Spring is in the air, bringing with it for many of us a new sense of energy. And, as part of that, you may decide to start spring cleaning.
But where did the tradition of spring cleaning actually start? There are a range of opinions here. Some research suggests that it originates from the Jewish custom of cleansing the home before Passover. An alternative view is that it derives from the Iranian practice of shaking the house – khaneh tekani – before the Persian new year Nowruz. And on a similar theme to both of these is the Orthodox Christian custom of cleaning churches and homes in preparation for Easter.
Whatever your take on the origin of spring cleaning, the custom has lasted for a very long time, and it is still very common in the UK. On the other hand, you don’t want to spend too much time on cleaning when there are a lot more fun and interesting things to do!
So in this article we give you five tips on how to spring clean your bathroom, and to do it thoroughly and effectively in the least time possible.
Give your cleaning products time to do their work
Most bathroom cleaning products work more effectively if you leave them on for a while. So the best way to get started spring cleaning your bathroom is to blitz all areas with the cleaning products you intend to use, and leave them on for at least 15 minutes. For example:
- Toilet cleaner or disinfectant around the toilet;
- Limescale remover on shower heads and the bases and ends of chrome taps – but be careful with gold or bronze/brass taps;
- Bathroom cleaner or washing powder in sinks and baths.
If you prefer the thought of using natural cleaning products rather than chemical, possibly abrasive, cleaners then try out alternatives such as diluted bicarbonate of soda, vinegar or lemon juice.
Defeat the dust
Whilst all your cleaning products are doing their magic, blitz all the potentially dusty areas in your bathroom. Brush or vacuum extractor fans, behind radiators, and around and under doors and windows. Lift every speck of dust before giving these areas a thorough wipe with a good quality multi surface liquid.
Glass
Bathroom mirrors and windows can easily pick up splashes of bathroom products such as toothpaste, moisturiser and make up. These can easily be removed by gentle rubbing with either plain water or a multi surface liquid cleaner on a soft microfibre cloth.
To make glass and mirrors really shiny, create your own cleaning solution with a combination of one part distilled white vinegar and nine parts water, and wipe over the glass or mirror working either from top to bottom or side to side rather than a circular motion.
Plug holes
Plug holes in basins, baths and showers can easily become clogged. Not only does this prevent water draining effectively, it can also cause the drain to smell. So unclog your plug holes regularly. There are various gadgets on the market that enable you to extract hair or other debris from underneath the plughole. Then clean the unclogged plughole by using either a specific drain cleaner or pouring a cup of soda crystals down followed by boiling water.
Floors
Bathroom floors can be kept in pristine condition by firstly either vacuuming with a handheld device, sweeping, or using floor wipes. The more regularly you are able to do this, the less dust and debris will build up and the better your bathroom floor will look.
Once you have done this, finish off with a mop and/or a steam clean. If you are using cleaning products, ideally use liquid cleaners rather than a foaming floor cleaner which could cause residue to build up and dull the appearance of your floor..
We hope that the above ideas will help you to do a short sharp spring clean and have your bathroom looking as good as new again. But if it makes you realise that perhaps it’s time for a new bathroom, why not take a browse through our gallery of amazing bathroom pictures for some ideas and inspiration? If you like what you see – and you will! – the next step is to come and meet us at Stone and Chrome’s Camberley showroom so that we can start helping to design the perfect new bathroom for your home.