Cleaning the bathroom:

Now for cleaning the bathroom…

Take your curtains down and put them in the wash or air out before you start.  They will be done before you are finished so that way you can take them from the dryer and hang them up as you finish this space. While the curtains are down, clean the windows with window cleaner and a lint free cloth. Check for drafts while you are cleaning. If you feel a draft, caulk the windows to save on heating and cooling bills. Wash all the woodwork around the window with a solution of Murphy’s Oil Soap and water (1/2 c oil soap to 1/2 gallon of water).

The Shower:

Hint: while cleaning the shower you can deep condition your hair.  If you have a shower and liner, wash them as well.  Examine it carefully and determine if it needs to be replaced.   Shop for sales and choose a shower curtain that is good quality and give a look of elegance to your bathroom. Choose a coordinating shower curtain to match the rest of your bathroom linens for a unified look. (While the shower curtain is washing either by hand or in a machine, spray the shower tile or enclosure with bathroom cleaner.  The more cleaning power that the cleaner has, the less you will have to scrub. Consider this when buying bathroom cleaning.  A cleaner that kills germs is a must as well as a cleaner that also cleans grout.  You want your bathroom to look and feel clean. Scrub the walls, floor and fixtures. To reduce the mineral build up on your shower head, pour some white vinegar into a plastic bag. Using duct tape, tape the bag over the shower head so that the vinegar completely covers the shower head. Let sit for 30 minutes while you continue cleaning. Then remove the plastic bag and rinse the shower head by using a spray bottle with just water.

Toilets:

Next, clean toilets both inside and out and then spray with disinfectant spray.  Be sure to clean well around the base of the toilet and bleach if stained. Hard water rings can be cleaned with a soft pumice stone (just be careful not to scrub too hard and scratch the porcelain).  If you like your toilet water blue, then keep a couple of products of your choice available so that you can add when needed.  Also, you can clean the inside of the tank by dropping in a couple of denture cleaning tablets.  Once dissolved, flush.  You can do this a couple of times a year and keep the inside of your take smelling fresh and looking clean. To save money on water bills, put a container filled with water inside of the toilet tank. I find that rectangular shaped bottles work best (Oceanspray Cranberry Juice bottles are perfect). This will reduce the amount of water that your tank uses to refill and this reduces your water consumption and bills.

Sinks:

Clean the sinks and fixtures well and clean the grout as needed.  Use that old toothbrush for hard to reach places and make sure to get the handles as well. Clean particularly well around the faucets as this accumulates the most dirt.  Use a disinfectant cleaner and rinse well.  Also, wipe all flat surfaces with either disinfectant or glass cleaner to give your bathroom that clean shine. Place a pretty soap dispenser and a hand towel next to the sink. These small towels take less energy to wash and dry thereby saving you money. Also, you may want to put hand  sanitizer next to the sink to reduce germs and avoid illnesses spreading.  The outside of cabinets should be cleaned with either cleaner or wood polish and the mirrors and glass surfaces should be cleaned with glass cleaner. No streaks please!!! Hint: the first and last sheets on a paper towel roll tend to leave streaks. Avoid using these on glass and mirrors if you are using paper towels. You may want to consider purchasing some white kitchen towels (the barkeeper type). These are lint free and don’t leave streaks. They can be washed and reused instead of using paper towels. This demonstrates good stewardship for the planet.

Cabinets:

Now we are going to clean the cabinets in our bathroom. Begin by removing everything from the cabinets. We will organize these in another section of Thematic Organizing. For now just remove them to clean the inside and outside of the cabinets. You may want to line the drawers with drawer liner or I find vinyl wall paper works well. It resists water and is easy to clean. Just cut the paper to fit the drawers and shelves. You don’t have to use the adhesive, just lay it on the bottom and the items you put in the drawers will help to keep it in place. If you want to make it more permanent, moisten the back of the paper and line the drawers and shelves neatly. Replace all the items in the cabinets and drawers utilizing baskets or other small containers to organize your things and beautify your space (see Medications and Toiletries for more detailed information regarding how to organize these items).

Don’t forget about the lighting fixtures and just for the sake of being thorough, wipe the light bulbs lightly when they are turned off.  Area rugs need to be washed as well as decorative towels. The use of fabric softener can help to freshen these and keep them soft and pleasant to use.  Clean your floor according to the specific material that they are made from. Wood floors can be washed with an oil soap or wood floor cleaner.  Tile and linoleum need to be cared for according to the manufactures instructions.  Watch out for the corners!! Lots of dirt and hair accumulate here.  While you’re cleaning, don’t forget the baseboards and doors. Wash these well with the Murphy’s Oil Soap and water mixture. Pay particular attention to the tops of the door jambs. These collect much dust. As we strive to remove the most dust and dirt from our homes, these areas need attention.  The wood work needs to be cleaned periodically.  Again, depending on the material, the cleaning agent needs to be safe for that specific material.

Adorn your bathroom as if it was in a resort.  This is good therapy for you as you go about your daily routine and hopefully as you pamper yourself.  Use decorative items from about the house,  to store ear swabs, cotton balls, band-aids, and facial sponges in.  Keep all the items that you use for manicures and pedicures in a basket or container for you to grab and have all the items that you need to sit and relax while pampering your self.  Hair accessories and brushes should all be kept in the same place so that you always know where they are and you can quickly assess items that are running low and need to be purchased. Speaking of hair brushes and combs, these too need to be cleaned.  Wash them in warm soapy water and rinse well.  You can either let them air dry or use a blow dryer on a low setting to dry the bristles.  Keep razors and sharp objects in a container so that you can avoid injury when reaching for something.  Remember, you want your bathroom to be a comforting place. It should be easy to clean and disinfected frequently.

Other ideas for this space are:

• If you prefer, you may consider lining the shelves of your cabinets and drawers to help give your bathroom a more intimate feel.
• Decorate with simplicity so that this space remains easy to clean and functional.
• Clutter can be dangerous in a bathroom
• Linen napkins found a garage or estate sales make great hand towels.  Wash, starch and iron them and they really give your bathroom a luxurious feel.  For guests, a basket of linen hand towels is a wonderful touch and you can even monogram them to add a touch of elegance.  A small basket in the bathroom for soiled linens is also helpful and will make your guests feel indulged.  You can also have small plaques engraved to identify the baskets such as “Guest Linens” and “Soiled Linens”  Of course, using them for yourself is definitely encouraged.  For storage, these items can be tied in a pretty ribbon and left in the basket until needed.  Then they are ready to go at a moments notice and you will feel prepared for guests anytime.  For further embellishment, use a pretty pin or broach that you probably don’t wear to pin to the top of the ribbon which holds the linens together.  You can also wrap individual linens and top the knot with a pretty button. Antique or vintage buttons make perfect embellishments.  Finally, you may want to add a pretty soap to the basket.  This will help to scent the linens as well as provide a pretty soap for your  guests to use when they freshen up.  Replace after use.

Children’s bathrooms:

It is particularly important to make sure that your child’s bathroom is safe, clean and fun.  This will help to encourage good hygiene habits as your child grows.

Medications:  Make sure you have checked your child’s medications and have written them on the medications list.  Take this list with you each time you visit your child’s physician.  The doctor needs to check the dosage regularly due to growth in your child.  Also, it is very important that you check the expiration dates and write down any medications which the prescription is about to expire.  That way you can contact the physician to get refills.  It is very important to always make sure that the medication that you give your child is effective.  Expiration dates do sneak up on you and it s critical that you only give your child medications that they are currently prescribed.

Helpful hints: 

Make sure that there is a towel hanger low enough for your child to reach and encourage him or her to hang up their towel after use.  Your child can begin to learn responsibility for taking care of their home and making things kid friendly for them to help encourages their participation.  Bacterial wipes can be used by older children to clean up after themselves.  Help children to remember to clean up their dirty clothes and hang up towels.  It is good for your children to learn to help as it facilitates their appreciation of your hard work and it also helps them to develop skills to take care of their own homes one day.

Toys:  Put toys in a bin that can drain by its self.  During bath time, these can be taken out and played with.  When bath time is over, the children can put all the toys back in the bin and let itdrain with the water.  When you are cleaning the bathroom during your cleaning routine, the toys can be sprayed with disinfectant and rinsed and dried right in the same bin.  Once in a while, check the toys and discard any broken toys.  Broken toys are frustrating to children just as broken electronics are frustrating to you.  To make bath time fun, you can put bubble bath, in the water for bubble play and use shaving cream on the walls of the bath enclosure for drawing pictures.  I would advise to clean it off right after bath time as to not contribute to soapy residue.

Making your child feel special is another important thing that you can do and a great way to use some accumulated items.  During bath time, treat your child to a beverage in the tub in a special cup or glass with supervision of course.  If you are in constant attendance, a lighted candle in a darkened room during bath time can soothe and relax your child just as it does for you.  DO NOT LEAVE YOUR YOUNG CHILD UNATTENDED OR LEAVE GLASS OR CANDLES IN THE BATHROOM WHEN YOU ARE NOT THERE.  USE GOOD COMMON SENSE.

Finally, body powder or lotion can help to prepare your child for a good night’s sleep by soothing the skin.  For very young children, the art of massaging your child not only relaxes them but may have very positive health benefits as well.  It also gives you some very quality contact time with your child.

Hopefully, these suggestions will get you started on organizing one of the most important rooms of your home.  Remember to write your prescriptions down and make atleast 4-5 copies.  You may want to laminate the one for posting in the bathroom.  Also, write all the items that you either need or want for your personal in home spa (another word for clean, organized and embellished bathroom).  Pamper yourself as you go through this book because it is all about your feeling better both physically and mentally for taking charge of your life and for beginning the path toward a more organized, harmonious and productive living.

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