Floor to Ceiling Clean: Bathrooms

Bathrooms, Bathrooms, Bathrooms....I HATE to clean them, but I LOVE when they are clean!

This is my hubby's office bathroom. I am telling you, when we first moved in I thought the showers were going to KILL me with all that glass! Yes, they look great when they are clean, but to get them there....UGH!

That is where the "Showers N Stuff" by Don Aslett comes in. Now that is some good stuff!

However, lets not get ahead of our selves. Let's do this step by step!

Remember the idea is to make it FEEL clean! You are going to cover every bit of your bathroom! Every bathroom is different. So just take the basic idea and do what works for yours.

• Let's Start with the Cupboards & Drawers

1. One at a time pull everything out.
2. Once it is all out, completely wipe the inside down.
3. Put it all back in as you organize.

• AS YOU PUT THINGS BACK IN:

1.  DON'T be afraid to TOSS out that lotion that you swear you were always going to use, etc. If you are struggling with the idea of tossing it, give yourself a rule. If it isn't being used by your next cycle through this bathroom in 8 weeks, it's gone!
2. If you have little girls with hair bobbles, elastics, etc. Organize it. Use ziplocs, if you are going for cheap or to get you by until you get those drawer seperators/organizers you just put down in your notebook under the "NEED" column.
3. Make sure that everything is put back in a way that it will be easy to maintain. If it is cluttered, it will be back to a mess in a couple of days. Work out whatever is best for you for storage/organizing/throwing away!

• Hit the showers and tubs.

1. Always follow the instructions carefully for any cleaner you are using. I have heard some nightmare stories.
2. Spray down the inside of the shower. If you have tough hard water stains or stains at all, I highly recommend "Showers N Stuff" by Don Aslett. Spray it on and wipe them back of a couple of minutes later. It is the only thing, that I have found, that works well enough to leave your shower looking like new!
3. After a few minutes wipe off the cleaner with a damp clean, preferrably microfiber cloth. It will leave a nice shine. 
4. If you still have stubborn stains....I use a magic eraser in my tub. If you have scratches or anything in your tub that are showing up, it is because there is dirt. Use a "Magic Eraser" by Mr. Clean. It works miracles! I also, at times, spray my shower or tub down with bleach and let it sit, then simply spray it off at the end of all the cleaning. Easy. However, with all 3 of these things I have suggested....DON'T mix your cleaners without rinsing with water several times. I wouldn't want any one of you passed out OR WORSE while cleaning your bathroom! Mixing is NEVER a good idea! 
5. Keep a squeegee in your shower and take a few seconds at the end of the shower to wipe the water from the glass or walls.

• Now we are going for the Toilet. 

1. Once again, I know I sound like an informercial, but SERIOUSLY, this cleaning is SO much easier with Don Aslett stuff. The toilet wand and cleaner is a fave, also. Follow the instructions to wash your toilet. 
2. If you have a ring around your toilet bowl, go pick up a toilet Pumis Stone. I love those things. 2 seconds and that ring is gone! 
3. I use an old toothbrush to scrub around the bolts in the seat and base of the toilet. If I am in a crazy mood, I take the toilet seat off the toilet all the way and clean it all. Let's just be honest here. Little boys = nastiness around the toilet. YUCK! 
4. Scrub every part of the toilet. Base, bowl, seat, tank, handle, all of it. Make it shine! See your face in it! :) 

• Time for Walls & Baseboards

1. Walls are so easy with a microfiber mop! Spray your cleaner on the wall and MOP THE WALL. Easy peasy! Work your way across the wall. Heck, do the ceiling while you are at it, if you want! You will be so surprised how fast you can book through a task that used to be tedious and torturous! DON'T skip this part! This is where the truly clean feeling comes from! It is the best! 
2. Now take a rag (microfiber are best) and spray around the molding of the doors and wipe them down. As you go, if you notice any scuffs, "Magic Erase" them away. If you need to touch up any area with paint. Do it. If you need to spackle a nail hole or a gaping hole, do it. Now is the time. 
3. Wipe down the doors, door knobs and light switches. 
4. Wipe down all light fixtures. Take any glass covers down, CAREFULLY and wipe them down. Wipe down the toiletpaper holder, towel rack and anything else that needs a little TLC. 
5. Spray your baseboards and wipe. Again, fix any scuffs with a Magic Eraser and touch up paint where needed. This process seems like it will take a while, but you should be done in 5-10 min. tops. Maybe longer the first time you go through. However, the next time you come in for a deep clean, it will be a breeze! 
6. Use a vaccuum hose and the brush attachment to vaccuum any vents.

• Wipe Down the Mirrors and Windows

1. Use glass cleaner and a squeegee for best results. I also love using newspaper to wipe down glass.
2. Pull out screens and rinse them with water. Let them dry before you put them back in.
3. Wipe down windowsills.

• Wash counter tops & sink, garbage cans & anything other accessories you have.

1. Again for hard water spots or any sort of stain, use Showers N Stuff.
2. I use the paper towel to really wash down the garbage can.
   Don't be afraid to use a toothbrush to get a really good scrub. Not the same one you used for the toilet, please! :) You might want to label those!
3. My aunt taught me to wash with wet and then wipe down with a dry cloth to get a good buffed shine. I LOVE that for the bathroom!

• Now for the floors

1. Wash all rugs.
2. Sweep floor thoroughly.
3. Get a wad of Papertowels a little damp and go over the entire floor. Pay close attention to corners and around the kickboards on counters. This will help pick up anything you missed with the broom.
4. Using a floor cleaner do a thorough wipe down of the floor. Don't be afraid to use a scrub brush, if your grout needs a little extra attention. I mean, this is supposed to be "no rock left unturned" cleaning.

• Serve dinner on your bathroom floor....cause you will be able to! :)

Ok, ignore that last one, cause well....YUCK!

Don't forget to make a list of an items you need in your notebook. Lightbulbs, washclothes, plants for your toilet tank (I love a good potted plant, plastic of course, for the back of my toilet. I don't know why. Just do.), rugs, towels, ANYTHING! Write it down!

Congratulations! You now have one seriously clean bathroom!

Now remember to do you "3 Wipes in 3 Minutes" and between that and your weekly, less intense, cleaning of the bathroom, you will have a bathroom you won't be afraid to let your neighbors use! :) Cause we all know we have felt a bit afraid of such an occurance from time to time! :)

Don't be intimidated. Focus and work hard and fast and this whole process will take only about 30 min. tops! Don't be discouraged if it takes longer at first! It will be worth the time you spend and it will get faster. MUCH faster! PLUS you only have to do that once every 8 weeks.