Bathroom cleaning is mostly about preventing mineral buildup and mold before they become removal projects.
01Shower and tub
Soap scum and hard water deposits on shower walls and tub surfaces are harder to remove the longer they sit. A daily squeegee on the shower walls after every use is the single most effective maintenance habit in a bathroom. Weekly cleaning with a non-abrasive bathroom cleaner keeps the surface manageable. For existing buildup, a paste of cream of tartar and hydrogen peroxide or a commercial lime and calcium remover addresses mineral deposits.
02Grout cleaning
Grout that has darkened or gone from off-white to gray has absorbed soap scum and mold. Scrub with a stiff brush and a grout-specific cleaner or a paste of baking soda and water followed by a hydrogen peroxide rinse. Black mold in grout that doesn't respond to surface cleaning has penetrated the grout — regrout those lines.
03Toilet — complete clean
The underside of the toilet rim is where the most bacteria accumulates and the least cleaning happens. Use a toilet brush with bowl cleaner under the rim, not just in the bowl water. The exterior of the toilet — base, sides, tank — gets a wipe-down with a disinfectant. The floor around the base, where urine splatter accumulates, requires a weekly wipe.
04Exhaust fan
Exhaust fan grilles accumulate dust that restricts airflow and makes the fan work harder. Remove the grille and wash it in warm soapy water quarterly. The fan blades inside the housing can be cleaned with compressed air or a dry cloth. A fan moving restricted air is not doing its moisture-control job.
Marcus Webb is a general contractor and home maintenance writer based in Columbus, Ohio. He writes about the repairs and installs that come up every year in every house — the practical, repeating work that keeps a home livable.