Now that you’re a fresh college student, living on your own for the first time while attending school, you’re not going to have to have a lot of time to spend scrubbing away at your bathroom to keep it presentable. With that in mind, here are some steps to keep the throne room clean with minimal effort–and without getting your hands dirty!
1. Frequency
Aside from daily maintenance (wiping excess water from the countertop, hanging up towels and washcloths, etc), the bathroom ought to recieve a thorough cleaning once a week. And by thorough, we mean a twenty-minute cleaning binge that will leave it ready to tackle the entire next six days with no trouble.
2. Method
How you clean your bathroom is really entirely up to you; some people prefer things done in a certain order, or a certain way. It’s your dorm, do what you like–but here are a few basic pointers.
The toilet needs to be cleaned–the WHOLE toilet. The bowl can be cleaned with a bristle brush and cleaning product, so you don’t have to touch it; the seat ought to be wiped down with Clorox or a similar cleaner, and don’t forget the base and back! Make that ceramic sparkle!
The bathtub is too often forgotten. Despite what you may think, the fact that the bath or shower plays host to shampoo and soap does not mean it is a clean zone. Soapy buildup, dirt, and hair are very present and need to be dealt with regularly. Using a cleaner like Scrubbing Bubbles (spray, wait, wipe, rinse), can make this super easy.
The vanity area (sink, countertop, mirror) should be wiped down and cleaned thoroughly with Clorox or something similar.
Don’t skip the floor! Sweep it and mop it; it won’t take long, and your bare feet will thank you when they get to walk on clean tile rather than dirt and residue.
Whenever you do laundry (hopefully about once a week), remember to clean the towels and washcloths in your bathroom! No one likes washing or drying with a mildewy scrap of fabric.
3. Pointers
Here are a couple of tips from a veteran bathroom-cleaner in a household of six:
A gel pad (like Scrubbing Bubbles or Lysol) inside your toilet bowl can make cleaning even more of a snap. These products give your toilet a boost of cleaner every time you flush, keep things from sticking to the inside of the bowl, and maintain a clean, fresh scent.
If you remember to rinse out your tub or shower after every use (just a thirty-second rinse, no need to wipe it down), it will cut down on the soap residue that builds up over the week–and lessen the chances of someone slipping and falling!
Towel racks are there for a reason–use them. A crumpled-up towel will mildew much faster than one hung up properly with good ventilation.
If you follow these simple steps, your bathroom can go from the nastiest room in the dorm to an absolute pleasure; all without requiring a lot of time to maintain!
Charlie Teschner started MESA Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling in 1982. Charlie has a journeyman and master plumber’s license. He was raised with a strong work ethic and he now applies those values to tasks such as Boulder heating repair.