How to Keep Your Bathroom Clean in 5 Minutes a Day

Cleaning the bathroom is the worst, isn’t it? I used to think so, because I waited until it had to be cleaned. I had to scour and scrub to remove soap scum from the showers. The sink and faucets were spotted with soap marks, and the mirror was dotted with toothpaste splatters. The toilet collected dust around the bottom… ick! Bottom line, I created a lot more work for myself than was necessary because I didn’t approach it from a daily perspective. Learn from my mistakes! Here’s how to keep your bathroom clean in 5 minutes a day or less.

1. Use an all-purpose cleaner.

Do you use one cleaner for the mirrors, another for the sinks and surfaces, another for the toilet and another for the floors? Whew! You’re wasting time by grabbing a different cleaner whenever you move to the next chore. Choose and all-purpose cleaner instead that will go from the glass to the floors, cleaning everything beautifully.

My cleaner of choice is white distilled vinegar. The smell is unpleasant at first, but it completely disappears when the vinegar dries. I keep a half-and-half solution in a spray bottle for glass and surface cleaning and a jug of vinegar beneath the sink for cleaning the toilet bowl and mopping the floors.

Vinegar solutions for cleaning:

• Windows, sinks and toilet surfaces: Use a half-and-half solution in a spray bottle.
• Floors: Add ½ cup of vinegar to ½ gallon of water. I keep this in a spray bottle as well for quick mopping jobs.
• Toilets: Add 1 cup of vinegar to the bowl, let sit for a couple of minutes, and swish with the brush.
• Shower doors: Use undiluted on a sponge to remove soap scum.

Need a stronger cleaner? Try our homemade soft scrub. It’s effective on dirt, grime and germs yet gentle on your hands.

2. Wipe down the shower stall after your shower.

Keeping your shower clean and sparkling is no trouble at all if you just take a minute to wipe everything down after your shower. Just rinse off your washcloth and wipe down the shower walls every day. It takes less than a minute, but it prevents soap scum and hard water buildup. You’ll also avoid mold in the shower with regular cleanings. And speaking of hard water stains, you can keep your shower door crystal clear by reaching for the squeegee after your shower.

3. Work from top to bottom.

After you’ve showered and wiped down the stall and shower door, work on the rest of the bathroom from top to bottom, following the steps below.

• Use your handy, dandy all-purpose solution and a cleaning cloth to wipe down the mirrors first, followed by the doorknobs, light switches, faucets, sinks and countertops.
• Pour a little vinegar in the toilet bowl and swish it around with the brush. Let it sit until you’re finished cleaning, and then flush as you leave the bathroom.
• Wipe down the toilet surfaces.
• Mop the floor quickly, if needed (usually once or twice a week here since we have pets and a toddler). There’s no need to fill up a mop bucket—keep your floor solution in a spray bottle, give the floor a spritz and wipe the mop over it.

That’s it! Your bathroom will look tidy and smell clean with only a few minutes of effort a day. Of course, you’ll want to do a deep cleaning now and then to wipe down the walls, baseboards, etc., but you’ll always be ready for company.

Have a small bathroom? You might enjoy this post on Small Bathroom Organization tips, too!