Having recently had a new bathroom fitted I was keen to keep it pristine. The old bathroom was 15 years old and was in need of a refurb. Not being the first owner of the bathroom over the years it had accumulated much water staining, lime scale, mould and mildew and despite my best efforts it was a battle to remove and keep it at bay. Who would have thought that the one thing we used to clean everything would be the thing that caused the most damage.
Now don’t get carried away with the advertisements you see or the rows and rows of miracle products in the supermarket. The key to maintaining the new and pristine look of a shiny new bathroom is much simpler than you might expect.
No bleach or chemicals
I like to be as organic as possible with my cleaning and with a new routine it seems that I have found the answer. To my relief I was advised that removing the excess water was the key to keeping it clean and prevent the build-up of the by-products of water.
How to keep the chrome shiny and new
Chrome taps, chrome towel rails and chrome showers are a feature of many modern bathrooms along with shower doors. They can get rather stained and dull looking if not maintained. To keep them shiny and polished the key is to remove the excess water with a cloth. You will need 2 cloths – one to soak up the water and one to buff and shine. Firstly remove the water with an absorbent sponge. Once the chrome work is dry simply wipe and shine with a dry, soft cloth. Absorbent coloured sponges come in packs of 3 or 4, all in a different colour. Use a different colour for each task. Once you have used them simply rinse them out and leave them to dry. Once a week you can wipe everything down with a mild solution of soapy water, rinse and buff.
Removing the water stains from the shower door
A squeegee is the perfect tool for this and at only £1-£2 from your local supermarket you can simply leave them in your shower ready to wipe the glass after each use. Don’t try and do it whilst still in the shower – the condensation will only accumulate again and you will find yourself repeating the exercise. Open the door, dry yourself first and with a towel underneath to catch any falling water simply wipe down the door with the squeegee. To avoid the shower tray keeping hold of the water and causing lime scale to build up the squeegee can be used to draw the water towards the plug. As my shower is fully tiled I also use the squeegee to wipe down the tiles. I tend to wipe the tiles, then wipe down the door and then finally remove the water from the tray. If you want to be really fastidious you can then wipe the tiles and tray with a dry cloth to ensure you really get rid of all the water. The shower hose can also get clogged up with water so give this a wipe as well.
Keeping the surfaces clean
Again the worktops and other surfaces can become waterlogged, especially if you have children that like to leave water everywhere. Wipe down the surfaces with a dry cloth to ensure that they stay nice and clean. Once a week you can wipe the surfaces with a soapy cloth if needed.
Cleaning the toilet
There may be times when you want something a bit more powerful to ensure the toilet stays free from germs. Use a toilet brush to get rid of the worst of the dirt and every so often use a little bleach around the bowl to ensure you eradicate any nasty germs. Alternatively an over the rim block is great for keeping the bowl fresh and clean. Don’t pour boiling water down the toilet. Many people believe that this will keep the toilet clean and free flowing. The reality is that the hot water can cause the bowl to crack from the shock and melt the wax fitting on the pan connector.
Finally the floor……
Bathroom floors will get wet and dusty in the corners. If you have a hard floor like lino or amtico then you can use the hoover to vacuum up any dust from around the corners with the attachment in those hard to reach places. The rest of the floor can then be wiped over with a soapy cloth.
If you stick to the above and regularly take steps to keep your bathroom dry you should find no need to use anything other than absorbent sponges and dry cloths. A little soapy water to keep it fresh once a week and you will be surprised at how easy it is to maintain a lovely clean bathroom. Rather than spending time using elbow grease when dirt starts to build up you will find it much easier to maintain a simple daily routine.
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