Bathroom deep clean checklist
Two problems drive most of this: limescale from hard water, and damp from a room that's wet more than it's dry. Everything here is aimed at one or the other.
18 items
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
The items
- Everything cleared off surfaces and out of the shower
- Toilet cleaned inside and out, including the base
- Under the rim, where limescale builds unseen
- Base and floor around it
- Limescale removed from taps and shower headSoak with limescale remover rather than scrubbing dry — it does most of the work if you leave it long enough.
- Grout scrubbedA grout brush and a proper limescale product get through where a cloth just moves the dirt around.
- Shower screen or curtain descaled
- Extractor fan grille cleaned or replacedA dusty fan moves far less air, and a bathroom that can't clear its own steam is a bathroom that grows mould.
- Sealant around the bath or shower checked for mouldCleaned if it's still sound, replaced if it isn't — sealant that's gone black right through won't come back with a scrub.
- Bath or shower tray scrubbed
- Mirror and any glass polished
- Sink and pedestal cleaned, including underneath
- Cabinets or shelves wiped out and expired products binned
- Bin emptied and wiped
- Towels and bath mat washedA damp mat left down is one of the easiest places in the house for mould to start.
- Skirting and door frame wiped down
- Floor cleaned, tile and grout lines included
- Windows and window sill, where condensation collects
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
Questions people ask
- What actually removes limescale from grout?
- A proper limescale remover or a diluted acid-based cleaner left to sit, then scrubbed — plain washing-up liquid won't touch it, however hard you rub.
- Is it safe to mix cleaning products for a tougher job?
- No — never mix bleach with anything containing ammonia or an acid-based limescale remover. The combination produces a toxic gas, and it isn't worth the extra strength.
- How often does the extractor fan need cleaning?
- Roughly twice a year. A dusty fan moves far less air, which is exactly when the mould this list is trying to prevent gets a foothold.