How to Deep Clean Your Bathroom Like a Professional

Most people clean their bathroom regularly. Wipe the sink, scrub the toilet, maybe run a cloth around the bath. But a deep clean is a different thing altogether, and most bathrooms are well overdue one.

A proper deep clean gets into the places a regular tidy misses: the grout between tiles, the underside of the toilet rim, the sealant around the bath, the extractor fan that nobody ever thinks about. Done properly, it takes a couple of hours but the results last.

This guide walks you through exactly how our professional cleaners approach a bathroom deep clean, so you can get the same results at home.

What You Will Need

Get everything together before you start so you are not hunting around mid-clean:

• Microfibre cloths (at least three — one for the toilet, one for everything else, one for polishing)
• Toilet brush and toilet cleaner
• Limescale remover or white vinegar
• Bathroom or multi-surface spray
• Grout brush or old toothbrush
• Bicarbonate of soda
• Glass cleaner or white vinegar solution for mirrors
• Mould and mildew spray (if needed)
• Rubber gloves

Step 1: Start with the Toilet

Get this one out of the way first. Squirt toilet cleaner well up under the rim and leave it to soak while you work on other things. That soak time is doing most of the work for you.

While it soaks, spray the outside of the toilet with bathroom cleaner: the tank, the handle, the outside of the bowl, and right down to the base where it meets the floor. That junction at the bottom is one of the most overlooked spots in the whole bathroom.

Wipe everything down with your dedicated toilet cloth, working from the cleanest parts to the dirtiest. Lid first, then the seat (top and underside), then the outside of the bowl, then the base. Finish by scrubbing the bowl with the toilet brush, paying particular attention to under the rim.

Keep this cloth separate from everything else you use in the bathroom. Put it straight in the wash when you are done.

Step 2: The Shower and Bath

Spray the shower walls, tray, and bath with bathroom cleaner or a bicarbonate of soda paste and leave it to sit. If you have a shower screen, spray that too.

Limescale on Taps and Showerheads

Limescale is stubborn and spraying it once is rarely enough. Soak a cloth in white vinegar or limescale remover and wrap it around the taps and showerhead. Leave it for at least 15 minutes, ideally 30. If the showerhead is detachable, unscrew it and drop it in a bowl of white vinegar instead.

After soaking, wipe away the loosened scale with a cloth and use an old toothbrush to get into the joints and edges.

Grout and Tiles

Grout gets discoloured over time from soap, steam, and general use. A paste of bicarbonate of soda and a small amount of water, worked in with a grout brush or old toothbrush, does a good job on light discolouration. For black mould in the grout, use a dedicated mould spray and leave it for 10 minutes before scrubbing.

Wipe the tiles down with a damp cloth once the cleaner has done its job, then dry them with a clean cloth to stop water marks forming.

Bath and Shower Sealant

The silicone sealant around the bath and shower tray is a common place for black mould to take hold. Apply a mould remover gel directly to the sealant, cover it with cling film to keep it in contact with the surface, and leave for a few hours. Wipe away and the mould should lift.

If the mould has really set in and the sealant looks past saving, it is worth replacing it entirely. New sealant makes a bathroom look freshly renovated.

Step 3: The Sink and Vanity Area

Bathroom sinks build up a mix of toothpaste, soap residue, and limescale that a quick rinse does not really shift. Spray the basin with bathroom cleaner and scrub with a cloth, paying attention to the overflow hole (which gets grimy and can smell) and the area around the plug.

For the taps, use the same vinegar soak method as the shower. Wrap a cloth around them and give it time to work rather than trying to scrub limescale off dry.

Clear everything off the vanity shelf or cabinet top and wipe it down properly. Toothbrush holders, soap dishes, and any bottles that live there permanently should all be wiped down individually. Soap scum builds up underneath them and it only takes a minute to sort.

Run some hot water down the drain and add a spoonful of bicarbonate of soda followed by white vinegar to freshen it up.

Step 4: Mirrors and Glass

Bathroom mirrors get covered in toothpaste spots and water droplets that are more obvious under bathroom lighting than anywhere else in the house.

Spray with glass cleaner or a diluted white vinegar solution and wipe with a dry microfibre cloth using an S-shaped motion from top to bottom. Avoid circular motions as they tend to spread residue rather than lift it.

For shower screens, the same method works. If there is heavy limescale on the glass, apply a limescale remover, leave it for a few minutes, then wipe away and buff dry.

Step 5: Surfaces, Cabinets, and Accessories

Wipe down all surfaces including the outside of any cabinets, shelves, towel rails, and toilet roll holders. These are easy to forget but they collect dust and moisture over time.

Open cabinet doors and wipe the inside too. Bathroom cabinets tend to gather old products, empty bottles, and general clutter. Give everything a quick sort while you are at it.

If you have a heated towel rail, dry it off and wipe it down. Limescale and water marks collect on chrome surfaces just as much as on taps.

Step 6: The Extractor Fan (the One Everyone Forgets)

Extractor fans are probably the most neglected item in the bathroom. They gather dust and fluff until they stop working properly, which means more condensation, more mould, and more problems down the line.

Turn the power off at the switch before you touch it. Most extractor fan covers clip or snap off. Remove the cover and give it a wash in warm soapy water. Use a dry cloth or a soft brush to dust out the inside of the unit itself, being careful not to knock the fan blades.

Snap the cover back on once it is dry. The whole job takes about five minutes and makes a noticeable difference to how well the bathroom ventilates.

Step 7: The Floor

Always do the floor last. Everything you have cleaned above will have dripped or fallen down, and you want to pick it all up in one go.

Sweep or hoover first to get rid of any loose debris, hair, and dust. Then mop with a floor cleaner suited to your floor type. Pay extra attention to the area behind the toilet and around the base of the bath and shower tray, where moisture and grime collect.

For tiled floors, a grout brush used along the floor grout lines occasionally keeps things looking clean and hygienic. It is worth doing every few months if your bathroom gets heavy use.

Leave the floor to dry completely before putting bath mats back down. A damp mat left on the floor is a fast track to mould underneath it.

How Often Should You Deep Clean Your Bathroom?

Here is a rough guide to keep on top of things:

A Clean Bathroom Makes a Real Difference

Going through the bathroom in steps rather than just grabbing a cloth and going for it makes the whole thing feel much more manageable. Once it is done properly, keeping it clean between deep cleans takes very little effort.

That said, not everyone has a couple of hours free to dedicate to it. If your bathroom needs a proper reset, or you just want it done to a professional standard without the effort, the Servella team are here to help.