by Joe Owens

Created on: December 03, 2009

The third most used room in your home can also be the most disgusting. I rank the bath room as number three behind the bed room, where we probably spend the most time, although not awake and then the kitchen next. Maybe a family room or living room would sneak in ahead of the source of most water based activities, but regardless the scope of activities in your bath will certainly generate the most unclean arena of them all.

I look at the areas for filth in this order: commode, sink, bath tub or shower and the floor. Each has its own disgusting quality, but all can be easily maintained so that you aren't repulsed each time you visit your area of convenience. I mean, come on, there is no indoor option that does not far excel the offerings of yesteryear where your reading material doubled as your sanitary papers.

There is a substantial quantity of options in the way of commercial cleaning products to assist you in this endeavor. Some are passive, such as the type of products that either hangs inside your toilet bowl or the newer product that you stab onto the side of the bowl and allow the regular action of the commode to generate a cleaning cycle. Sometimes though good ol' elbow grease is the only alternative you have. At this juncture a good toilet brush is invaluable. Don't forget all the other surfaces in and around the toilet as we all know the many ways a mess can be made here.

The sink gets a ton of abuse. Between the hand washing, tooth care and make up activities, there is a considerable amount of diverse residues to deal with. Daily attention to make sure left over residue is wiped away will limit the gross factor, but a weekly round with a strong disinfecting solution is a great habit to develop. Be sure to not neglect the handles of the faucets as everyone who passes through that is responsible enough to wash their hands touch these controls many, many times.

The qualities of your water can have a great effect on your tub or shower experience. Detergents in the soaps, foams, shampoos and conditioner we use interact with hard or soft water to create another type of residual calling card. Again, industry rides to our rescue offering more passive and active products to navigate this trail of filth.

I'll bet many people do not give the floor the same consideration as a crucible of filth in the bath room. I asses the importance like this: gravity applies everywhere and what does not find a home in its intended target collects on the floor. Some of the most stubborn stuff to remove from a linoleum floor is dried hairspray. Over time this build up can become an annoying, sticky mess.

Waiting for seven days to pass before you give any attention to the bath room is not the most intelligent practice. Daily observations for issues demanding your action will make your full fledged cleaning interval less taxing, as well as saving you the embarrassment generated by an unannounced guest who simply must visit your water closet.

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