10 Cleaning Bathroom Hacks That Use Everyday Household Items

As one of the most-used rooms in your house, it's no wonder your bathroom needs cleaning so often. Unfortunately, it's also hard to keep a bathroom clean. Whether you wipe it down weekly or do a deep clean each month, giving your bathroom a good scrub doesn't have to take all day. With these shortcuts, you can clean all your bathroom surfaces, including the toilet, faucet, tub, and shower, in no time.

Many of these clever cleaning hacks use everyday household items, such as cooking spray, vinegar, and nail polish, so you can clean and sanitize your space with things you already have on hand. So the next time you're on scrub duty, try these clean bathroom hacks to get a sparkling space in less time.

1. Clean Your Toilet with Vodka

Not the good stuff, of course! Instead, look to that cheap bottle of vodka that's been occupying your bar cart for far too long and use it to make your toilet shine. Pour 1/2 cup vodka into your toilet at least once a month to help prevent rings from forming. You can even use it to disinfect your toilet seat and cover.

2. Disinfect Your Toilet Brush Holder

Try this easy clean bathroom hack for your toilet brush to prevent the buildup and recirculation of germs. After each use, pour a small amount of disinfectant into your toilet brush holder. This helps disinfect your toilet brush each time you return it to its holder—no additional work is necessary!

3. Clean Your Bathroom Fan with a Can of Air

No need to flip the circuit breaker or bust out the screwdriver next time you need to clean your bathroom exhaust fan. All you need for this bathroom cleaning shortcut is a step ladder and can of air ($11, Walmart). Spray it directly onto the exhaust fan to rid it of any dust. A microfiber cloth ($12 for 10, Walmart) will also make quick work of wiping up pesky dust particles.

4. Clean Windows and Mirrors with Lemon and Club Soda

Tap into the fruit's natural cleaning and bleaching properties for a clean bathroom hack and create a fresh-smelling glass and window spray. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice to a spray bottle of club soda or distilled water, or try one of our homemade natural glass cleaners.

5. Shine Faucets with Baby Oil

If your chrome faucet or sink handles are looking dull, turn to baby oil. Use a few drops of baby oil on a microfiber cloth to buff them back to their original shine. Make sure to add this to your weekly cleaning checklist to keep fingerprints, water spots, and smudges at bay.

6. Rid a Shower of Soap Scum with Cooking Spray

If you thought cooking spray was only for the kitchen, think again. Spraying it on your shower door and walls will help remove soap scum and lime buildup. Just be sure to let it sit for a few minutes before wiping it clean. Once you've finished cleaning your shower door and walls, make sure to scrub your shower floor to prevent any slips or sliding.

7. Polish a Bathtub with Bar Keepers Friend

One of our favorite bathroom tub cleaning hacks is Bar Keepers Friend ($2, Walmart). Although the commercial cleaner is best known for sanitizing and polishing kitchen counters, it also works wonders on your tub.

Before you begin, run your shower to wet down the surfaces. Then, sprinkle the powder to coat stubborn stains and mildew. Using a dish scrubber or sponge, gently rub the product in and watch it restore your tub. Once you're finished, run the shower again to wash away the grime and suds.

8. Make an All-Purpose Cleaner with Vinegar

Save money on commercial cleaners and make your own using an ingredient you likely have at home: apple cider vinegar. Fill a spray bottle with one part apple cider vinegar and one part water. The all-natural cleaner is a non-toxic way to sanitize almost every surface in your bathroom, including shower tiles, sinks, and countertops, and leaves a streak-free shine.

9. Prevent Rust with Clear Nail Polish

With this clean bathroom hack, you'll never again have to worry about finding a rusty stain left by your shaving cream can in the shower. (Yet another thing to scrub!) Help prevent rust from ruining your shower by coating the bottom of your aluminum products in clear nail polish.

10. Unclog Drains with Baking Soda

Besides removing stains on your tub and cleaning the grout between your tile, baking soda can also be used to unclog the shower drain. Sprinkle the gritty kitchen staple down your drain followed by hot water to help loosen up any grime, hair, and other gunk that's hiding there.