How to Deep Clean Your Bathroom: Step-by-Step With Checklist

Okay, so I finally decided today was the day – the day I deep cleaned my disgusting bathroom. (How does it get THIS bad? I live here. I see it every day. And yet.)

Within minutes, I realized that hard water had left a huge stain on my toilet, my shower doors were no longer see-through, and the grout was a different color than I remembered.

Lucky for me, I had this bathroom deep cleaning guide and bathroom cleaning checklist to keep me on track, so I kept going. I sprayed. I scrubbed. The floor got wet, my socks got wet (WHY DID I WEAR SOCKS?!), and I was seriously questioning my life choices. I may have even sworn a bit. But slowly, my bathroom started shining.

A modern bathroom interior is shown with a toilet, a sink with cabinetry, and a decorative plant, accompanied by a title that offers a step-by-step guide on how to deep clean bathrooms, including a checklist.

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Step 1: Laundry

Wash Bath Mats, Towels, Face Cloths, Shower Curtain And Window Curtains

The first thing to do is to gather all the things that can be laundered from the bathroom. Throw them in the washing machine, start the load and then continue with your bathroom deep clean.

Step 2: Declutter

Declutter Medications, Beauty Products, Makeup and More

Take everything out of your medicine cabinet, bathroom drawers and cupboards and lay them out on the counter (if you have a big enough counter – if not, empty one thing at a time). Throw away anything that has expired or that you don’t use or aren’t likely to use.

Here’s some things to pay attention to:

Empty bottles: Shampoo, conditioner, body wash…why do they multiply?
Expired medications: Check labels and safely dispose of old meds.
Old makeup: If it smells weird or you can’t remember when you bought it or the last time you used it, toss it.
Worn-out toothbrushes: Dentists say every 3-4 months, not whenever you feel like it.
Used-up candles: If there’s barely any wax left or it’s covered in dust, it’s time to say goodbye.
Dried-out nail polish: If it’s clumpy, streaky, or separated, it’s done.
Broken hair ties & stretched-out scrunchies: They’re just taking up space.
Old loofahs & sponges: Bacteria paradise. Replace every month or so.
Expired skincare products: Yes, lotions and serums do go bad.
Random hotel toiletries: Are you really going to use that tiny shampoo? Be honest.
Duplicate or nearly empty products: Use up one before opening another!
Old razors: Rusty or dull blades? Toss them.
Old perfume/body sprays: If you don’t wear it, let it go.
Extra or broken hairbrushes/combs: Keep the ones you actually use.
Outdated first aid supplies: Check for expired ointments, bandages, and meds.
Unused bath products: If you haven’t used that bath bomb in a year, you probably won’t.
Random hair products that don’t work for you: Pass them on or toss them.
Excess toilet paper rolls: Store them somewhere else if they’re taking up space.
Old cotton swabs/cotton pads: If they’ve been sitting out collecting dust, replace them.
Mismatched or stained towels: Keep the good ones, donate or repurpose the rest as rags.
Broken jewelry or hair accessories: If you’re not going to fix it, let it go.
Extra toothbrush holders or soap dishes: One is enough!

Decluttering is instant stress relief. And now? More space for the stuff you actually use.

Bathroom Deep Cleaning Checklist with image of clean, modern bathroom in background

Step 3: Deep Clean

Clean Bathroom Cabinets & Drawers

Wipe down the interior surfaces of the medicine cabinet, drawers and cupboards with a damp cloth. Don’t forget to clean the pipes under the sink.

Dust off the items you want to keep. Then organize and put away the remaining items in a way that makes sense to you so that you can find them easily.

Clear And Disinfect The Bathroom Counters

Take a look at everything that lives on your bathroom counters and ask yourself if it needs to be there. Move anything that isn’t used frequently to either a cabinet or drawer, or determine if it can be stored somewhere else.

Replace toothbrushes with new ones and run soap dishes, toothbrush holders, and other washable bathroom vanity accessories through the dishwasher on the top rack for easy cleaning and disinfecting. If you don’t have a dishwasher, you can manually wash these items. Or you could replace them with new ones.

Clean the countertop with hot, soapy water, then disinfect them with disinfecting wipes or some DIY disinfecting spray and then arrange the remaining items on the counter in a way that makes sense to you.

Remove And Clean The Bathroom Vent Cover

Remove the bathroom vent cover and soak it in hot, soapy water for a few minutes while you vacuum the bathroom. Clean the vent with a cleaning brush, let it dry and then clip the cover back on after vacuuming the inside.

Clean Bathroom Light Fixtures

Wash your bathroom light fixtures with hot, soapy water. If you can’t easily remove them for cleaning, then use a cleaning cloth soaked in hot, soapy water and rinse with clean water.

Clean And Disinfect The Outside Of Cabinets, Knobs, Towel Racks, Light Switches, Electrical Outlets And Toilet Paper Holder

Clean these surfaces with hot, soapy water. Then use disinfectant cleaning wipes or some DIY disinfecting spray to disinfect the outsides of bathroom cabinets, knobs, towel racks, light switches, electrical outlets and toilet paper holders.

Clean Bathroom Ceilings, Walls, Baseboards And Door Frames

I like to use a Swiffer Sweeper to clean my bathroom ceilings, walls and baseboards. I use a wet microfiber cloth on the Swiffer to easily reach into high corners and clean away any staining and cobwebs. I have a few of them ready in a bucket of hot, soapy water so I can just wring one out, quickly attach a microfiber cloth, and get cleaning.

You don’t need the Swiffer for the door frames. Just wring out a cloth and wipe them down. Don’t forget the door knobs!

Clean The Grout

If you have a tiled bathroom, the grout needs to be cleaned regularly. I mix a paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide and apply it to the grout. Wait a few minutes, then scrub with one of the toothbrushes you just replaced.

Deep Clean The Bathroom Sink

Fill the sink with hot, soapy water. Use a clean microfiber cloth soaked in the water to wipe down the interior of the sink, then move on to the lip of the sink and around the faucet and taps. Make sure to remove any calcium or limescale buildup from the faucet, and don’t forget to clean the underside of the faucet.

Dry the sink and faucets with a clean, dry cloth or paper towel.

Deep Clean The Bathtub Or Shower (Or Both)

Remove all products such as shampoos, conditioners, soaps, etc from ledges and shelves. Wet your bathtub or shower with hot water.

Spray with your choice of shower and bathtub cleaner and let sit for 10 minutes. If you have hard water deposits, rust stains or excessive soap scum, this secret ingredient will help remove them and get your tub sparkling clean. If there’s mold or mildew in your tub, hydrogen peroxide can remove it.

Use a stiff cleaning brush to scrub the tub, or try out these handy brush attachments for your cordless drill that make scrubbing a breeze! Don’t forget to scrub the faucet and handles.

Once you’ve finished scrubbing, give your bathtub or shower a final rinse with clean, hot water and put your products back where they belong.

Image of a clean, modern bathroom with text "How to Deep Clean Your Bathroom - A Step By Step Guide

Clean Shower Doors (if you have them)

Scrub the soap scum and hard water stains off your shower doors with this DIY shower cleaner. Use a squeegee to remove moisture without leaving any streaks.

Deep Clean The Toilet

Squirt your usual toilet cleaning product into the toilet. While you wait for it to soften any dirt and stains, use disinfecting wipes to clean the rim, toilet seat (both sides) and toilet cover (both sides). With the toilet cover down, use another disinfecting wipe to clean behind the seat, making sure to get into the nooks and crannies of the hinges.

Use more disinfecting wipes to clean the outside of the toilet bowl and base, right down to the floor. You may need to move the screw covers to clean around the screws that bolt the toilet to the floor. Then move on to wiping the top and outside of the tank with more disinfecting wipes. Don’t forget to disinfect the flushing handle and underneath the back of your toilet. The goal is to clean and disinfect every surface of the toilet.

Once all the outside surfaces have been cleaned, it’s time to clean the inside of the toilet with a toilet brush. If you don’t have one, you can use a regular sponge to scrub the inside of the toilet bowl, but you should put on some cleaning gloves to protect your hands from the harsh toilet cleaner.

If you have stubborn rust stains or mineral deposits in your toilet bowl, here’s how to get rust stains out of toilet bowls.

Deep Clean Mirrors, Windows, Window Sills And Window Tracks

When I do my bathroom deep cleaning, I like to use hot, soapy water and a microfiber cloth to clean the mirrors, windows, window sills and window tracks. I dry them with a clean paper towel and then spray mirrors and windows with Windex Glass Spray.

After applying the Windex, I use old newspapers to dry and leave them sparkling with no smudges or streaks. If you can’t find newspaper, a clean, dry microfiber cloth will do the trick.

Clean And Disinfect Wastebasket

Empty the wastebasket and fill it with hot, soapy water. Use a microfiber cloth to clean both the interior and exterior of the wastebasket. You can do this in the bathtub or, if the weather is nice, outside on your patio or deck. Dry the wastebasket with some paper towels or leave it upside down in the sun for a while to air dry.

Vacuum The Bathroom Floor And Other Surfaces

Now that the bathroom surfaces have all been cleaned, it’s time to clean the bathroom floor. You could sweep the floor but, as bathrooms tend to gather hair, pet fur and dirt, I like to thoroughly vacuum the floor.

Make sure the floor is dry before vacuuming and use the vacuum cleaning wand to get behind the toilet to remove spider webs and dust webs. Also use the cleaning wand to vacuum the rim of the bathtub and/or shower door crevices and to vacuum the bathroom vent while the cover is off.

Wash And Disinfect The Bathroom Floor

First, mop your floor with hot, soapy water and then rinse with clean hot water and let dry. This creates a clean base for disinfecting.

To disinfect the bathroom floors, spray undiluted hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol evenly over the floor, just until completely wet. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes to disinfect, then wipe up with a barely damp microfiber cloth on a Swiffer sweeper.

Replace Curtains, Face Cloths and Towels

Once your bathroom is clean and the laundry has been finished, replace the curtains, face cloths, towels and any rugs you may have back into place.

And THAT is it! Having these bathroom cleaning tips and bathroom deep cleaning checklist made it so much easier. I didn’t have to think, just follow the steps.

And now? My bathroom (and my life) is better for it.

(Also, invest in better gloves. Just trust me.)