Make your bathroom sparkle
From your toothbrush holder to your shower head, in the final part of our brilliant series, cleaning sensation MRS HINCH shows how to make the smallest room in the house sparkle
SHE’S the former Essex hairdresser whose infectious enthusiasm for cleaning and down-to-earth personality have made her an Instagram — and publishing — star. Mrs Hinch, real name Sophie Hinchliffe, started posting about her cleaning routines on social media after discovering that setting to with mop and bucket or cloths and disinfectant helped calm her anxiety. But people loved her tips — as well as her habit of giving nicknames to her tools and products — so much that she now has 3.2 million Instagram followers, called Hinchers. Her bestselling books have sold almost a million copies. Married to Jamie Hinchliffe, and now mum to baby Ronnie, Sophie, 30, is also the doting owner of cocker spaniel Henry. But whether you’re concerned about keeping coronavirus at bay or are having to do without a weekly cleaner, while we’re under government orders to stay safe at home there’s never been a better time for a spring clean. So far, Mrs Hinch has helped make your kitchen sparkle, your living room gleam and your bedroom serene. Today, in her final instalment, she shows you how to achieve a spotless bathroom.
HINCH YOUR BATHROOM
I always find that doing something I love, and doing it well, gives me a real boost. so we’re going to get those loos (and showers) looking lovely. Then we can sit back and appreciate all our hard work with a cup of tea and a biscuit. Or two.
I always start by removing everything that isn’t attached, so any ornaments, towels and products come straight out. I clear everything out of the shower, bath and any shelves and put the bath mat in the washing pile.
spray down all the tiles with astonish Mould & Mildew Blaster.
spray Viakal on the taps, shower heads and plugs, and the shower door. It’s fabulous for limescale and the shine it leaves is the best. Make sure you open the windows when you’re cleaning the bathroom to keep the area well ventilated.
whIle that’s all doing its job, I make a start on my bath using Minkeh [Minky antibacterial Cleaning pad], and then out comes the Flash Bathroom, of course — liquid or spray version. The suds are amazing. It breaks down all soap and scum, and the shine is fabulous. Coupled with Minkeh, you can’t beat this duo. I’ve always said if I could wear Flash Bathroom as a perfume, I would — and I am not joking! OnCe you’ve finished the bath, don’t forget to rinse away the Viakal from the shower head and taps. Make sure you read the instructions and don’t leave it on for longer than the recommended amount of time, as it’s a strong product.
any bathroom shelves and surfaces are next, making sure I rinse out Minkeh in between. I get right into the corners of everything because that’s where the really nasty stuff is hiding.
I lIke to attack the shower with my sonicscrubber electric cleaning brush (aka stewart) to clean the plughole, taps or hardto-reach places in and around the shower door. The sense of satisfaction is unbelievable.
rInse everything off the tiled walls and floor of the shower and bath using the shower head if you can. The smell and shiny results at this exact point are what I love!
I leave everything to air- dry, apart from the shower doors and windows. I’ll always finish those off with the Minky Glass & window cloth ( aka kermit, as we all know him).
Or I’ll crack out Victor the Vileda window Vacuum if I’m feeling really posh.
nexT, it’s time to attack the toilet. Cif power & shine wipes never let me down when cleaning the toilet but also I like to use bleach to clean it all over when I feel like it needs a bit more than a wipe!
IT sOunds obvious but don’t start on the rim of your toilet. start with the lid because it will be cleaner than the rest of it.
lIFT the lid and seat and squeeze some toilet cleaner around the toilet rim and leave it to marinate for a while. harpic pine is my fave, as you all know. also check that your rim blocks are still intact and change them if needed. They can be very unhygienic if left for longer than they should be.
TOIleT brush! I pour a neat capful of Zoflora into my toilet brush once it has been cleaned and disinfected just to keep the smell fresh! IF yOu’Ve got a towel-rail radiator like I have, wipe it down with an anti-static cloth or a duster to remove any dust. Then pop some Cif stainless steel spray on to a microfibre cloth and wipe it down one rail at a time.
Finally, buff it up with K ermit if needed.
Dave the duster all your skirting boards. always get rid of the dust before cleaning the floors. (I use my handheld vacuum at this point to make sure there is no dust left over .) The worst combo is dust mixed with a freshly mopped floor! No, mate!
Use floor wipes, spray mop or a good old mop and bucket to make sure you get every bit of dirt up. stand back and admire your work!
DON’T FORGET YOUR TOOTHBRUSH HOLDER . . .
Come on now , this houses something that goes in your mouth so it ’ s got to be super clean. I make sure I rinse out the pot regularly with bicarbonate of soda and water.
Then I’ll put a couple of cap - fuls of mouthwash in there and leave the toothbrush heads in it to soak. It’s got alcohol in it so it cleans them really well. If you do it at least once a week , you’ll avoid that horrible residue that can build up on a toothbrush handle if it ’s sitting in a holder for too long . I also have an electric toothbrush which I clean with bicarbonate of soda and water. It works a treat!
. . . OR THE TOILET BRUSH
I have toilet brushes in both of my bathrooms but I only buy cheap ones because I like to replace them really often for very, very obvious reasons.
If I do find a nice plastic one, I’ll always pick it up because the metal ones tend to rust. Plus, they’re more expensive so you’ll probably be more unlikely to throw them away.
Remember: to make them that bit nicer, I put a capful of neat Zoflora in the bottom of the holder. at least that way , when you pull out the brush you get a nice waft of fragrance.
HE’S got his own Tessa tea towel, which lives in his drawer under the stairs along with his coat, poo bags and lead. After we’ve been for a walk, I’ll wipe his little paws with it.
IF HENRY comes in and he’s got muddy paws I’m really laid-back about it. I’ve got laminate flooring so I’ll whack my Powermop out and the paw prints are gone in seconds.
I’VE got a great grooming glove that brushes him as you stroke him, so he loves it. It takes all the loose hair off, so it’s like a mini-groom.
HE’S got dog dry shampoo for when he doesn’t need a full-on bath but needs a little refresh.
MAKE sure you wash your dog’s collars. If they’re leather, you can wipe them over with leather cleaner, and fabric ones can go in the washing machine. Henry has a few different collars, so I can rotate them and clean whichever ones I’m not using.
HALF-FILL a bowl with hot water. Add two teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda. Stir until the soda has dissolved. Pop the collar in the mix for ten minutes. Remove, scrub and rinse it thoroughly. Allow to dry completely before popping the collar back on your fur baby. Done!
IF YOUR dog runs up the stairs and gets mud on the carpet, whatever you do don’t try and wipe it off when it’s wet, even if you want to cry. Once it’s dry I use a Barry bristle brush to brush away the nasties. I vacuum up the dried mud, and then use Dr Beckmann carpet stain remover to get rid of any leftover marks.
EVERY night I put a throw over the bed Henry sleeps on. That can be washed and dried in no time. A cheap, washable throw on Henry’s human bed works best for me.
EVERY morning I make Henry’s bed and give it a spray with Dettol spray because it’s great for pets’ beds generally. It keeps his bed fresh in between changing the sheets and kills off bacteria. Win-win.