Bathroom 101 | Bathroom Spring Cleaning

As Spring rolls around, the warmer weather is finally here! Traditionally, this is the perfect opportunity for a good spring clean, so if you’re looking for a little help or inspiration to get going read on! Our bathroom care and cleaning advice, with a little elbow grease on your part, will have your bathroom sparkling in no time!

The Bath
Is your bath looking a little lacklustre? To maintain the soft shine of the dry frit vitreous enamel, the bath must be rinsed out after each use, but if deposits have built up over time these can be removed with a non-abrasive bathroom cleaner which is safe for use on enamelled surfaces. We recommend Astonish Pro Cleaning Paste, which can be applied with a soft cloth to return any lightly stained areas back to white. See the Vitreous Enamel Association website for guidance on other suitable cleaners.

This is also a good opportunity to check your taps. It is very important to ensure that a dripping, or leaking, tap is repaired immediately to prevent the enamel being permanently damaged.

Although it may be tempting in full deep clean mode, never use any kind of bathroom cleaner on the exterior of your bath. A mild soap and damp cloth is sufficient to remove dust, this includes copper and brass finishes. Never use anything which could scratch the bath.

Clean with care around its skirt/feet as strong bathroom cleaners can damage the lacquer or sealant which prevents your cast iron bath from rusting! You may want to cover exposed areas of your bath with a protective layer when cleaning your floors to stop splashes or spills.

The Shower
Over time (and much faster in hard water areas!) limescale will build up in your shower head, removing it and descaling it as part of your cleaning routine will help to improve the efficiency of your shower head and keep it looking spotless. Drummonds shower roses simply unscrew from the pipe ready for cleaning. To make sure you descale inside and out, we recommend soaking the shower head in a natural cleaning agent like vinegar, or a dedicated limescale cleaner. Take caution to wipe down gently with a soft, non-abrasive cloth and rinse thoroughly before reattaching.
When it comes to cleaning the glass of your shower enclosure, wiping down after each use with a rubber scraper ‘Squeegee’ or similar will help make cleaning easier by helping to prevent limescale build up. We have tried dedicated glass cleaners, but find simple dishwashing liquid always leaves a streak free finish!

Brassware
Nickel and Chrome can develop water marks over time, but do not fret! These can be removed with just a soft cloth and a mild bathroom cleaner, never use bleach. For more stubborn stains on nickel, we recommend polishing with a little Brasso, just like you would use on your silverware.
If you have Drummonds’ brass, this will have been supplied in a polished finish that is not lacquered. Polished brass will tarnish very quickly, especially in the bathroom where it is exposed to moisture. If you wish to maintain a shiny brass finish, you will need to polish it regularly with Brasso. If you have left your brass to tarnish since your last deep clean, Brasso can still remove the darker patina with a little elbow grease! Why not treat it to a little spruce up?

Marble
Marble is a naturally porous material, so extreme care must be taken when cleaning it! Never use harsh bathroom cleaners with alcohol, bleach, ammonia, acid or vinegar, or any cleaner designed to remove limescale. Just a drop on the surface can damage the sealant on the stone and cause staining which is irreversible. Take care to check your marble for any discoloured or rough areas, which could be a sign you have damaged the sealant. Your marble can be resealed by a stone professional or using specialist home-care products, so if you think you have discovered damage, get in touch with one right away!
When cleaning use a soft cloth and mild, soapy water. Never use any kind of abrasive cloth, as this could also scratch and damage the sealer. Dry up any pools of water on the surface after cleaning, as this could lead to water marking.
The Marble can be periodically re-polished to improve shine using a suitable marble or stone polish such as Reflect Wax, a perfect spring treat perhaps?

Toilet
When cleaning your loo, be careful with the bleach! Although it will kill those germs in your pan, a strong bathroom cleaner on your loo seat is likely to strip off the protective varnish and damage the wood underneath. Simple soap and water is more than enough to wipe it down with, and won’t damage the wood. You can give your seat a treat with a high-quality furniture wax polish, such as Mylands Wax – Natural. Under no circumstance stand on your loo seat whilst cleaning those hard to reach areas!

For more advice, you can download our full care guide here.