Spring Cleaning: The Bathroom

In the third part of our series on Spring cleaning (click here to find our top tips on cleaning the kitchen and bedroom), it’s time to tackle the bathroom. This is one room in the Fresh Design house that works hard over the winter, as we soak in the bath on cold dark evenings, so it’s ready for a little TLC.

The bath

If your bath is looking a little tired and grey, this non-toxic scouring powder will soon have it sparkling again. It’s safe to use on plastic, ceramic and enameled surfaces, and will also work on sinks and shower trays.

Mix a standard 170g tub of baking powder with enough warm water to form a stiff paste, and add one or two drops of essential oil such as lavender, clementine or peppermint.

Apply to the stain with a soft cloth, and rub gently. Wipe away the residue, and rinse with plenty of warm water.

The shower

Mildew loves warm, damp environments like bathrooms, and at the end of the winter, when it’s been too cold to keep the windows open for long, there’s a good chance you might have some mould on grout or shower seals. The best non-toxic way to remove mildew is with a microfibre cloth and some good old fashioned elbow grease.

Rinse the areas with warm water, then scrub with the cloth. If the mildew is advanced, tougher methods may be called for. Make up a solution with three parts water to one part bleach, and apply to the affected areas with a cloth. Leave for up to 10 minutes, then scrub and rinse.

An old toothbrush is useful for getting into the angle between wall and tray, and also for cleaning between tiles. To prevent future build ups of mildew, ever time you shower, wipe the tiles down afterwards with a window cleaning squeegee – the drier the environment, the less chance of mould.

Organise

As bathrooms are normally short on space, create as much storage as possible by using the walls. Add a bathroom cabinet, shelves or wall-mounted baskets to keep towels and toiletries tidy, and the bathroom will also be much easier to clean.

If you’re really short on space, add a shelf over the door to keep stocks of shampoo and loo rolls out of the way. Add hooks to the back of the door to hold towels in use, and use pretty linen bags to keep odds and ends out of the way.

Here are a few of our favourite ideas to keep your bathroom looking bright and fresh.

Wash Bag, Blodwen

From Blodwen in Cardigan Bay, Wales, comes this sturdy retro ticking wash bag. Great for travelling, but also brilliant for keeping all those little bathroom bits and pieces tidily out of the way. Hang on the back of the bathroom door, or on a hook under the sink for easy access. Priced at £12.50, available from nook.

Wave shower curtain, Nord Copenhagen

If your old shower curtain is too badly mildewed to restore, think about replacing it with a statement curtain such as this dramatic design by Nord Copenhagen, printed with the digital image of a wave. £55, available from Skandivis.

Beach hut hooks, Coastal Home

These cute beach hut hooks are a must for any seaside-themed bathroom, and are perfect for tidying up towels, dressing gowns and washbags. £11.95 for a set of three, available from Coastal Home.

Towel rail, Rode Bath

Keep wet towels off the floor and dry ones ready to hand with this stylish towel rail from Danish company Rode Bath. Made from stainless steel and composite marble, it’s sleek, efficient and functional and will complement any style of bathroom. £69, available from Black by Design.

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