Housecleaning Tips from Totally Clean

A Sparkling Clean Bathroom

The average person spends about 45 minutes a day in the bathroom. That is probably why a bathroom can get so dirty so fast. Just think about it. Soap scum in the sink and on counters, shampoo and conditioner in the shower and on tile, hair spray, make-up, and toothpaste on mirrors, and all your daily splatters and spill all over. It is so nice to have a clean bathroom, after all we go to the bathroom to get clean, not be surrounded by dirt. To get your bathroom thoroughly clean and keep it that way you will need the following supplies:

Cleaning Caddy. A cleaning caddy is great for keeping all your cleaning supplies in one place so that you know exactly were everything is when you need it. Cleaning supplies scattered all over the house will not help you clean more efficient. Make sure your caddy is large with deep pockets so that items don't tip over and spill. We have found a great caddy is made of sturdy plastic with deep pockets and has a carry handle.

All- Purpose cleaner. (Liquid cleaners like 409, Fantastic). We have found a very good all-purpose cleaner called KC1000, which is simply the best we have used so far. All-purpose cleaners are great spray on and wipe off cleaners for counters, faucets, and surfaces. KC100, not diluted, works great on tile and shower doors. You will also need Windex for cleaning glass.

Scouring powders. Ajax, Comet or Soft and Scrub are great cleaners for the tub and sink.

Bleach. Use bleach on that ugly black mildew that builds up on areas in the shower, or on walls and ceilings. Never mix any product together, bleach and ammonia mixed is deadly.

Tools and Brushes. You will need a toilet bowl brush, you can't clean a toilet without one. The best kind does not have a wire in it, which will just scratch your porcelain. Also a product called, Big Bad Tile Brush, with a large handle and synthetic bristles is the best for scrubbing tile, tub, floor and sink. A Mini Brush is really the only way to get into those tight spots that you can not get with a cleaning cloth. Using an old toothbrush is not going to cut it. The bristles are too short; we use a heavy-duty mini brush, which gets the job done fast.

Cleaning Apron. A cleaning apron with pockets will save you time by having everything handy and at your fingertips. In your cleaning apron you can put towels, your mini brush, scraper, scouring sponges, razor blade and holder. It provides a place for hanging your spray bottles. In the pocket of the apron you can put zip lock bags to place your wet sponge. You just can't clean without a cleaning apron.

Cleaning Cloths. 100% Terry cloth cleaning cloths, white only, is the only way to go. Anything that is made of synthetic fibers is not good. They do not absorb well and do not pick up dirt. Please do not use newspaper, socks, underwear or hosiery. I get my cleaning cloths at Costco/Price Club, Smart and Final, or any hardware store should carry them.

Your list of supplies should look like this:

• 1 can of powdered cleanser
• 1 sponge with white nylon scrub pad
• 1 spray bottle of KC1000 all purpose cleaner
• 1 spray bottle of Windex
• 1 toilet bowl brush
• 1 big bad tile brush
• 12 terry cleaning cloths
• 1 spray bottle of beach
• 1 can of basin and tile cleaner or KC1000 undiluted
• 1 can of A-maz
• 1 bottle of A-maz Sealer (to seal your tile after cleaning).
• 1 cleaning apron with supplies, mini brush, scraper, razor
• blade, holder and plastic zip lock bags.
• 1 plastic cup, to rinse tub or tile walls
• 1 cup of coffee for energy ;^)

These products or similar quality items can be purchased from the online catalog at TheCleanTeam site.

So now that you have all of your cleaning supplies and equipment, you are ready to tackle the bathroom. One thing that I like to do first is a little bit of organizing. That means picking up any dirty towels, wash cloths or clothes and putting them in the wash. If your towels or clothes are clean fold them and put them away. In order for you to have more work space, it is best to remove items like the wastebasket, scale, clothes hamper, litter box and floor rugs. I like to use a small hand held vacuum with a floor brush attachment to vacuum the floors before I get started. If you vacuum first you will get all the hair, dust and dirt up which will make it easier to clean the floor later.

It's always best to start in one area of the bathroom and work your way around counter clockwise, working from top to bottom. I first start out with the shower, since it's the biggest job. Look at it, isn't it a mess: soap scum and mildew are the most common shower problems. There are many products out on the market that work, however they have harsh chemical smells, and are pretty hard on the skin and respiratory system. That is why we use the undiluted KC1000 cleaner to remove tough shower grime.

If you don't have KC1000 another good product is Tub and Tile cleaner, which you can find at any grocery store.

First rinse the shower down with water. Use a plastic cup if you do not have a detachable hand held showerhead. After the shower is completely wet, spray the undiluted KC1000 cleaner liberally to the tile walls. Once the KC1000 has been applied, scrub vigorously in a circular motion until all the soap scum and dirt is loose. Be sure to scrub all the tile walls, shower doors and faucets. Do not rinse at this time, instead take your cleanser from your cleaning caddy, apply a generous amount of cleaner into the tub and scrub that as well. Once you have thoroughly scrubbed the tub, rinse everything top to bottom. Down, down, the drain it goes.

Now that you have rinsed everything down the drain, take a cleaning cloth from your cleaning apron and your KC1000 cleaner and spray the showerhead as well as the faucets and wipe them to a sparkling shine! Also spray and wipe any other chrome fixtures you have in your shower. If you have glass doors on the shower put a cleaning cloth down on the tile floor and step on that. Get into the shower and spray glass door with Windex and wipe it streaks free. Also spray and wipe the front of the shower door as well.

Take a look at those door tracks. If they are dirty spray them with KC1000 and scrub them with your mini brush. Then wipe clean. Next, clean the toilet. Use a toilet bowl brush, one without wire. Take your cleanser again and apply around the entire bowl, only on the inside. Use your toilet bowl brush and vigorously scrub the bowl, especially under the rim, where all those gremlins are hiding. Rinse the brush as you are flushing the toilet. Place the brush back into the caddy.

Now spray KC1000 cleaner to all the surfaces of the toilet. Start at the top of the tank, then the sides and front of the tank. Wipe those areas first with a clean cloth from your cleaning apron. Take your KC1000 again and spray both side of the lid and seat as well as the rest of the outside of the toilet. This is were the mini brush comes in handy. Take your mini brush from your apron and scrub all those caps and hinges that hold the toilet seat and cover. Then wipe those areas down as well.

Now lets go to the sink. Apply cleanser only to the inside of the sink (basin only) and then scrub with your Big Bad Tile Brush. Remember only scrub the inside of the basin. If you scrub outside of the basin the cleanser will be hard to rinse off. When you are finished, completely rinse your brush and basin. Put your brush back into the caddy. Now remove the Windex from your apron and spray a small amount onto the mirrors and wipe it streak free. It is best to always use a clean, dry cleaning cloth when cleaning mirrors or chrome to get a steak free surface. Now spray your counter top and faucets with KC1000 cleaner, and use your mini brush to scrub around faucet, handles, and drain, then wipe them dry.

If you have a soap dish or toothbrush holder, spray and wipe them too. You are done except for the floor. If your floor is fairly clean and small, take a terry cloth and spray the floor with KC1000 cleaner, then wipe the floor surface. If you have a big bathroom, you may want to get out the Sh-Mop and mop the floor. If you use the Sh-mop, just take off the terry cloth cover and wet it in the sink. Replace the cover back onto the base of the mop. Then spray the base of the mop with Sh-Magic cleaner or KC1000 cleaner and then Sh-Mop away.

There is one thing I forgot to mention. If your bathroom walls are dirty with brown spots or mildew from poor ventilation, it is best to clean them first before you start cleaning other items that are lower than the ceiling and walls.

The best way to clean walls is to fill up your sink with water and add 1/2 cup of bleach. Be sure to have proper ventilation. Bleach is a pretty strong chemical! Dip your Sh-Mop cover into the bleach solution. Ring out and put the cover back on to the Sh-Mop, a little damp. Wipe down the ceiling and walls with the base of the mop. When the mop cover gets dirty rinse it again in the water/bleach solution.

I wish you the best in cleaning your bathroom. If you have any question please e-mail us at info@totallyclean.com .