Bathroom deep clean

What It Means

A bathroom deep clean goes past the quick wipe of the sink and toilet seat. It takes in the grout, the tub or shower, the full toilet, the floor and the fixtures. The American Cleaning Institute's (ACI) home cleaning routine sets deep cleaning of floors, grout, toilets and tubs every two weeks, with smaller jobs in between and a bigger refresh each season.

How It Sounds at Home

• "This weekend the bathroom gets the full treatment."
• "The shower curtain needs to go in the wash."
• "Whose turn is it to do the tub?"

The Breakdown

How often (American Cleaning Institute and Lysol)

A deep clean, in order (Buhata's suggested order)

1. Clear the counters, tub edge and floor.
2. Apply the tub, tile and sink cleaner so it has time to work, following the label.
3. Clean the toilet bowl, rim and outside.
4. Scrub the tub or shower, then the grout lines.
5. Clean the sink, faucet and mirror.
6. Finish with the floor.

Make it last between deep cleans. The ACI says a daily shower spray, misted on while the walls are wet and warm, keeps soap scumSoap scumThe dull, gray-white film that forms on tubs, tile and shower doors when soap reacts with the calcium in hard water. See more, mildew stainsMildewA flat, usually gray or white mold that grows on damp surfaces such as shower grout, curtains and fabric left wet. See more and hard water deposits from building up, and leaving the door or curtain open lets the walls dry.

Good to Know

Use one cleaner at a time. CDC says household bleachChlorine bleachHousehold bleach made with sodium hypochlorite that whitens, removes stains and disinfects, but can fade colors and damage some fibers. See more should never be mixed with any other cleaner or disinfectant, and some bathroom products are acids (a CDC report describes chlorine gas from bleach mixed with an acid toilet bowl cleaner) while others contain bleach, so read every label before you start. If fumes from a mix get into the air, leave for fresh air and call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222; in an emergency, call 911.

Related Terms and Categories

• Grout cleaning

  Scrubbing the lines of grout between tiles with a brush and cleaner to lift dirt, soap film and mildew stains.

• Soap scum

  The dull, gray-white film that forms on tubs, tile and shower doors when soap reacts with the calcium in hard water.

• Toilet ring

  A stained line inside a toilet bowl at the water level. A mineral ring from hard water needs an acidic cleaner, since bleach won't lift it.

• Mildew

  A flat, usually gray or white mold that grows on damp surfaces such as shower grout, curtains and fabric left wet.

Chores, cleaning and home care