23 Apr 2025 10 Bathroom Cleaning Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make
Keep things sparkling—and sanitary—by avoiding these errors.
See the full article on Real Simple
While it’s probably not the highlight of your week, cleaning your bathroom is an essential part of home maintenance and personal hygiene. After all, it’s fair to say these are some of the dirtiest spots in most of our homes. So, it’s crucial to do things the right way. From cleaning with the wrong supplies to overlooking certain spots, here are ten common bathroom cleaning mistakes.
Cleaning With Harsh Chemicals
Many think using harsh chemicals is the only way to clean a bathroom. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth according to the founders of L’Avant Collective, Lindsay Droz and Kristi Lord. “Instead of reaching for a cleanser made with bleach, sprinkle a tablespoon or two of baking soda into your sink, tubs, shower drains, or tile, and liberally spray L’AVANT Collective’s Multipurpose Surface Cleaner until it forms a kind of paste with the baking soda. Scrub gently as you normally would, enjoying the aroma of natural scents, and watch as your sinks and drains recover their shine.”
The other problem with using harsh chemicals is that they can create long-term problems not just with your health, but also with your bathroom finishes. “Over-reliance on bleach and other harsh chemicals can degrade materials like grout and sealants over time. Milder, natural solutions like vinegar or baking soda can often do the job just as well without the damage,” explains Robin Murphy of ChirpChirp Cleaning.
Mixing Chemicals
But if you must clean with chemicals, it’s crucial not to mix multiple types according to Dr. Laura Haupert, Ph.D., the Chief Scientific Officer for OMI Industries, which is the parent company of Fresh Wave. “The mixing of harsh chemicals like bleach or ammonia to quickly eliminate odors can produce toxic fumes and irritate the respiratory system, particularly when ventilation is inadequate.”