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    Home » Easy DIY » Cleaning & Organizing

    October 14, 2015 | By Jami

    'Secret' Green Cleaning Tips for Bathrooms

    Cleaning tips for bathrooms that don't require you to make your own products to be "green," keeping clean while saving money, time, and the environment.

    Using these cleaning tips for your bathroom with microfiber cloths is easy, green, and saves money

    This post is sponsored by The Home Depot. All opinions and text, as always, are mine.

    I don't talk a ton about cleaning here on AOC because, let's be honest - given the choice to write about makeovers, remodeling, gardening, or food & recipes, not many would choose cleaning, right? But we all need to do it (life is just better in a clean house) and through the years I've been asked by readers about how I clean a lot because of our as-natural-as-possible, organic mindset.

    And while I've written about how our weekly family cleaning night saved my sanity, how to make DIY foaming soap, and my favorite toilet bowl cleaner, I've never shared a few of my favorite cleaning secrets - until now.

    Cleaning tips for bathrooms-HDX Cleaning Supplies

    What made me think about sharing these now (other than thinking "I need to share this with my readers" when I'm actually cleaning...)? The Home Depot contacted me about the possibility of writing about their exclusive HDX line of cleaning products and when I looked at the list of products to see if it was a good fit (I'm serious about always being useful for you guys!), I could see right away that it would be the perfect time to spill my cleaning tips for bathrooms that are easy, green, and inexpensive.

    Not only does the HDX cleaning line (which includes a LOT more than pictured here) carry the things I use all the time (microfiber cloths, brushes, etc.), it had a couple other supplies that have rounded out my out-of-the-box bathroom cleaning bucket, like the Easy Erasers and the microfiber duster, which you don't typically think of for bathroom cleaning. I was happily surprised to see the prices range between $1.00 to $9.98. See that super-useful hand-held duster above? That's only $2.98 - and it's become my new favorite tool!

    Okay, so that's where you can find some quality, inexpensive cleaning supplies - now on to the tips!

    1. The first thing I try to do in every aspect of our household cleaning, for both the environment and our pocketbook, is to limit disposable materials. My cleaning supplies never include paper towels, throw-away wipes, or one-use mops. Brushes, sponges, and cloths that can be used again and again make up the bulk of my supplies. And this is where I sing the praises of microfiber cloths - they soak up a ton of water, shine chrome, and leave surfaces streak-free, much more than cotton rags (though they have their place in my cleaning arsenal, too).

    Cleaning tips for bathrooms-Keep your shower clean with an easy daily wipe-down with a microfiber cloth

    2. The clean(er) shower secret: keep a microfiber cloth in your shower and wipe down the walls and handle after every use. This is what finally kept our fiberglass, faux-tile (i.e., full of grooves, nooks & crannies) shower stall clean - seriously! I do a full cleaning during our weekly cleaning nights, but it would get so bad between cleanings that it took forever to clean on those nights. So I dreaded it.

    A squeegee didn't work with all the 'tile' indentations, but when Brian and I committed to wiping down the walls after showering, it not only helped with soap scum and that 'pink' mildew in the crevices, it made the weekly deep cleaning go a lot faster, since there was less to scrub. If you were to do one thing from this list, this is the one I think will make the most difference!

    A squeegee works to clean smooth shower walls

    Our other bath does have smooth faux marble walls (we're into the fake around here it seems...), and using a squeegee after showering really does help reduce the soap scum that needs to be cleaned weekly. If your shower stall isn't full of nooks and crannies like our master bath, this can take the place of a cloth. Now if I can just get the kids to do it regularly...

    One question I get asked quite a bit by readers is about what cleaning solutions I use, specifically what I use on mirrors and interior windows. So here's my other secret - nothing but water:

    Microfiber-Mirror Cleaning Secret

    3. Use only water & a microfiber cloth to clean mirrors, streak-free. I haven't bought or made glass cleaner in years - and that includes vinegar and anything other than plain old water! That saves both money and time. It's simple to do: lightly wet a corner of the towel and use that to clean the mirror of any spots, then use the rest of the dry towel to wipe it clean. It will be streak-free and perfect!

    The microfiber cloth - with no other cleaning solutions - also shines up chrome and wipes surfaces clean.

    Cleaning bathroom surfaces with a microfiber duster

    4. Use a microfiber duster to keep bathroom woodwork clean. We've remodeled our bathrooms to include beadboard wainscoting, white window moldings and a French door, among other things. Using the duster weekly on these surfaces - and the light fixtures - keeps the dust and dirt at bay. It's not normally what you think of to include in your bathroom supplies, but a hand-held duster may just become your favorite new tool, too.

    Use a foam eraser to clean bathroom woodwork

    5. Use a sponge eraser for fingerprints and dirt. The other tool I keep in each bathroom is a foam eraser to clean door moldings, light switches, and our other white painted surfaces. It easily removes the fingerprints you find in these areas - simply wet part of the eraser and wipe down. Voila, clean!

    Cleaning white vanity with Easy Eraser

    As you can see, we have a lot of painted surfaces to keep clean! Microfiber cloths, dusters, and foam erasers - along with just water - are some of my bathroom cleaning 'secrets' that help me to reuse, limit disposables and save both time and money.

    So tell me, how secret are these - do you regularly use any of these tips, too?

    Disclosure: I received product and/or compensation for this post. As always, the opinions, thoughts, and projects are all mine and I will never promote something I don't love and think you will find helpful - promise! For more info, you can read our entire disclosure page here.

    About Jami

    Since 2009 Jami Boys has been helping readers live a simple homemade life through whole food recipes, doable gardening, and easy DIY projects on An Oregon Cottage. From baking bread, to creating a floor from paper, to growing and preserving food, Jami shares the easiest ways to get things done. She's been featured in Cottages and Bungalows, Old House Journal, and First for Women magazines as well as numerous sites like Good Housekeeping, Huffington Post, and Apartment Therapy.

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    1. Traci Stevenson says

      November 17, 2015 at 1:43 am

      Hi, Jami! Thanks for the cleaning bathroom tips. I think your suggestion are really clever, especially the one to keep a microfiber cloth and to wipe down the bathroom after usage. Best regards

      Reply
    2. Dee says

      October 16, 2015 at 11:28 am

      Yep! I've gone green and less disposable wastes in my house too! The first thing I noticed when using my newly found microfiber cloth was how wonderfully it cleaned without anything but water. Amazing! The eraser has been one of my favorites as well, even though you do have to throw those away after a while. They magically make smudge marks and other types of grime disappear!

      Reply
      • Jami says

        October 16, 2015 at 12:38 pm

        I didn't think I could be the only one to figure out the water-microfiber connection, Dee - good to know I'm not alone. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Teri says

      October 15, 2015 at 6:21 pm

      I love using microfiber cloths as well! I use Norwex products which I find to be way superior to the hardware store cloths. They are well worth the price& you can even earn for free if you host an inhome demo. Also, their "magic erasers" do not contain formeldahyde or other nasty chemicals! I love all of Norwex's products & can't say enough good about them so check them out & give them a try for yourself! Oh, they also carry great polishing cloths that work great along with the microfiber & also one specifically for stainless that is amazing!

      Reply
      • Jami says

        October 16, 2015 at 9:17 am

        Thanks for those ideas, Teri, I'll keep them in mind!

        Reply
    4. sunny says

      October 15, 2015 at 10:46 am

      Great post, but I have a silly question: how do you clean your microfiber cloths? I seem to remember something about not throwing them in the wash....
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Jami says

        October 15, 2015 at 11:06 am

        I wash them regularly, Sunny, and they still work fine for me. I have noticed that some types after a few years seem to get "heavy" - not sure how to explain it - they don't seem to soak as much water as before. So then they become rags for outdoors or other things. 🙂

        Reply
        • sunny says

          October 15, 2015 at 1:53 pm

          Thank you! 🙂

          Reply
    5. Carol says

      October 14, 2015 at 10:38 pm

      Guess there is always ONE in a crowd: the pessimist: (Sorry)

      Just FYI: magic erasers have as an ingredient, melamine/formaldehyde. EWG reports this ingredient has a rating of “C”,:
      Search Results:3 Results - Page 1 of 1
      FORMALDEHYDE/MELAMINE/TOSYLAMIDE COPOLYMER Substance
      C
      BENZOGUANAMINE/FORMALDEHYDE/MELAMINE CROSSPOLYMER Substance
      C
      OXYMETHYLENE/MELAMINE COPOLYMER Substance
      C
      There is little to NO data on this, although the manufacturers of magic erasers claim they are safe.
      Unfortunately, I do NOT take manufacturers word for it. They have a very clear monetary interest, and can not be trusted to give all relevant information.
      I’m not sure that using something that will create dust from use and breathing in that melamine/formaldehyde dust is safe, particularly by children.
      Some things are just not worth the great ‘cleaning’ abilities, in my opinion.

      Reply
    6. Cori says

      October 14, 2015 at 7:00 pm

      Did not know Home Depo had a cleaning line.

      Reply
      • Jami says

        October 14, 2015 at 8:22 pm

        Me either, Cori! I was pleasantly surprised. 🙂

        Reply
    7. Lori says

      October 14, 2015 at 6:55 pm

      How do you deep clean your shower? I've let mine go a bit too long and now it seems the icky stuff won't come up.

      Reply
      • Jami says

        October 14, 2015 at 8:21 pm

        Well, I'm not sure it's 'deep' cleaning, but the weekly cleaning I do with a combo of a Bon Ami scouring powder and 7th Generation tub and tile cleaner. I scrub the floor and in between the fake grout lines with this. The rough fiberglass shower floor does have some stains (not dirt) that I need to get out and I'm going to look into that and if I find something that works, I'll share it. 🙂

        Reply
        • Anna says

          November 14, 2015 at 9:59 am

          Try EdFred shower stall and tile cleaner. I thought I was going to have to replace the fiberglass shower floor in my new home and came across this product on a web search for something I hadn't already tried. I use it with foam erasers though would probably work with microfiber cloths as well. Unfortunately I can't find this locally so have to order online - edfredcorp.com

          Reply
          • Jami says

            November 14, 2015 at 11:13 am

            Wow, thanks so much for that tip, Anna! I'll definitely check it out. 🙂

            Reply
    8. Mary Stewart says

      October 14, 2015 at 12:32 pm

      WOW! I was waiting for my husband to finish a phone call and decided to check my emails before we headed out to Home Depot. I've never tried magic erasers or microfiber cloths but after reading your review I think I will give both a try. I also need a new duster. My old one seems to have run away from home just after my hubby helped me clean recently. He swears he put it back where he got it from...but what can I say, at least he helped! I really enjoy reading your blog and your content is a really good fit for my lifestyle. Thanks for the great tips and the heads up on this new line of Home Depot products!

      Reply
      • Jami says

        October 14, 2015 at 12:39 pm

        How perfect, Mary - I'm SO glad that worked out for you that way!! I hope you like cleaning with these like I do - as much as anyone can like cleaning, that is. 🙂

        Reply

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