The way we look at cleanliness and hygiene has changed drastically over the past year or two. Of course, this is mainly due to the covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic opened our eyes to how exactly some bacteria can spread and how it can be prevented in an effective manner. Now that we have more information about all of this, we can take a better approach to keeping our bathrooms clean. Whether it is a residential bathroom or a commercial bathroom, there are many innovative and traditional ways to keep the area as clean as possible.
How the Pandemic Made Us Prioritize Clean Bathrooms
Unless you live alone or have a private bathroom, a bathroom will likely be used by more than one person on a regular basis. Due to this, there will be germs and bacteria on various different surfaces that should be cleaned and prevented as much as possible. The experience that many individuals went through during the pandemic made people much more aware of how these types of bacteria can be harmful. In a sense, although the pandemic was one of the most damaging events in recent years, it helped us understand how dangerous it can be if we do not prioritize cleanliness in our everyday life.
There were several guidelines recommended to the public to help limit the spread of the coronavirus. These guidelines can translate into the upkeep of your bathroom as well. Most of these guidelines included social distancing and mask wearing. Of course, you don’t need to do this in your own bathroom, but some of the other guidelines can prove to be quite helpful. For example, wiping down surfaces after every use and using top quality cleaning products are just some of the practices you should make into habits.
Wiping Down Surfaces Regularly in Your Bathroom
One of the easiest ways to keep your bathroom clean is to wipe down your bathroom’s surfaces. To remind yourself to do this, keep a microfiber cloth available in your bathroom at all times. This can be hung on a towel ring, kept in a drawer or anywhere else. As long as you have it in an accessible place, it should be a good setup for you. Every time you use a fixture, wipe it down with your microfiber cloth to dry off any water. This should be done after every use, ideally.
Along with your microfiber cloth, you should also get some high quality cleaner. This can be an all-purpose cleaner or any preferred cleaner that is recommended by specialists. You do not need to use this cleaner every day however. As long as you clean your bathroom about every week or two, you will have a pretty healthy bathroom environment.
Importance of Keeping Cleaning Supplies Available
When it comes to keeping a bathroom as clean as possible, it is incredibly important to keep your cleaning supplies available. Cleaning supplies will vary depending on the fixtures you have in your bathroom and what those fixtures are made of. Different materials will require different cleaning methods. However, most materials can be cleaned with just a few versatile cleaning supplies. No matter what cleaning supplies you use, you should keep them as accessible as possible.
Which Cleaning Supplies Should You Have?
As mentioned above, different materials will require different types of cleaning supplies. With that being said, there are several different cleaning supplies that will work on a variety of surfaces. Because many bathroom fixtures and surfaces share similar materials, you should only need a few different cleaning supplies. Many versatile cleaning supplies are available, and it is important to keep them in stock and available for you at all times. Here are some of the best cleaning supplies for a bathroom in 2021.
Microfiber Cloth
If you could only choose one cloth for cleaning a bathroom, a microfiber cloth is the obvious choice. This type of cloth is versatile, durable and can be used over and over again. A microfiber cloth is typically used to wipe down smooth surfaces in a bathroom, which covers quite a bit of area in your bathroom design. If you need to clean some rougher surfaces, a microfiber cloth may not be the optimal choice. Many different cleaning solutions can be used with a microfiber cloth as well.
All Purpose Cleaner
Just like a microfiber cloth, all purpose cleaner is probably the most versatile in its category. Unless a material in your bathroom needs to be cleaned in a specific manner, all purpose cleaner can be used in essentially any situation. There are various brands to choose from, so you have quite a selection to choose from. All purpose cleaners should be kept in every bathroom due to just how effective it can be in any given situation.
Disinfectant Wipes
If you are just trying to do a quick clean of your bathroom, disinfectant wipes can be amazing to have. Clorox is a great brand to consider, but several others are very effective as well. In general, disinfectant wipes are used to wipe down fixtures, accessories and surfaces for upkeep and a quick cleaning. Choose the wipes that you prefer and keep them accessible in order to keep your bathroom as clean as possible.
Scrub Brush
If you encounter a surface that a microfiber cloth can’t combat, a good scrub brush will be the best option. Scrub brush needs to be used for certain types of flooring, rough surfaces and other similar situations. This will be a great way to get those tough stains and grime out of your fixtures, especially in areas like the shower, bathtub, floor and sink. Scrub brushes come in a variety of versatile designs in order to accommodate essentially any situation.
High Quality Mop and Floor Cleaner
It’s not easy to get on your hands and knees to clean your floor. The inclusion of a mop and floor cleaner will make cleaning your floor much easier on your body. In addition, mops are great for quickly and effectively cleaning your floor. Although your bathroom floor does not need to be cleaned every day, it is still incredibly important to have one handy.
Additional Cleaning Supplies to Consider
In general you want to make sure that you have all the cleaning materials you need for each area of your bathroom. Natural cleaning solutions can be made with water, lemon juice or vinegar to get some tough spots out. Bleach is another great cleaning product to keep handy as well. Many cleaning products are available for you to purchase or use. Due to this, cleaning a bathroom can be easy and effective, using the cleaning products that you prefer.
Limit the Amount of Moisture Accumulated
Moisture can be one of the most damaging things in your bathroom if it is not properly accounted for. A bathroom is one of the wettest areas of your home, so moisture will be quite present. It is typically created from steam, splashing and basically any fixture that uses water. If you are not careful, this moisture can build up and cause various problems that can damage or harm both your bathroom and your own health. Luckily there are several ways you can keep moisture in check without having to do much work at all.
One of the best ways to limit moisture is to wipe down your surfaces with a dry cloth. This will usually be a microfiber cloth. It only takes a few minutes, and should be done after there has been a decent amount of steam after a shower or similar situation. In addition, consider a dehumidifier or fan to get the moisture out of the air as quickly as possible. If moisture is allowed to build up, it can damage fixtures and create a place for bacteria to grow. Make sure your bathroom is free of moisture for the most part, and your bathroom area should be healthy and clean.
Automatic Fixtures and Accessories Keep the Bathroom Clean
Commonly found in commercial bathrooms, automatic fixtures and accessories are simple ways to keep people healthy and a bathroom clean. Automatic, or hands-free, fixtures and accessories are typically available in a few main products. One of the most common is the automatic soap dispenser. Bar soap is not the best option for bathrooms being used by more than one person due to the amount of people that will be touching it. Due to this, automatic soap dispensers have almost become the standard in many commercial bathroom designs.
One of the best automatic fixtures to consider is an automatic faucet. Much like an automatic soap dispenser, this is one of the best ways to promote a healthy environment. Automatic faucets and soap dispensers will activate when a sensor detects your hands in the sensor’s range. Automatic flushing toilets are also great options that are commonly found in commercial bathroom designs. Although these fixtures and accessories will generally be a bit more expensive, they are the optimal choice for keeping you and your bathroom healthy and clean.
How Often Should You Clean Your Bathroom?
When to clean a bathroom will depend on a few key factors. First of all, it will mainly depend on how often the bathroom will be used and by how many different people. Ideally, commercial bathrooms should be cleaned every day, sometimes multiple times a day. These bathrooms tend to get much dirtier, and much quicker than a typical residential bathroom. Because these bathrooms need constant attention, it is best to clean them in the morning and then at the end of the day. Of course, they should always be kept as clean as possible. This is especially important if the bathroom does not have many automatic fixtures. People will not be very clean in a bathroom that they don’t have to personally clean, so cleanliness will be very important in commercial bathroom designs.
A residential bathroom design should receive a deep cleaning at least once every 10-14 days. Ideally, a residential bathroom should be cleaned once a week. You should always be wiping down surfaces, but deep cleaning is quite important for a healthy bathroom environment. Because residential bathrooms do not see nearly as much traffic as commercial designs, cleaning them won’t be as pressing of an issue.
Areas of your Bathroom You Should Prioritize
Some areas of your bathroom will get dirtier than others, making them much more important in terms of how often they should be cleaned. This isn’t to say they are the only areas you should clean, however. Because some areas are used much more than others, they will build up bacteria and grime much faster. Here are some of the areas that you should look to first for a good cleaning.
Shower or Bathtub
Because these fixtures will be used essentially every day, they need to be cleaned regularly. In addition to that, these fixtures will absolutely see the most amount of dirt and bacteria. All of the germs and dirt accumulated on your body throughout the day will all be washed off in your shower or bathtub, making it one of the most important areas to clean.
Bathroom Sink
Another area that will become dirty quickly is your bathroom sink. A bathroom sink handles many different bathroom tasks that can make it one of the most pressing areas to clean. Shaving, makeup, brushing teeth, washing hands and many others are routines that can be done in front of your bathroom sink.
Bathroom Vanity Countertop
Your bathroom vanity countertop is much like your bathroom sink. It will see a large amount of traffic from yourself and the different accessories placed on it. Bars of soap, liquid soap, toothpaste and shaving cream are just some of the things that can make your countertop dirty. To keep the area healthy and looking clean, make sure your vanity countertop is always as clean as possible.
Bathroom Mirror
One of the most irritating things in a bathroom design is a filthy bathroom mirror. Smudges, stains and marks can make it difficult to get a high quality reflection. Mirrors can also collect moisture relatively quickly. Luckily, mirrors are very easy to clean. Just like your other bathroom fixtures, make sure your mirror is cleaned regularly for maximum efficiency.
In Conclusion
To wrap things up, a clean bathroom is a happy bathroom. Keeping your home clean is now at the forefront of a healthy lifestyle, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic began. Although the pandemic is starting to die down, it is still important to keep your home clean to prevent any bacteria buildup. Whether a bathroom is being used by one person or multiple people, cleanliness should be prioritized. Having all of the necessary cleaning materials and knowledge will help you do this quickly and efficiently.