Scrub showers, bathtubs, and countertops. These should be cleaned to help reduce the spread of viruses, fungi, and bacteria. "Do it at least twice a week with a disinfectant that contains bleach," Horowitz says.
Spray a disinfectant bathroom cleaner, like Clorox or Lysol, all around the bathroom sink and wipe with a cloth or sponge. Spray or wipe faucet handles with a disinfectant spray or wipe, allowing them to remain wet for the required time on the package to kill germs.
Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach kills 99.9% of germs, making it the perfect choice to clean and disinfect the bathroom so you can enjoy the space. Using a bleach and water solution in the tub or shower is simple.
Non-Disinfectants
Acetic acid (vinegar) is not a disinfectant. It does not kill bacteria.
Vinegar is safe and milder than caustic cleaners designed for the toilet, and those commercial cleaning agents can eat away the good bacteria in your septic system. To safely and inexpensively clean your toilet bowls, pour a generous glug of vinegar, followed by a heavy sprinkling of baking soda, into the bowl.
You can use straight or a diluted vinegar cleaning solution for the bathroom to clean bacteria, especially around the toilet. Cleaning with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar in the bathroom can work really well. To clean your toilet with vinegar, pour a cup of vinegar in the toilet bowl and let sit overnight.
The most commonly recommended natural and non-toxic way to clean a toilet is with vinegar and baking soda. Simply poor two cups of vinegar into a toilet bowl, and pour one cup of baking soda. When the solution stops fizzing, spread it over the bowl with a toilet cleaner brush. Leave for 10-15 minutes and rinse.
Bleach-based cleaners kill bacteria in the most germ-contaminated sites, including sponges, dishcloths, kitchen and bathroom sinks and the kitchen sink drain area. Use bleach-based spray or a solution of bleach and water on cutting boards after every use to kill harmful bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella.
Household bleach (chlorine as sodium hypochlorite) is active against most microorganisms, including bacterial spores and can be used as a disinfectant or sanitizer, depending on its concentration.
Once a week at least.
Tetro says your bathroom is the ultimate bacteria host; E. coli can be found within six feet of the toilet and in the sink. To keep it at bay, disinfect the toilet and sink at least once weekly, and the bathtub every two weeks — more if you shower often.
To disinfect, use an EPA-registered disinfecting product or a stronger bleach solution. Clean the surface with soap and water first. Always read the label of disinfecting products to make sure the products can be used on the type of surface you are disinfecting (such as a hard or soft surface).
Studies have shown that of all the surface areas in the bathroom, the floor is by far the dirtiest. That's because when we flush the toilet germs spread everywhere, and land on—you guessed it—the floor.
How long can these pesky germs survive? Hours. Germs aren't afraid to hang around, significant amounts of these bathroom bacteria survive for hours after each flush of a toilet and hours after a shower too. If your household bathroom is being used every few hours, the breeding ground is continually reset.
A thick paste made of a half-cup of vinegar and a quarter-cup baking soda will spiff up bathroom tiles -- as will scrubbing with half a lemon dipped in borax powder. A spray consisting of equal parts vinegar, baking soda and water is an excellent multipurpose cleaner.
The high acidity level of vinegar helps loosen mineral deposits (such as lime & rust) and dissolve soap scum, making it perfect for bathroom cleaning! And because it is so acidic, it creates a “hostile” environment for many microorganisms, making it a powerful disinfectant as well.
Showering removes bacteria from the skin, which means that it also washes off the bacteria that help the body protect itself from infection. The soaps and shampoos that people use when showering can dry out the skin and hair, leading to cracked skin and split ends.
Using either disinfecting wipes or a combination of disinfecting spray and a rag, paper towels, or a sponge (that you reserve just for this task), wipe down all of the external surfaces of the toilet, paying special attention to any areas you touch regularly such as the seat and the flushing handle.
For extra-stubborn clogs, you can let the fizz mixture sit overnight or combine this method with plunging. If your toilet remains clogged or continues to get clogged, this may be an indication of plumbing problems such as mineral buildup or pressure issues.
Baking soda and vinegar, when mixed together, can form a chemical reaction that looks sort of like an eruption. This chemical reaction can help clear your toilet and any pipe clogs that you might have.
"The biggest don't when it comes to toilet tanks is bleach—do not use bleach or products containing bleach inside the tank, as it can corrode the internal parts of your toilet. If you are aiming to remove tough stains from the tank, I also recommend white vinegar diluted with water."