How to Deep Clean Your Whole Bathroom Like a Pro

Alright, team! It’s time to deep clean the bathroom — the one space that deserves a thorough scrub every clean. We’re not just wiping down surfaces here; we’re deep cleaning and disinfecting. 

Remember: top to bottom, left to right.  So grab your cleaning caddy, turn on that fan, crack the windows, and get to work!

First Things First: Vacuum EVERYTHING

Start with a solid vacuum session on the whole washroom. Vacuum the baseboards, counters, tubs, shower/tub, and toilets to get all the hair, dust, and lint out of the way. If you start by haphazardly spraying chemicals before vacuuming, all that dust and lint turns into mud and is harder to clean. 

Pro Tip: After vacuuming, apply product to everything that needs time to sit—like Lime OUT® in your toilet, vinegar on your showerhead or shower doors, or Scrubbing Bubbles® on your shower tiles (being careful not to mix any chemicals, please!). Then, work top to bottom, left to right, and by the time you get to those areas, the product has done its job and they’re ready to scrub. Efficiency at its best! 🚿✨

Ventilation Fan and Lights

• Ventilation Fan (a.k.a. fart fan): Remove the cover if you can, vacuum, scrub with a bit of Mr. Clean®, then rinse. 
• Light Fixtures: Start with a Swiffer® to dust, then polish with Windex® or a carbon cloth. Reminder: Make sure the bulbs are cool before you attempt to clean or wipe them. A hot bulb and a wet rag can cause a bulb to shatter.

Window Treatments and Windows

• Window Treatments: Vacuum first. For slatted blinds, wipe them down with hot water, bleach and powdered Tide® (recipe below). Add bleach to disinfect.
• Window Tracks: Vacuum the tracks, spray some Mr. Clean® (yellow), scrub with a brush, and soak up the grime with paper towels (not a cloth — trust me on this).
• Window Interiors: Use Windex® or polish with a carbon cloth. For a deeper clean, mix blue Dawn® dish soap with hot water, scrub, and squeegee for a streak-free shine.
• Window Screens: Carefully remove and bring them to the tub or shower. Spray them down with Dawn® Powerwash or use hot water, bleach, and Tide®. Wipe down both sides, then rinse.
• Window Sills: Wipe with hot water and Tide® Add bleach to disinfect.

Walls, Doors, Cabinets, Baseboards

• Walls, Doors, Knobs, and Baseboards: Use hot water, bleach and Tide® (a.k.a. WBT) to wipe down every surface. Pay special attention to the baseboards and walls around the toilet!
  Hairspray residue not coming off? Check out this article. 
• Cabinets: Wipe down with WBT. Extra points for taking everything out, vacuuming, wiping, and organizing. 

Mirrors

• Mirrors: Windex® or a carbon cloth will give you a streak-free shine. Got a cloudy film? Blue Dawn® and hot water will cut through it. Squeegee it off and finish with paper towels or a carbon cloth for a final polish.

Sink, Countertops, and Toothbrush Holders

• Sink and Faucet: Go in with hot water, bleach and Tide® or Scrubbing Bubbles®. For stubborn stains, call in Bar Keepers Friend®.
• Countertops: The type of countertop determines your plan of attack:
  • Granite and Quartz: Tide® and hot water for everyday cleaning; add bleach to disinfect. Polish with a carbon cloth.
  • Laminate: Hot water, bleach and Tide®.
  • Marble: Dish soap and hot water ONLY. No bleach here, folks.
• Toothbrush Holder: Toss it in the dishwasher for a deep clean.

Bathtub and Shower

• Bathtub and Shower Surrounds: Options depend on the surface — Scrubbing Bubbles®, Bar Keepers Friend®, or hot water, bleach and Tide® are all excellent choices (unless you have marble, then dish soap and water only). For hard water stains on the showerhead, tie a bag of white vinegar around it and let it sit.
• Jetted tub: See this hack for cleaning the lines using dishwasher tabs. 
• Shower Doors and Fixtures: Spray a mix of 1 cup white vinegar and 2 tbsp blue Dawn®, let it sit (an hour or even overnight for heavy buildup), scrub with a soft sponge, and rinse (not safe for nickel finishes). Squeegee the glass and polish fixtures with Windex® or a carbon cloth. No abrasives here — keep those fixtures scratch-free.

Toilet

• Toilet: Remove the toilet seat if possible to get all the hidden gunk. Use your weapon of choice: Bar Keepers Friend®, Scrubbing Bubbles®, or hot water, bleach and Tide®. Got hard water stains? Iron OUT® or Lime OUT® are your BFF’s.
  No mixing chemicals. If your first choice doesn’t work, rinse well before trying the next product. 

Hardware

• Hardware: Polish the toilet paper holder and towel rack with Windex® or a carbon cloth. For rust spots, bring out the Bar Keepers Friend®.

Garbage Cans

• Garbage Can: Rinse the interior and exterior with bleach and hot water. Once dry, line the bottom with a paper towel to absorb future messes. 

Floors

• Floors: We clean these by hand to get every nook and cranny. Use hot water, bleach and Tide® — it’s magical on grout! Skip the bleach and stick with dish soap and water for marble floors. Once dry, vacuum again for a pristine finish.

Fresh Towels and Final Polish

• Swap out towels for fresh ones.
• Windex® anything that needs a little shining.

Don’t forget to step back and admire your work! A sparkling bathroom is the ultimate reward.

Need more guidance? Check out our bathroom blog section here. Or our bathroom YouTube videos here. 

That’s it, crew! Your bathroom should now be so clean it sparkles. ✨ Remember, cleaning isn’t just about aesthetics — it’s about creating a safe, disinfected space for you and your family. So keep up the great work, and let’s keep those bathrooms shining like new! 🚿

Products

Need a restock on products? Here’s what we’ve used in this article:

When you buy through our links, we may earn a small commission. 

• Powdered Tide®: (USA) (Canada)
• Bleach: (USA) (Canada)
• Mr. Clean® Summer Citrus: (USA) (Canada)
• Windex®: (USA) (Canada)
• Dawn® Powerwash: (USA) (Canada)
• Blue Dawn®: (USA) (Canada)
• Scrubbing Bubbles® (USA) (Canada)
• Bar Keeper’s Friend®: (USA) (Canada)
• Iron OUT® (USA) (Canada)
• Lime OUT® (USA) (Canada)
• Spin mop: (USA) (Canada)
• Bissell® Zing: (USA) (Canada)
• Swiffer® (USA) (Canada)
• Sponge (USA) (Canada)
• Carbon Cloths: (USA) (Canada)
• Gloves: (USA) (Canada)

Sara B @ GoCleanCo