Clean Your Bathrooms in 15 Minutes (or Less)

by Becky on June 12, 2012

The following post is from Becky of Clean Mama:

bathroom

source: KimCarpenterNJ

I enjoy the process of cleaning and keeping a home, but bathrooms are my least favorite rooms to tackle.  To keep the process a little bit easier, I clean them every Monday and tidy up the counters and toilets as needed through the week.  I don’t have more than 15 minutes a week to spend cleaning bathrooms, so I’ve devised a method that I’d like to share with you:  it’s simple, ‘green’, and it really works.

Grab Your Supplies

I like to keep my bathroom cleaning supplies in each bathroom, you might prefer a cleaning bucket or caddy.  This method will work either way.   You’ll need:

  • your favorite all-purpose cleaner (look for non-toxic cleaners – they work just as well and you won’t need to don your hazmat suit)
  • glass/mirror cleaner
  • toilet brush (disclosure: I prefer the flushable toilet scrubbers)
  • toilet bowl cleaner
  • a microfiber window cloth (my preference for mirrors – use what you like)
  • 3+ microfiber cleaning cloths for each bathroom (1 for counters, 1 for tub/shower, 1 for toilet)

(New to the world of microfiber cleaning cloths?  Check out the cleaning supply aisle at any big box store. Little known fact: the automotive section also carries microfiber cloths for even cheaper.)

Ready? 

Once you have your supplies, get ready to move – you’ll need to move quickly if you want to start and finish in 15 minutes.

  • go into the first bathroom and spray mirror with window cleaner – wipe clean with microfiber window towel
  • clean toilet with toilet brush
  • liberally spray down sink, toilet and tub/shower with all-purpose cleaner or disinfectant
  • let the cleaner sit for a few minutes to completely clean and disinfect
  • move on to the next bathroom and repeat (mirror, counter, tub/shower, toilet – liberally spray everything)

Once you’ve done this in all of your bathrooms, go back to bathroom #1 and quickly wipe down everything that you sprayed -  wiping down the toilet and toilet bowl last (I use a couple new cleaning cloths in each bathroom to avoid any cross-contamination).

Notes: I do use disinfecting wipes from time to time in lieu of cleaning rags (mostly to clean up little messes during the week or when sickness is running through our house).  You may notice that I didn’t mention floors – I wash all the bathroom floors on Thursdays when I wash the floors in the whole house – this is a time saver for me.

I’d love to hear what your approach is when it comes to cleaning your bathrooms.  Have a great method to share?

Becky is a self-proclaimed clean freak and list maker. She is a work-at-home mom to three little ones, and in her spare time she enjoys sharing her cleaning and organizing tricks and tips on her blog, Clean Mama and through her Etsy Shop, Clean Mama Printables.

  • http://lifeinsamsbox.blogspot.com/ Sam

    I usually clean one bathroom at a time, but I also start with the mirror and end with the toilet, though doing them all at the same time may be quicker. 
    For the mirrors I prefer using scrunched up newspaper, as with the windows =)
    lifeinsamsbox.blogspot.com

  • Riat Niki

    So, I may be over thinking this here, but you clean the toilet with microfiber rags (like under the seat, too?) and then just throw them in the washing machine? I’m a germaphobe, but hate using clorox wipes on everything – lots of unnecessary waste and I really don’t like how saturated they are – and am open to new ways of cleaning. Anyway, was wondering if throwing towels in the wash was gross or if that’s just what ya do?

    • Clean Mama

      Fellow germ-o-phobe, so I totally get where you’re coming from :)   That said, I wash the rags by themselves and I have a ‘sanitize’ cycle on my washing machine. That helps me sleep at night with thought of washing the rags in the washing machine – in a former life, I never would have done that.  On occasion I will add a splash of bleach (it’s my non-green cleaning secret for rags) to the load – especially if we’ve had sickies in the house.  Some people add a little white vinegar to kill the germs in lieu of bleach, but I can’t deal with the smell.  I run the ‘clean cycle’ on my washing machine after the weekly rags load to ‘just make sure’ that the germs are properly dealt with.  I hope this helps – I have a ‘rags’ post on my blog later this week if you are interested – where I’ll go into more detail than most are interested in :)
      xo, Becky

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