How to Clean 5 Really Gross Spots in Your Bathroom

If you’re one of the many who chalks up your bathroom cleaning routine to wiping down a few surfaces and vacuuming up loose hair off the ground, it’s time to look a little closer. Here are a few bathroom cleaning tips to start tackling tough surfaces.

How to Clean a Toilet Bowl

Do you find yourself missing that well-intentioned toilet bowl cleaning regularly? You’re not alone. Because toilets constantly hold standing water, hard water stains are common and can be difficult to remove—thus making it easier just to avoid the problem.

Try this: Swish a cup of vinegar around in the toilet bowl using a toilet brush, then add a cup of baking soda, followed by an additional cup of vinegar. Let the fizzing solution sit for 10 minutes. Use a toilet brush to scrub stains. Let mixture sit for a few more minutes and then flush.

How to Clean a Shower Curtain

No, shower curtains aren’t that expensive, but that doesn’t mean you should discard them as soon as they get a little dirty—even if you spot a bit of mildew or mold. Good news: Washing shower curtains is a thing—and it’s super easy.

Try this: Take the curtain and liner off of the rings and toss them in the washing machine. Add in a regular dose of detergent and a ½ cup of baking soda—plus a few towels for extra scrubbing power. Wash at a high speed with warm water and add a ½ cup of distilled white vinegar during the rinse cycle.

Plastic curtains are done after rinsing, but fabric curtains should go through the spin cycle, too. Once the cycle is complete, hang the curtain and liner back up. Don’t worry about putting them in the dryer.

How to Clean the Bathroom Sink

From toothpaste and soap, to makeup and loose hair, your sink catches a lot of gunk.

Try this: Sprinkle the basin with baking soda, work it into a paste, then rinse it off. Next, line the sink with white vinegar-soaked paper towels. Let them sit for 20 minutes, and then toss the towels. Finally, rinse the sink out with warm soapy water.

How to Clean Shower Caddies

Containers that hold shampoos, conditioners, soaps and more are caked with product buildup—not to mention they’re prone to mold because of the moist environment.

Try this: Toss them in the dishwasher, or wash them by hand with hot soapy water.

How to Clean a Loofah

Just because your loofah is often super soapy doesn’t mean it’s clean. In fact, it’s likely home to a lot of bacteria.

Try this: Either toss the wet loofah in the microwave for 20 seconds, send it through the washing machine with a load of laundry (but not the dryer!), or place it on the top rack of the dishwasher. The choice is yours.