How to Clean a Bathroom in 15 Minutes

Bathrooms need to be cleaned often—unlike other rooms in your home, they cannot just be “picked up” and still be considered clean. This 15-minute bathroom cleanup list allows you to maintain the cleanliness of the bathroom without spending hours scrubbing and disinfecting. This guide can help you to teach your children the steps required to keep a bathroom clean without laboring all day.

What You Need

• Basket, bag, or box to contain clutter
• Broom and mop
• Hamper
• Trash container
• Disinfectant wipes
• Glass cleaner and rag
• Toilet brush
• Toilet cleaner

1. Gather all the necessary supplies. Having the supplies all together at the beginning of the job is essential to avoiding distractions. Running downstairs to grab the broom might make you wonder if the mail has come yet, and when you check the mail, you might decide to file some of it. A letter might remind you to call a family member. Before you know it, the bathroom is the last thing on your mind. Stay focused on one specific task at a time.

2. Pick up all of the dirty clothes, and put them inside a hamper. Don't interrupt your clothes-gathering mission by throwing away trash or putting away bottles of shampoo. Don't bother trying to turn socks right side out or unfold pant legs. Just throw it all in the hamper or basket.

3. Toss all of the trash into the trash can. Get everything off the floor, including little bits of toilet paper, tossed-away strands of floss, and random hairballs.

4. Pick up all the items that belong in another room. Put them in a basket, box, or bag and set them outside the bathroom for dispersal throughout the house.

5. Return items that belong in the bathroom to their proper places. Don't take time to reorganize the medicine or linen cabinets. Just place the items back where they belong. Leave organizing for when you have more time.

6. Use a disinfectant wipe to wipe down the sink, including the faucet and tub area. The goal here is to get the sink and tub presentable. Wear disposable gloves to protect your skin and help you clean without worrying about what you touch.

7. Using a disinfectant wipe or spray, wipe down the outside of the toilet. Quickly wipe down any visible dirt or grime, leaving the real scrubbing of the inside of the toilet for when you're not limited in time.

8. Using glass cleaner or vinegar, wipe down the mirror. Guests will probably spend the most time examining themselves in your mirror. They will inevitably notice dinginess and streaks.

9. Briefly sweep the floor, focusing mostly on the main traffic area. If you have a Swiffer, ReadyMop, or something similar, it can take just a few seconds to mop.