The Ultimate Bathroom Cleaning Checklist

Use this handy checklist to keep your bathroom looking its best. But always keep in mind Don Aslett’s #1 cleaning advice: If it’s not dirty, don’t clean it! Clean on a schedule that works for each bathroom. The kid’s bathroom may need cleaning twice a day, but the guest bathroom may only need a minor wipe-down before guests arrive and a thorough cleaning when they leave.

After Each Use:

• Squeegee dry the shower or tub stall and door.
• Wipe dry the sink, faucet, and countertop.

Daily:

• Wipe counters and sink.
• Check mirrors for spots and streaks – clean if needed.
• Wipe toilet handle and seat.
• Check toilet sides and base for urine drips — disinfect if needed.
• Check floor – sweep and spot clean if needed.
• Check trash can – empty if needed.
• Straighten towels. Replace them with clean ones if needed.
• Check toilet paper and tissue boxes – refill if needed.

Weekly (for Most Families)

• Sweep and mop floor.
• Dust baseboards, wall tile, and wainscoting. Spot clean if needed.
• Clean and dry the sink and polish the faucet. If it is a pedestal sink also wipe the underside (drips tend to collect here), water supply hoses, shut off valves, exposed plumbing pipes, and pedestal. If your sink tends to collect gunk around the edge where it touches the countertop, clean the area with an angled grout brush. If that doesn’t do it, try scraping it away with an old credit card.
• Remove all items from the countertop. Clean and dry it. If there is white or grey haze around the faucet that will not come off with normal cleaning, you have hard water build up. Check our hard water cleaning chart for the best way to get rid of it.
• Clean the soap dish.
• Clean, disinfect, and rinse the toothbrush holder or cup.
• Clean the mirrors and dust the frame.
• Clean the toilet bowl.
• Clean the entire outside of the toilet – paying special attention to the seat hinge area and the base where urine drips tend to collect.
• Clean and dry the shower/tub stall and polish the fixtures.
• If your tub or shower has a door, clean that as well and polish the metal frame.
• If your tub or shower has a curtain, dust the rod and rings. Check the inside of the curtain for shampoo drips or mold and mildew – spot clean if necessary.
• Clean and dry the tub and polish the faucet.
• Reapply water and dirt repellant spray (such as Repel) to the walls ONLY of the shower and tub.
• Replace the towels and bathmat with clean.
• Wipe light switches, door knobs and the areas around them.
• Empty the trash can.
• Check the walls and spot-clean as necessary. If you have tile or partial tile walls outside the bathing areas, you may need polish them with glass cleaner to keep their mirror shine.
• Check the sink, counter, tub, shower, and toilet bowl for hard water build up. Remove it with a cleaner that is appropriate for the surface. See our hard water removal chart for full details and how to decide which products are right for your bathroom.
• Check drains and remove any hair that would otherwise cause clogs in the future.
• Replace or refill any scent dispensers you may use.

Monthly:

• Wash the shower curtain.
• Check the shower head for hard water clogging the nozzles. Soak the shower head in 1 cup water and 1 cup vinegar to dissolve any hard water.
• Dust corners and check the ceiling for cobwebs.
• Check the ceiling over the tub and shower for water spots and mold or mildew. Clean if needed.
• Check and spot-wash the door if needed.
• Dust and apply wood conditioner to all woodwork.
• Check grout lines and scrub any grungy spots with a toothbrush or angled grout brush.
• Use an angled grout brush or toothbrush to clean the sink’s overflow drain.
• Dust the light fixtures and remove any dead bugs.
• Clean and disinfect the inside and outside of the trash can.
• Clean the toilet water supply lines and shut-off valves.

Seasonally:

• Wash cabinet, vanity and cupboard fronts with a wood cleaner, such as Wood Wash.
• Empty cabinets, cupboards, and drawers. Throw away expired or unwanted items.
• Wipe out the shelves and drawers.
• Vacuum wall and floor vents.
• Clean the windows and wash window curtains or blinds.
• Wash the walls, tile, or wainscoting and all trim.
• Wash the ceiling.
• Scrub all grout with a toothbrush, angled grout brush, or a Grout Gator tool.
• Apply floor stripper, rinse, and re-apply floor wax if desired. See our floor waxing blog for full instructions.
• Clean and apply a new coat of floor polish if desired. See our floor polish instructions for all the details.
• Change out seasonal curtains or decorations, if you use them.

Yearly:

• Scrub and reseal grout lines with a grout sealant according to the manufacturer’s directions.
• Reseal natural stone surfaces according to the manufacturer’s directions.