CLEAN THIS
BY HANNAH BAKER
If your shower is fuzzy (dust! lint! hair!), do a dry clean before a wet one. Give surfaces a pass with a microfiber cloth or even a vacuum. This way, you’ll have less muck when you bring in the sprays.
Tub & Shower Floor
Fun fact: The best time to clean your tub or shower is right after you’re done using it, because (a) the steam from your bathing session loosens grime and mildew, and (b) the soap scum won’t have had time to settle. Get out, towel off, and spritz surfaces with Clorox Tilex Daily Shower Cleaner ($4 for 32 oz.; walmart.com). For a deeper clean every couple of weeks, reach for Scrubbing Bubbles Mega Shower Foamer ($5 for 32 oz.; amazon.com) or fill a bucket with two gallons of warm water, then add half a cup of powdered dishwasher detergent (it’s formulated to cut through grease, after all!). With either solution, use a soft sponge, as anything too abrasive can damage the finish.
Tile & Grout
That detergent mixture from above is also great for tile. Grab a stiff-bristle brush, dip it into the solution, and get to scouring. When tackling grout, apply the solution with a grout brush or toothbrush. Need something stronger for your tile? Mix one gallon of hot water, one-third cup of bleach, and one teaspoon of powdered laundry detergent, like Tide. (Wear gloves, and test the solution on one tile.) But never use bleach on marble—it can damage the stone. Instead, pick an all-purpose cleaner, like Mrs. Meyer’s, which is safe on sealed stone. (If your marble is unsealed, you’ll need a specialty cleaner.) Wipe with a microfiber cloth and rinse.
Caulk
Stained or moldy caulking can make your whole tub look filthier than it is. Enter: Microban 24 Hour Bathroom Cleaner, which destroys and prevents grossness. Spray it along the caulk and let it soak in for about 20 minutes. Then scrub with a soft-bristle brush and rinse. Be gentle; you can scrub caulking off if you’re not careful.
The best part about having a shower with glass doors is that you get to squeegee them! (We love the Stainless Steel Squeegee, $18; oxo.com.) Swipe in straight lines after every shower to prevent grime and streaks. Once a month, spray the glass with Windex or one part vinegar and one part dish soap. Rinse and—you guessed it—squeegee! Most shower curtains and liners (whether they’re fabric or plastic) can go into the washing machine. Toss them in once a month on a cool setting and hang to dry.
If you have hard water where you live, you’ve probably noticed that the spray from your showerhead can get wonky between cleanings. That’s because the minerals in the water, mostly calcium and magnesium, build up and clog the holes. (Hard water can cause those streaks on your glass doors too.) To fix it, fill a plastic bag with distilled white vinegar and tie it around the showerhead. Wait 30 minutes, remove, and run the water to rinse. Note: You may get a hankering for a pickle.
Use These Tools
GROUT BRUSH$8; oxo.com
MRS. MEYER’S CLEAN DAY MULTI-SURFACE EVERYDAY CLEANER$5 for 16 oz.; amazon.com
EVERSPRING MULTI-SURFACE CLEANING CLOTHS$13 for 6; target.com
MICROBAN 24 HOUR BATHROOM CLEANER$5 for 32 oz.; walmart.com
OUR EXPERTS
JESSICA EK, SENIOR DIRECTOR AT THE AMERICAN CLEANING INSTITUTE
SARAH MCALLISTER, FOUNDER OF GOCLEANCO, A CLEANING COMPANY
MELISSA WITULSKI, SENIOR MANAGER OF OPERATIONS STANDARDS FOR MERRY MAIDS, AN INTERNATIONAL CLEANING SERVICE