Cleaning the Bathroom: Day 45

Scripture Memory: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

Today’s Scripture memory calls us to humble ourselves. If any task in the home calls for us as wives and mothers to humble ourselves, it is cleaning the bathroom. The bathroom is one of the dirtiest rooms in the house and the tasks are not very pleasant.

Your bathroom should be one of the cleanest rooms in your house. It is typically a small space. And remember - the bathroom is the only room where guests go alone with time to sit and just look around… at the corners, around the bathtub, etc. Everyone will know your standard for clean by looking at your bathroom.

Make the bathroom part of your morning routine. Wipe down sinks after making the beds. Rinse the bathtubs after each bath has been taken, and so on. Then on a regular basis, make cleaning the bathroom part of your schedule with the following tasks…

Care for the Bathroom: Monthly:
1. Clean under the sink.
2. Clean out medicine cabinet.
3. Throw out old medications and old make up.
4. Take inventory of toilet paper, paper towels, soaps, shampoos, etc. Add those items that need replenishing to your shopping list. Purchase items when on sale and stock up.

Care for the Bathroom: Weekly:
1. Use a small hand held whisk broom or brush and sweep the floor, dusting the baseboards as you go.
2. Fill a bucket with warm or hot water and add a disinfectant to the water.
3. Add a disinfectant to the toilet bowl. Swish it around with the toilet bowl brush and allow to soak while you clean the rest of the bathroom.
4. Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands.
5. Use separate cloths or sponges for cleaning the toilet and sink and floor.
6. Begin by cleaning the sink and cabinets. Use a mild detergent or abrasive for cleaning inside the sink, around the fixtures, the cabinets, and the walls around the sink.
7. Rinse and clean soap dish. Wipe off the light switch.
8. Dust vanity light bulbs.
9. Clean mirrors.
10. Sprinkle a mild abrasive or spray your preferred bath tub cleaner into the bath/ shower. Use a sponge to scrub away soap scum build up and water marks. Doing this weekly instead of once the tub is gross will reduce the effort! Liquid bleach gets rid of mildew. Rinse tub well.
11. Saturate a sponge in the bucket of water. Squeeze excess moisture out and begin scrubbing the baseboards. Because of the moisture in the bathroom, dust tends to dry and stick to the baseboards causing them to look dingy and unattractive. Move around the room, rinsing your sponge as needed. Dust window sills, cobwebs, top of door molding, and top of shower.
12. Saturate a sponge in the bucket of water. Squeeze excess moisture out and clean around top of toilet, working your way down the sides of the toilet. Rinse sponge as needed.
13. Using a sponge and a product such as Mop and Glo, scrub floor until it sparkles. Begin mopping in the corner of bathroom and work your way out of the room. Leave the room and make sure no one goes in until the floor is dry - about 20 minutes. You can place a fan on the floor to speed this drying time.
14. Pour dirty water outside or down the toilet. Disinfect sponges or cloths in a bucket of fresh water and bleach. 1/2 cup of bleach per gallon of water. Soak them for at least five minutes. Rinse well and air dry.

Care for the Bathroom: Daily:
1. Rinse tub after bathing.
** Optional: Spray a Daily Shower Spray formula in the shower to help prevent soap scum build up. **
2. Wipe down sink, faucets, with a fresh cloth.
3. Wipe down toilet seat with another fresh cloth.
4. Clean mirror after everyone has brushed their teeth.
5. Hang fresh hand towels.
6. Spray air freshener and leave the room.

By cleaning the bathroom on a regular basis, you will find that the task only takes minutes each day and hardly more on your weekly cleaning day. If you have not already, add this task to your daily schedule and determine when is the best day to do the scrubbing.

Cleaning the bathroom shouldn’t be drudgery! Smile in your heart while doing these ordinary, seemingly mundane, tasks. Let peace wash over you and feel content knowing that your family is well taken care of.


Melissa Ringstaff is the Founding Director of A Virtuous Woman, a pastor's wife, and homeschooling mom. She is the author of several titles including The Homemaker's Journal: Keeping House, If It Were Not So..., and From Chaos to Calm: 15 Weeks to a Happy Home.