10 genius ways to clean bathrooms using this £1 store cupboard essential
White vinegar is the kitchen staple that can have bathrooms gleaming in no time
Forget harsh cleaning chemicals, grab the white vinegar for cleaning chores. This unassuming store cupboard can make a shining example of savvy cleaning hacks, especially in bathrooms.
So what makes white vinegar so effective for cleaning bathrooms in particular? The high acidity level helps loosen soap scum, limescale and even rust. And because of that acidity, it also doubles as a powerful disinfectant as well. Oh, plus it’s super cheap so what's not to love?!
Related: Lynsey Queen of Clean reveals her tip to get your oven sparkling with store cupboard ingredients
Bathroom specialists, Drench have uncovered the top 10 most common cleaning questions Brits regularly ask google for bathrooms. They reveal the ways in which you can use this ingredient from your pantry to clean every single one of these problem areas.
10 ways to use white vinegar to clean bathrooms
1. How to clean a shower head
'Pour some white vinegar into a plastic bag and secure with a hair tie. Leave the bag overnight, and remove the morning after before showering' is the experts' best advice.
2. How to clean a shower
The bathroom specialists say, 'Bring vinegar to a boil then use the warm vinegar to wipe down the shower door and walls. Keep them damp by wiping down every 5 to 8 minutes for 30 minutes. Next, dampen a microfiber cloth in vinegar, a sprinkle of baking soda, and scrub.'
3. How to clean a toilet
'Pour a cup of vinegar in the bowl and let it sit overnight. The next morning, sprinkle with baking soda, scrub then flush.'
4. How to clean shower glass
'Fill a spray bottle with equal parts white vinegar and water, and spray your shower door. Use a squeegee for a streak-free shine' the bathroom experts advise.
5. How to unblock a shower drain
'Pour a pot of boiling water down the drain. Next, pour 125g of baking soda down the drain, followed with a one-part water, one-part white vinegar solution. Wait five to ten minutes before boiling water down the drain again.'
6. How to clean a bathtub
'Bathtubs can get real dirty with soap scum. To clean, wipe the bathtub over with straight vinegar, then sprinkle with some bicarbonate soda, before using a scratch-resistant cloth to scrub and rinse.'
7. How to clean bathroom tiles
'Mix ½ cup of white (distilled) vinegar with a litre of warm water' they explain. 'Use the solution on a scratch-resistant cloth, and scrub. Allow to air dry afterwards.'
8. How to clean shower curtains
'Throw your curtain into the washing machine. Add in your normal detergent, but also 125g of baking soda. Wash in hot water at the highest level. At the rinse cycle, add 125g of distilled white vinegar. If it’s a fabric curtain, let it run through the spin cycle, but if its plastic, then remove it beforehand and leave it to hang in the bathroom.'
9. How to clean bathroom grout
'This one is super simply. Spray non-distilled white vinegar straight onto the dirty grout, and leave for 15 minutes. Next, use an old toothbrush to scrub.' Our guide to how to clean grout has even more natural cleaning tips to choose from.
10. How to remove toilet stains
'Soak some paper towels with white vinegar, then tuck the towels up under the rim of the bowl. Leave it for a few hours, remove the paper towels and then scrub clean, with white vinegar in a plastic bottle.'
To make it even easier Wilko have formulated a white vinegar spray!
Buy now: Original White Vinegar Spray, £1.50, Wilko
Related: Shoppers are calling Mrs Hinch's favourite new cleaning tool 'a game-changer everybody needs'
The bathroom cleaning question values are based on average monthly Google searches in the UK.
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Tamara was Ideal Home's Digital Editor before joining the Woman & Home team in 2022. She has spent the last 15 years working with the style teams at Country Homes & Interiors and Ideal Home, both now at Future PLC. It’s with these award wining interiors teams that she's honed her skills and passion for shopping, styling and writing. Tamara is always ahead of the curve when it comes to interiors trends – and is great at seeking out designer dupes on the high street.
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