The bathroom cleaning jobs you CANNOT avoid this heatwave
When the sun is shining and you’ve got some time off, you want to enjoy it don’t you?
Housework and cleaning jobs are left to one side so you can relax in the sunshine.
However, unfortunately the jobs don’t disappear in a heatwave – in fact they increase!
New research from Nuie bathrooms has found that the filthy parts of our bathrooms in particular, actually get worse as the temperature rises.
The new research reveals the heat brings out the worst in our bathrooms.
As well as sharing the top places that bathroom nasties hide.
After the first heatwave of the summer and the hottest May Day on record, it’s time to put some of the hot weather hygiene issues into the spotlight.
Colm Lalor, bathroom expert at nuie, highlights four commonly missed parts of the bathroom that need extra TLC during spells of summer heat, that usual once-over clean doesn’t tackle.
Drain biofilm
Bathroom drains are easy to ignore as the worst of the build-up is usually hidden from the surface.
However, during the hot weather, the plughole will often start to smell, meaning that biofilm is developing inside the waste pipe.
Biofilm is the dark, slimy layer of soap scum, hair, dead skin, shaving debris and bacteria that clings to the inside of the drain. In humid bathrooms it can become thicker and smellier.
Clear it out using bicarbonate of soda.
A sprinkling down the plughole, plus some white vinegar can work wonders.
Once it has fizzed, the drain should be flushed through with hot water.
Additionally a hair catcher can help stop further debris from feeding the build-up.
Extractor fan filters
Extractor fans are essential for controlling humidity and airflow.
But in hotter weather conditions, bathrooms are dealing with an even higher humidity.
When the extractor fan is dusty or clogged, this makes it even harder for moisture to escape.
Fans draw moist air from showers and baths, but also pull in dust and lint.
This collects around the grate and narrows the channels that the air passes through.
When left to build up, this can increase the risk of damp and stale odours.
A precision vacuum nozzle can be used against the grate to remove any visible debris.
If you’re after a deeper clean, the fan’s user manual should be checked to see if the front grill can be safely removed and cleaned.
Bathroom baseboards and floor corners
Standard vacuuming and mopping can sometimes shovel dirt, dust and water residue into bathroom nooks and crannies – but then it builds up.
Especially the case for the textured grooves of wooden skirting boards, and the grouted edges of tiled surfaces – where debris naturally gathers.
Add summer pollen into the equation and a dusty bathroom corner can become more than just unsightly.
Opening windows can help with heat and humidity.
However, it also brings pollen indoors, where it will settle into the bathroom floor edges and skirting boards.
Clean it by scrubbing tight edges with an old toothbrush and a bleach-based cleaner.
Then, leave for ten minutes and wipe away with a clean, damp cloth.
Cloths and sponges
Although environmentally-friendly, reusable bathroom cloths and sponges can become part of the problem if they are left damp or dirty between cleans.
In hot conditions, bacteria multiply more easily on cleaning tools that aren’t washed or dried properly.
Rather than relying on the same sponge for weeks, reusable cloths should be washed on a high heat after use and kept in rotation, so a clean one is always available.
Little and often cleaning can help to prevent grime, limescale and mould from becoming visible and harder to remove.
Performing regular quick leans with softer products are easier to manage than waiting until heavy build-up needs stronger chemicals and more scrubbing.
Find out more summer bathroom cleaning tips and bathroom inspiration at Nuie Bathrooms.
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