Contents

Know more about this
(or any other) subject?

Show off your know-how at Quamut Wiki.

Learn more with these titles from Barnes & Noble

Haley's Cleaning Hints

Green This! Volume 1: Greening Your Cleaning

Sink Reflections

Good Housekeeping Stain Rescue!: The A-Z Guide to Removing Smudges, Spots and Other Spills

Previous:
How to Clean the Kitchen Sink

Next:
How to Clean Windows and Mirrors

How to Clean Bathroom Surfaces

Mildew, soap scum, and hard water stains cause the most difficulty when you’re cleaning showers, tubs, and other bathroom surfaces. To prevent minor trouble from becoming a major cleaning hassle, clean frequently with cleansers targeted toward the specific stain and surface.

How to Clean Bathroom Sinks

Clean bathroom sinks weekly with a mild abrasive cleaner or with dishwashing liquid dissolved in water. Most bathroom sink materials are nonporous and don’t need special care—but artisan sinks made from stone, brass, glass mosaic, and other designer materials should be cleaned according to manufacturer’s specifications.

Solid surface materials: Clean bathroom sinks made from Corian® or other solid surface materials with mild abrasives, bleach, ammonia, dish detergent, or all-purpose cleaners. Never mix bleach with ammonia or other cleaning agents, as this creates toxic fumes.
Vitreous china and fireclay: Made from clay that’s glazed and fired at high temperatures, these durable surfaces are nonporous and won’t stain easily. Protect glossy finishes by cleaning with nonabrasive, nonsolvent cleansers such as dish detergent.
Copper and brass: Both copper and brass (an alloy of copper and zinc) are soft metals that scratch easily. Clean these surfaces with dish detergent and a soft cloth, and never use scrub brushes or abrasive cleansers on them. Use high-quality brass polish to remove stains or tarnish from brass, following the manufacturer’s instructions and polishing with a soft cloth. Copper sinks will darken to a rich, brown patina during the first year, and spots and color variations should be expected while the patina develops.
Glass: Clean glass sinks with glass cleaner and a soft cloth, and wipe dry after use to prevent water spots.
Stone: Clean with a pH-neutral cleanser or a cleanser designed especially for stone. Avoid abrasive cleansers and brushes, which could scratch or etch the finish.

How to Clean Bathtubs and Showers

Frequent cleaning is the only way to keep hard water deposits and soap scum from taking over your bathtub or shower. Daily cleaning is necessary only if you have very hard water. Hard water contains high concentrations of minerals, which can create deposits on bathtubs if not wiped clean daily with a squeegee or soft cloth. If you find that soaps don’t lather well in your water or you have a white crust around your sink fixtures, you likely have hard water. For most bathtubs and showers, though, a weekly cleaning is enough.

Enameled iron or steel: A coat of porcelain or enamel fused to a cast iron or steel bathtub has long been the industry standard. Use baking soda and water or a mild abrasive cleanser to scrub enameled bathtubs.
Fiberglass: Fiberglass bathtubs and tub surrounds scratch easily and are sensitive to acids, so use nonabrasive cleansers that are pH-neutral or mildly alkaline. A paste of baking soda and water is fine to use on fiberglass, but avoid anything more abrasive.
Ceramic tile: Tile cleans easily with tub and tile cleaners, vinegar and water solutions, all-purpose cleaners, mild abrasives, and dish detergents. In bathrooms, the grout between tiles must be sealed every year or two—unsealed grout provides a medium for mold and mildew growth and can allow water to seep through into the wallboard.

Removing Soap Scum

Soap scum and hard water deposits can build up on bathtub and shower walls over time. Janitorial supply centers offer commercial cleansers that make short work of tackling these problems, but keep in mind that not all commercial cleansers are safe for all surfaces. The common household cleansers below can also remove soap scum and hard water deposits effectively.

Warm vinegar: In a microwave, warm a solution of one part vinegar to one part water. Use a spray bottle to spray directly on trouble spots. Scrub with a nylon brush or wipe with a soft cloth, and repeat if necessary.
Ammonia: Mix one part ammonia with two parts water and spray on soap scum or hard water deposits. Allow the solution to work for 10–15 minutes, then wipe.
Baking soda: For tough soap scum, make a paste of baking soda and water and spread on shower walls. After 30 minutes, wipe away with a damp cloth.

How to Clean Toilets

Almost always made from vitreous china, toilets are nonporous and will not stain. Use two products to clean the toilet—a disinfecting spray cleaner for the outside surface of the toilet, and a gel or powder for the bowl.

Apply cleaner to the inside of the bowl: Empty the toilet by turning off the water supply and flushing. Apply gel or powdered cleaner to the inside of the bowl, making sure that cleaner reaches the upper rim where hard water deposits can clog water holes.
Spray and wipe the exterior: Use a solution of one part bleach to 10 parts water or a disinfecting spray cleaner to clean the outside of the toilet, the top and bottom of the lid, and the top and bottom of the seat. Work from the cleanest areas to the dirtiest, using paper towels or cleaning cloths that are solely for the toilet. If the seat and lid are wood or another delicate material, follow the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions or use a solution of dishwashing liquid and water.
Scrub the bowl: By the time the exterior of the toilet is clean, the bowl cleaner will have had time to work. Using a long-handled scrub or toilet brush, scrub the inside of the toilet bowl. Make sure to clean as far under the rim and as far into the trap as possible.