Deep-Clean Your Bathroom in 7 Steps
Sink
What to do: Pour white vinegar or baking soda down the drain and flush with hot water. For the faucet, Gerba recommends disposable disinfecting wipes, which significantly reduce bacteria. (In contrast, cloths may just move germs from one spot to another; Gerba has even found bacteria from the toilet bowl living in the kitchen sink.) If you must use cloths, be fastidious about where each one is employed and stored. When the handles are done, floss the faucet (yes, you read that right). The stringy stuff is perfect for tackling that narrow, grimy space where the base of the faucet and the taps meet the sink.
Why: Prepare to shudder: The sink drain wins for highest bathroom bacteria count—topping even the toilet seat. In his research, Gerba has detected as many bacteria down there as you would find on a cutting board used to slice raw meat. And faucet handles? You touch them after using the toilet and before washing your hands. Eww.
Best practice: Dab baby oil on the soap dish to keep the bar from sticking and sliming up.