Friday, September 16, 2011

Cleaning: Tips to De-Scum Your Bathroom Probably the busiest spot in your house, the bathroom is also the place almost every guest visits. So if you start sweating whenever someone asks, "Do you mind if I freshen up/use the toilet/secretly judge your cleaning skills?" just relax. These tricks will get the room looking freshly scrubbed in 15 minutes or less. 1. In the bag. To start, hang a plastic sack on the doorknob for tossing the cleaning cloths you're about to use and emptying the waste¬basket — the easiest insta-tidy trick. 2. First, flush. Next, grab some bleach. Pour a cup into the bowl; brush around the sides and under the rim. Then move on to the next task for five minutes. 3. Quick shine. While the bleach is working, fill a spray bottle with equal parts water and white vinegar (or better yet, keep a bottle stored nearby for just this occasion). Spritz onto paper towels or a microfiber cloth, and zero in on those telltale soap drips and toothpaste spatters on faucets, mirrors, countertops, and in the sink — a definite dirty-bathroom giveaway. Optional (and only if you really care what your visitors think): Give spotty shower doors the same spray treatment. 4. Wipe control. Flip over one of those same vinegar wipes and run it across the back of your dusty toilet tank, then over, under, and around the seat. Flush the bleach that's been sitting in the bowl, toss the wipe into your doorknob bag, and move on. 5. Towel trick. Instead of scooping up all the used bath towels, just put out fresh hand towels — those are the only ones short-term guests use anyway. Leave the others on the bar; just straighten them. If you have linen spray, mist the towels. If you don't, a light body spray or perfume will do the job. 6. Exit strategy. Now it's time for the floor. Shake out your rug or bath mat to fluff it up so it looks recently vacuumed. Next, with a dampened paper towel, swoosh the corners of the room, where most of the hair and dust collects. And don't forget to take the plastic bag with you when you leave!

No comments: