping a vinegar-soaked kitchen towel or scrap of cloth around the affected areas, leave for an hour, then wipe clean.

Buy now: Oxo’s Good Grips deep-clean brush set, £5.49, John Lewis

Give chrome taps extra shine by dabbing with baby oil. Lake land has some excellent cleaning products that will work on stubborn limescale. To descale your shower head: unscrew it and leave to soak in equal parts vinegar and warm water overnight.

Buy now: HG Eco Limescale Remover Spray (500ml), £4.69, Lakeland

4. How to clean grout

If you are wondering how to clean grout between tiles, you can tackle mould with a toothbrush dipped in bleach, or try Lakeland's Blitz That Mould.

Buy now: Blitz That Mould, £3.99, Lakeland

For a natural way to clean the grout between tiles, apply a paste of three parts bicarbonate of soda and one part water, leave for 15 minutes, then scrub and rinse. Treat old, stained grout with Grout Shield by Lakeland, which recolours as it cleans.

Buy now: Grout Shield, £24.99, Lakeland

5. Get your shower looking ship shape

Use a shower track cleaning brush to clean the shower door track, then flush with vinegar and warm water. For a smear-free screen, use a squeegee, £1, Wilko.

Buy now: Shower track cleaning brush, £7.95, House of Bath

A build-up of limescale can stop the full flow of water so it's important to know how to clean your shower head. For a natural method, unscrew the shower head nozzle and place in a plastic bag with a solution of one part white vinegar to one part water. Leave for three hours and rinse thoroughly, ensuring water passes through the holes smoothly.

If you'd rather use a cleaning product, keep on top of things with a product like Method's daily shower spray. This stops limescale and soap scum from building up and has the power to dissolve mildew. Yet it is free from any toxic nasties like parabens, phthalates, amonia, and even comes in a 100 per cent recycled and recyclable bottle.

Buy now: Method daily shower spray, ylang ylang, £4, Waitrose

Keeping shower panels clean requires constant care. If soap deposits are collecting on your shower door, switching to a liquid shower gel or a soap with a neutral ph balance, such as Dove Cream, should reduce the problem.

As dissolved soap is present in the water droplets that cling to the shower door, wiping down with a squeegee every time you use the enclosure will help prevent deposits building up. You should get better results with vinegar and hot water method if you add a tablespoonful of automatic dishwasher detergent to the solution, wash the door panel with it, leave for 10 minutes then rinse and dry with a soft clean cloth.

6. How to clean a toilet

Nobody really wants to clean the loo but it has to be done! Assuming it's flushing perfectly it should only take 10 minutes.

If not, read our guide on how to unblock a toilet

Spritz all surfaces, including behind and under the seat, with a antibacterial bathroom spray, leave for 10 minutes, then wipe with a soft clean cloth.

Make a solution with 1⁄4 cup of bicarbonate of soda and a cup of white vinegar and leave in the bowl for 10 minutes, then flush. Or throw in an Astonish toilet bowl cleaner tablet before bed for a sparkly loo come morning.

Buy now: Astonish Toilet Bowl Cleaner - Pack of 10 Tablets, £3.73, Amazon

If you’re tackling really stubborn staining from rust, limescale and other nasties, remove the water from the bowl and blitz it with professional limescale remover. This stuff is super concentrated so you’ll need gloves and possibly eye protection.

Buy now: HG Blue Professional Limescale Remover, £4.95, Homeware Essentials

7. Keep pipes clear

It doesn’t take long for hair, food or dirt to build up in waste pipes. Once a week, boil the kettle, pour half down the drain, wait a few minutes, then add the rest. If there’s a blockage, clear with a special sink unblocker.

8. Scrub the sink

Related: Feeling stressed? Keep calm and carry on cleaning

The bathroom basin gets a lot of use so a quick wipe down every day will reduce the need for regular deep cleaning. Protect grout lines by using a penetrating grout sealer once or twice a year. For damaged areas, scrape out a small area of grout with a grout knife and replace it. Finally, mix two drops of tea tree oil in a cup of water and spray onto tiles to kill most moulds and leave it smelling fresh.

More household tips: How to clean a dishwasher – for sparkling crockery every time

Have you enjoyed this how to clean a bathroom guide? We hope these tips work for you!