Simple Ways to Clean Bathroom & Kitchen Fixtures without Ruining Them

In order to ensure that our house is shiny and sparkling clean, we need to take care of each and every corner of our homes. However, considering what we put them through on a regular basis, sinks (kitchen or bathroom), showers, bathtubs and toilets deserve special attention.  If you want to keep your kitchen and bathroom fixtures gleaming with regular cleaning, without spoiling them with heavy chemicals, here is how you can do it:

Cleaning Sinks

A bathroom or kitchen sink is the first fixture seen when entering a room. And sinks can’t be hidden behind a kitchen chimney or a shower curtain. Therefore, you will want it to be shiny clean all the time. We often assume that with all the water and soap flowing through the sinks, they should be naturally clean. However, it is far from reality. Regular water flow, soap deposits, food stains, etc build up on the sink if you do not regularly clean them.

A good recipe to clean your kitchen sink is to rinse it with a general-purpose spray cleaner, dishwashing liquid or a mixture of vinegar and water. Dip a sponge in any of the given mixtures and scrub the sink gently. A scrubbing after 30 uses is ideal. Dry the sink with a soft cloth or a paper towel to keep it gleaming.

Cleaning Showerheads

If you live in an area with hard water, lime scale deposit in showerheads and tap is a common problem. To remove lime from fixtures made with steel or another metal surface, fill a plastic bag with half vinegar and half water. Tie the bag to the showerhead and leave for one hour.  After one hour, remove the packet and turn on the shower to get a clean showerhead. You can spray the mixture on taps and scrub it gently to remove lime from taps.

If you have oil-rubbed bronze or brass finishes in your bathroom, they can be cleaned simply by rubbing it with a soft sponge and water. If you want to use a cleaning product in this area, start by testing it in a small portion before spraying it in all the fixtures.

Cleaning Streaks & Spots on Glass

The drops of water that splatter on mirrors or on the shower cabinet doors can cause mineral deposits, which looks annoying. To clean the mineral deposit you can use a glass cleaning solution or make your own solution with vinegar and water (one part vinegar+2 part water). Fill the solution on the spray bottle and spray it on the mirror or glass surface. Clean it with a dry cloth or newspaper. Use firm pressure to push the spraying liquid down. You know it’s clean when you hear a squeaking sound.

Cleaning Kitchen Chimney

The purpose of the kitchen filter is to collect grease. So, naturally, after a few weeks of use, it will be all oily and greasy. To clean the kitchen chimney filter, remove the filters and first soak them in hot boiling water. Pour a few squirts of dishwashing liquid and some baking soda in the hot water and keep it soaked. Rub it using a non-abrasive scrub. If needed, soak it again for a few minutes before giving a final scrub. Rinse the filters thoroughly in running water and dry with a paper towel or clean cloth.

Cleaning the Tiles

Dirty tiles can spoil the look of any bathroom or kitchen. While using bleach may look like an easy and effective solution for cleaning tiles, it may hamper the tiles-look, in the long run, making them yellowish and pale. Therefore, the best way to clean tiles is by applying a thick paste of baking soda and vinegar and leaving it for 30 minutes. Then scrub the area with a toothbrush. Rinse it off with water and clean the area with a dry cloth.