Bathroom Cleaning Checklist

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Bathrooms require less frequent cleaning when they receive a thorough cleaning. To save you time and give you extra-shiny bathrooms to be proud of, Molly Maid presents this guide, complete with a downloadable bathroom cleaning checklist PDF with a list of supplies, detailed instructions, and professional inside advice about how to get the job done right, every time.

Molly Maid’s bathroom cleaning checklist also helps you clean in the most practical order; there’s, after all, a technique to cleaning a bathroom well. This guide will help you turn your bathrooms from grimy to glorious.

Bathroom Cleaning Supplies

It’s time to stop rummaging around the house for the rags, glass cleaner and tub scrub every time the bathroom needs to be cleaned. Purchase a tote or bucket to store your bathroom cleaning supplies for added efficiency. Here’s what you need:

  • Toilet brush and bowl cleaner
  • Spray bottle with tub and tile cleaner
  • Cleaning products
    • All-purpose cleaning spray
    • Glass cleaner
  • Clean rags or paper towels
  • Sponge
  • Broom/dustpan
  • Rubber gloves
  • Stiff brush
  • Microfiber cloth
  • Vacuum
  • Steam or microfiber mop

The Bathroom Cleaning Checklist: A Step-by-Step Guide

Follow these steps to clean your bathroom and download our bathroom cleaning checklist PDF (325kb) for more detailed explanations of every step.

  1. Remove excess items – Make yourself some space to clean.
  2. Spray cleaner – Apply your preferred cleaning product to areas that need to be cleaned. Let it soak in while you clean other areas.
  3. Fill the sink – Fill with warm water and your preferred cleaning product or soap. If the sink is really dirty, give it a quick rinse so you don’t contaminate your cleaning water. This will serve as your “bucket,” which you’ll use to rinse rags and sponges while you clean.
  4. Wipe – Use a rag or sponge to work from ceiling to floor, wiping down all surfaces in the bathroom (except the mirror and toilet). Frequently rinse your rag or sponge. Spray cleaning solution on areas that need to be disinfected.
  5. Scrub – Return to areas that you previously sprayed and use a sponge or a stiff brush to remove soap scum and mildew. Rinse with clean water or rinse your sponge in the sink as you scrub.
  6. Floor – Vacuum the floor and bathmats. Use a steam mop or microfiber mop with disinfectant to finish.
  7. Shine – It’s the details that make a difference. Finish up with a dry rag; buff and shine everything! Use glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth or crumpled newspaper to clean the mirror.
  8. Finish – Drain the sink and rinse it with fresh water. Wipe up any water that may have splashed on your clean countertop and faucet.

A general tip to keep in mind during every step is to work your way from the top down – that is, dust the light fixtures and wipe down the countertops before cleaning the floor. This way, any dust or debris that falls will be cleaned up as you work your way down. The only exception to this guideline is the sink, which you should save for last.

Customize to Suit Your Needs

As you follow our bathroom cleaning instructions, feel free to add anything your bathroom may require specifically. Maybe you have a steam room that needs to be sanitized or a glass shower door covered in hard-water spots. Customize your cleaning plan by adding specific needs to the checklist.

The best part? Once your list is perfected, you can hand it off to the kids, and they’ll have no more excuses for missing the toilet. Use a different color of marker for each child to divvy up the list.

Bathroom Cleaning Hacks

We wouldn’t be the best cleaning service in the industry without a few tricks up our sleeve:

  • Use Rain-X (usually for windshields) to keep glass shower doors cleaner, longer.
  • Toss a few extra trash bag liners in the bottom of the wastebasket when replacing the liner.
  • Use a rag with an abrasive oxalic acid cleaner to buff hard-water spots on shower door glass.
  • Let cleaning products soak in while you do another task.
  • Remove dust from vent fan grilles with a vacuum that has a brush attachment, or use a can of compressed air.
  • Make a paste with baking soda and water for an all-purpose scrub that’s great for grout or tub stains.
  • Run your toothbrush holder and soap holder through the dishwasher.
  • Soak a showerhead in vinegar to remove hard-water deposits and limescale.
  • Keep bathrooms cleaner, longer by keeping disinfectant wipes below the sink. Use them to wipe down surfaces between cleanings.

Graphic showing a list of Molly Maid's bathroom cleaning hacks.

Professional Cleaning Services When You Need It

Finding time to clean the bathroom is difficult in our modern lives. If you’re too busy to clean the bathroom as often as you’d like or would rather spend your free time with friends or family, Molly Maid can help. We offer one-time, occasional, or recurring cleaning services for any budget.

Find the Molly Maid location nearest you and request a free estimate today!


*This checklist is provided to help DIYers clean their own homes. It is not intended to reflect the steps taken by Molly Maid’s professional cleaning teams. Each franchise independently owned and operated. Services may vary by location.

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