Tips to clean the bathroom

We take our bathrooms for granted — it cleans us, but rarely do we take the time (and muster the courage) to clean it. Here are some fail-proof ways to make it as easy as possible.

Make a paste of two to three parts borax and one part lemon juice (stir the juice in gradually until you have the right consistency) and apply it to a stained toilet bowl, rim included. Let sit for 1 1/2 to two hours and then scrub it off with a toilet brush. This treatment is especially effective for getting rid of the bowl ring that often appears at water level.

Cleaning a toilet ranks somewhere around zero on the Pleasant Cleaning Tasks scale, but you have no choice but to tackle it. Here are a few ways to make the job easier.

• Chalky tablets: Drop two antacid tablets or one denture tablet containing sodium bicarbonate into the bowl. Let them dissolve for about 20 minutes then scrub the bowl with a toilet brush. A vitamin C tablet will do the trick as well.
• Mouthwash: Grab a bottle of mouthwash from the medicine cabinet and pour 50 millilitres (1/4 cup) into the bowl. After about half an hour, scrub the bowl with a toilet brush and flush.
• Cola: Empty a can of cola into the bowl and let sit for 30–60 minutes before scrubbing and flushing.

While bleach is a must-have cleaner that can do everything from whiten laundry to kill off pesky mould, it has to be used carefully in homes with septic systems. To make sure that no bleach gets into your groundwater or septic tank when you're scrubbing your tile or sink, use a toothbrush and be sure to wipe any excess off the surface material with a water-dampened cloth.

You don't need fancy solutions. These easy-to-make cleaners using items in your house will have your bathroom gleaming in no time — leaving you lots of time to enjoy your day.