How to actually clean: Your bathroom

When it comes to selling your home, making sure your bathroom looks its best might not be your main priority. It’s true, bathrooms are not the obvious heart of the home, nor are they the first or last thing potential buyers will see. But, they are the room where a number of impressions - conscious and unconscious - are made about the state of your home. This means they have a large influence on whether or not a buyer is willing to put in an offer.

Your house might be beautifully presented, but your bathroom will reveal tell-tale signs about whether your home has been well looked after. Common problems such as damp and mould suggest your home is hard to maintain, or poorly ventilated. And, if you have mouldy grout, or a leaking tap, a potential buyer will start to think about the costly (and potentially prohibitive) outlays of a bathroom refit, should they put in an offer.

On the other hand, buyers will be immediately attracted to new and luxurious spaces, that evoke relaxation, hygiene, and ease.

The most basic improvement you can make is to give your bathroom a really thorough clean - particularly the bits you don’t get round to often. Below we outline the most efficient ways to clean some of the more difficult and prominent elements of the bathroom. You won’t need any special cleaning products to get sparkling results.

Mirrors

It’s easy enough to forget to clean your mirrors in your bathroom, but even if they look clean, they’re likely grimier than you think. Luckily, it only takes a couple of minutes to get mirrors looking their best, and the results are worth it. The more light you’re able to reflect in mirrors, the bigger your bathroom will appear. And, if you don’t have a window in your bathroom, a mirror provides a key focal point, helping the room 'come together' aesthetically.

The key to getting a beautiful mirror is microfibre cloths. If your mirrors aren’t too dirty, simply dip a microfibre cloth in warm water and rub in even circular motions over the mirror. Rubbing in circular motions will help to avoid getting those annoying streaks when the water dries.

If you think your mirrors need a bit of a deeper clean, dilute some washing up liquid in warm water and use a sponge to wash them down. Rub dry (in circles) with a microfibre cloth.

Taps

Shiny taps in your sink or shower can quickly become dull and streaky, particularly if you live in an area with hard water. But, like cleaning your mirror, simply using a microfibre cloth and warm water can work wonders as a quick refresh before a viewing.

If you need to give your hardware a bit of a deeper clean, or you have a buildup of limescale, soak a cloth in lemon juice and place it over the affected area. If it’s the spout of the tap, attach the cloth to the end with a rubber band. Leave to soak for around an hour, then scrub off. Rinse with warm water, and rub dry with your microfibre cloth.

Remember: Lemon juice is acidic so make sure to limit contact with any stone or marble surfaces to avoid damaging them.

Grout

If you’re only able to make one improvement to your bathroom, make sure it’s giving your grout a good clean. No matter how clean you can get the rest of your bathroom, if the grout between your tiles and in the shower is discoloured, or mildewy, it’ll feel dirty. And, it’s one of the most noticeable imperfections to a potential buyer.

To make an effective grout cleaner, mix half a cup of baking soda with a quarter cup of hydrogen peroxide. Apply with a clean, stiff toothbrush and leave it to sit. After about 10 minutes, use the toothbrush to scrub the grout down then rinse off the mixture. Wipe everything down with warm water and a soft cloth.

For a more intense clean you can also try using bleach. Because grout is highly porous you must use it sparingly, or you'll end up causing damage. It’s best to dilute a small amount of bleach into warm water before you apply it. Once you’ve created this mixture, use it in the same way as the baking soda and hydrogen peroxide solution.

Remember: When using bleach, always wear gloves and avoid contact with delicate surfaces.

Shower curtains

Discoloured and mildewy shower curtains are one of the easiest buyer turn-offs to rectify. You can wash most plastic or vinyl curtains in your washing machine on a gentle cycle with your ordinary washing powder or liquid. Then just hang them back up to dry.

If all your curtains need is a quick refresh: give them a spray with a nice smelling all-purpose cleaner, leave for a minute or two, and then rinse down.

For more tips on how to prepare your home for photographs and home viewings check out our other blog posts