The good news is that dirty, smelly bathrooms can be turned into squeaky clean, even pleasant places to conduct your personal business. It helps to take on one section of the bathroom at a time.

You can break it down into: sink, bathroom mirror, shower, toilet, floor, mats and rugs.

If your bathroom sink has a counter, the first thing you want to do is clear off all the clutter on top of the counter. Items like toothpaste, toothbrushes, facial creams, lotions, shavers, grooming items, and such can be neatly organized into storage baskets or bins. Fit as much of these items beneath the sink or on storage shelves, etc.

Use a gentle cleanser to clean the sink basin and the counter. Be sure to thoroughly clean the area around the faucet, since that can get grimy. Dry with paper towels or a soft cloth.

Bathroom Mirror

This is probably the easiest thing in the bathroom to clean. You want to spray on some mirror cleanser and wipe clean with a paper towel or soft cloth. Make sure you clean the whole mirror and not just a portion of it. A clean mirror is less likely to steam up completely.

The shower is probably the one area that people hate cleaning the most, especially if it is full of dirt and grime. However, this is a necessary chore and if it is kept clean on a regular basis, it's not such a big deal.

Dirty tiles can be cleaned with a solution of one part white vinegar and four parts water. You can also use a spray cleanser that prevents the build up of mold.

Grout can be cleaned with a solution of one part bleach to six parts water. Use an old toothbrush to do the scrubbing. A grout cleaner is also just as good.

Toilets can be cleaned quickly using a disposable toilet cleaner that has a plastic handle that you keep for future use. Of course, you can use the standard toilet cleaning brush with a commercial bowl cleaner. Try to clean the toilet regularly to avoid foul odors and stains. You can use prepared cleaning wipes to clean the top and sides.

You no longer have to use an old fashioned mop to clean your bathroom floor. You can use one of the new steam cleaning mops or a mop with disposable cleaning heads. It's really important to keep the floor clean of hair and dirt, because germs can be picked up and carried by the feet.

Mats and Rugs

Bathroom rugs should be washed once or twice a month. Scrub rubber mats with a good detergent or cleaner and scrub brush. Rinse thoroughly. Do not let slime build up on them. If you already have a really slimy mat, you may want to toss it in the trash and buy a new one.

Lastly, add some life to your newly cleaned bathroom with framed or laminated pictures, fake flowers, a jar with sea shells, fancy soaps, etc.