On the top ten list of loathsome but necessary household chores, none tops cleaning the bathroom - especially if you happen to share one with other people.
Strange spills, dodgy smells, errant hairs, stains: there is literally nothing to love. Except, perhaps, the sheer relief and satisfaction of straightening the ship and returning it to its gleaming best.
Using the right products and tools can help shorten the time it takes to clean your bathroom, helping you whip round quickly but most importantly, effectively, so you can go back to spending your time on far more enjoyable things.
There are plenty of products that promise to help you effectively shift limescale off glass, remove grime from sinks and shelves and get your toilet sparkling - but do they earn their keep or are they destined to gather dust in the cupboard?
Then there’s the question of ingredients: is bleach always the best option to reach for? In the last few years, there has been a shift towards more natural, non-toxic and refillable cleaning products that won’t pose a threat to pets or children, but claim to get the job done just as effectively.
We’ve rounded up the best options below as well as tools to help you tick off your chore checklist quicker.
See our list of the best bathroom cleaners below
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Best mops for cleaning hard floors: wood, tiles, laminate and marble flooring
Best bathroom mirror cabinets for wall mounted storage space
Best refillable cleaning products to help reduce plastic waste
Best budget-friendly vacuum cleaners for dust-free days
Best shower heads: enjoy spa-like bathing every day of the week
SonicScrubber Household Electrical Cleaning Brush
Save yourself the elbow grease and clean your bathtub, shower, sink and toilet in less than half the usual time with this electrical cleaning brush.
The AA battery-powered SonicScrubber blasts through difficult-to-reach and difficult-to clean areas laughably easily, leaving you with a clean space in up to 57 per cent less time. It comes with a set of brush heads to use on everything from tile grout, the underside of taps as well as toilet bowls and baths.
Use with cleaning sprays and products for results you won’t be able to stop talking about. Just don’t mix it up with your toothbrush.
Alternatively you can buy this set of cleaning brushes that attach to a drill for £14.99 at Amazon.
Buy now £8.99, Amazon
Bower Glass & Mirror Cleaner Refill 1L
Delivered in a clear pouch that somewhat resembles an IV drip, Bower Collective’s Glass & Mirror Cleaner vows to leave mirrors and windows sparkling without any streaks. The formula is made from completely naturally derived ingredients, making it safe to use in every home and infused with essential oils for a fresh scent. Spritz your glass or mirrors from a distance and wipe down with a clean, dry cloth.
Each refill pouch offers 600+ sprays and gives you the option of keeping spray bottles in rooms other than the bathroom to clean as you go around the house. As for the pouch itself, it’s delivered with a pre-paid envelope so you can return it for reuse. Win.
Find Bower Collective’s full collection of cleaning products here or get the Shiny Bathroom Starter Kit (£39.06) for all the products you need in one go.
Buy now £4.04, Bower Collective
Ecover Bathroom Cleaner
This 500ml trigger bottle is made from recycled plant plastic, and promises to remove soap scum and dirt from baths and surfaces, leaving behind nothing but a pleasing gleam and gentle lemon scent. The formula is made from plant-based and biodegradable ingredients and isn’t tested on animals.
Buy now £6.40, Amazon
Method Tub & Tile Spray - Eucalyptus Mint 828ml
It’s not just inside the bath or shower you need to clean: grime can build up on tiles too. Blast through the dirt with Method’s Tub & Tile Spray which helps you restore the gleam with minimal effort. The non-toxic plant-based cleaner carries the refreshing scent of eucalyptus and works best by spritzing onto the offending surface at a distance, waiting a few seconds and then scrubbing down with a sponge or scourer.
Buy now £3.15, Holland & Barrett
MR.SIGA Multi-Purpose Squeegee
You’re more likely to use this for cleaning your car’s windscreen, but a Squeegee is excellent for clearing water droplets off your shower’s glass divide, helping it stay looking clean between proper cleans. Store it in your shower and get into the habit of wiping water off after your daily rinse.
Buy now £8.99, Amazon
Universal Pipe Dredging Sink Cleaning Brush
The daily business of getting yourself squeaky clean has a dark side, and it can be found in your plugholes.
Build up causes slow drainage, so before it reaches a point where you’re standing in ankle deep water, get ahead of the grime game with help from this tool. The stainless steel device is covered in hard wearing nylon bristles that will lift sludge from beneath your sink, bath and shower plug holes, ready for the bin.
We can’t deny the ickiness but it’s better than standing in scummy water.
Buy now £3.99, Amazon
Mr Muscle Drain Unblocker, Sink & Drain Cleaner
Stubborn blockages promise to disappear under the unforgiving presence of Mr Muscle’s drain unblocker. The formula is designed to be used all in one go to clear your pipes of built-up dirt and grime and standing water. Simply pour, wait five minutes and flush through with hot water. The big guns to call in if the job is too big for a snake drain.
Buy now £4.95, Amazon
Spruce Starter Kit Duo
Start your journey with Spruce and you’ll never go back to standard cleaning products again. This starter kit is ideal for newbies, with two aluminium spray bottles included alongside sachets of non-toxic multipurpose and bathroom cleaner.
Just add water and you can get to work scrubbing away grime and dirt. Both will leave behind nothing but a gentle geranium or eucalyptus scent. Vegan and cruelty-free, sign up for a sachet subscription and say hello to a new dawn in clean cleaning.
Buy now £15.00, We Are Spruce
Method Antibacterial Spray Refill, All Purpose Cleaner, Peach Blossom, 2L
Already a fan of eco cleaning brand Method? Welcome to the club.
The company has amassed a loyal following for its vegan grime-fighting formulas with lovely scents packaged into reusable bottles made from 100 per cent post consumer recycled plastic. Funnel this formula into your existing spray bottle, or simply attach a spray trigger to the top and use straight from the refill - although admittedly this could be rather bulky to carry.
As well as the all-purpose cleaner, there are refills available across a host of categories, from hard floors to glass and more.
Buy now £6.30, Amazon
Diptyque La Droguerie multi-surface cleaner 500ml
Better known for its collection of cult fragrances, Diptyque’s move into home cleaning may be a surprise one, but it’s a welcome one too. The packaging on this spray bottle of multi-surface cleaner is as pretty as its perfumes, so you’ll have no trouble keeping it casually on display instead of stuffed into a utility cupboard. If a cleaning product shelfie isn’t yet a thing - it’s about to be.
Once the formula has run out get a refill pouch, £22, to keep it in action.
Buy now £32.00, Selfridges
Loo Cleaner
Keep your toilet looking spick and span with this natural loo cleaner that effectively removes limescale and dirt. Made up of a range of naturally-derived plants and botanicals like lemongrass oil, rose oil and limonene, it is bleach-free with a pleasant scent. We’re also big fans of the brands scented vinegar spray, think less fish’n chip shop and more sparkling clean glass.
Buy now £9.00, Norfolk Natural Living
Loo Cleaner
Harnessing the power of organic aloe vera leaf juice and organic cider vinegar, this loo cleaner will keep harmful chemicals out of your home, leaving your toilet looking spotless with a fresh minty or citrusy scent.
Buy now £5.00, Ocado
