Bathroom Cleaning Hacks You Can't Live Without!

Whether you have designed your own bathroom or it came with the house the way it is, after any decent usage time every bathroom gets a bit tired looking and has a little smell here or there - despite regular cleaning.

However, treating it with some clever cleaning hacks can alleviate even the most annoying of common bathroom blemishes.

We have asked the experts at Highgrove Bathrooms and compiled a list of quick and easy bathroom cleaning hacks that keep your bathroom looking great without costing the world or harming the environment.

The Vanity & Basin

Being feature items of any bathroom and often the most notable, here are three ways to keep it looking great. Use a mix of vinegar and dishwashing liquid, either mixed in a bowl or mixed in a spray bottle, use a soft sponge, you will be amazed about the cleanliness and shine. Use a soft-head sponge dishwashing brush for harder-to-clean stains such as dried-up toothpaste, bottle rings, and such...

Use some fresh-cut lemon or lime on the drain and tap if the chrome starts to look blemished or tired, it works just as well as a chemical cleaner and is way better for the environment. These hacks work just as well on the basin as on the vanity top, even if they are stone, tile or masonry. And, you won't damage any finish with harsh chemicals either.

The Shower

Definitely, one of the more demanding places to clean and also rather visually obvious when the screens start looking milky and blind, the tiles flat, and the shower head chalked up. And, sadly, it doesn't take too long to happen.

For the shower screen, either use a sponge dishwashing brush with dish soap and run over the tiles and glass screens, or use a strong vinegar and dish soap solution on a soft scourer sponge and do the old wax-on-wax-off motion. You'll be surprised by the shine and your karate moves. For rather hardy stains on the shower screen, the experts at Highgrove Bathrooms were undecided about which is the better, but both work amazingly. Either fresh-cut lemon or lime and swirl and scrub away, or leave it to soak first. Then rinse well.

Or,...

Get the trusted can of WD-40 from the garage or car boot and be blown away by how easily soap scum and water stains disappear with just a spray and a light scrub.

These two also work wonders on chrome taps, drains, showers, and all the other shiny bits in your bathroom too.

And, to give your shower screen a lasting shine and to repel water, get a dishwasher tablet (please wear gloved for this one) and apply it straight to the screen. Alternatively, wipe it over with a generous helping of Finish dishwasher dry rinse on a wet sponge, both will give your clean shower screens that new look, and water will literally just pearl off.

The Toilet

Well, absolutely not the favorite spot to clean for most, but often the one we judge ourselves most on, or are judged on. The age-old vinegar and baking soda soak trick does amazing here too. For more difficult stains, surprise-surprise, use either a can of Coke or a generous squirt of tomato sauce. Then give it a good scrub with either the brush or a (designated) scouring sponge. Then let it soak for a bit and rinse well.

Again, as unconventional as it may seem, they do really work.

And, if a subtle pee smell develops in your loo, try a pet odor spray with enzymes, these love to feed on any spillage that may have been caught in the grout around the porcelain thrown. It may take a few applications and let sit, but can really change the scent in the toilet and bathroom. Come to the toilet brush, soaking it from time to time in the vinegar/baking soda mix is beneficial, then flushing it thoroughly. And, adding a splash of vinegar or bleach to the bottom of the brush holder stops odors, but you probably knew that one already.

The Tiles

One school of thought says, to use multi-purpose or kitchen spray'n wipe, the other swears by water, vinegar, and a couple of big drops of dish soap. Apply by sponge or spray bottle and go for it. If you like the bouquet of eucalyptus, add a couple of drops of water-soluble Eucalyptus oil to the mix.

The Mirror

A bowl of hot water with a splash of methylated spirits and newspaper to dry it off with will cut through water splash marks, toothpaste sprinkles, and oily fingerprints in a breeze. And, it doesn't cost the world, nor is it too harsh on the mirror surface.

Plus, it leaves a streak-free shine - second to none. All these hacks are proven and tested, cost very little, and are gentle on the environment.

Staff Tip

If your hardware is starting to look rather tired and stained, even just replacing taps, the shower head, and accessories can give your bathroom a clean, fresh, and new look. While it is not necessarily a cleaning tip per se, it's a cost-effective way to give your bathroom or ensuite a spruce-up.

And, adding some new colours in towels, accessories plus a nice plant and decorative items, you'll be surprised how easy it can be to create a new look and feel.

Obviously, when you are planning a full bathroom design or renovation, thinking beyond the trendy look to consider the ease of cleaning - will pay off. Think about avoiding hard-to-get-to places and tight spaces behind above-surface basins, free-standing bathtubs, and such...

Whether you are dealing with some particular challenges around cleaning or maintaining the look of your bathroom, want to add or change some accessories, or are actually starting to renovate or design a new bathroom - the professional team at Highgrove Bathrooms is there for you with free advice and tips - across 50 stores nationally and online at www.highgrovebathrooms.com.au.

Happy Cleaning!