Indoor plumbing is a luxury that we have enjoyed our entire lives. Anyone who has spent several days tent camping can appreciate a hot shower, running water, and a flushing toilet. In addition to the simple convenience of modern bathrooms there is the added bonus of the ambience. Many people spend time in their bathroom taking a bath or hot shower to relax after a long day.

Plumbing technology has come a long way and there are many fun and interesting gadgets to use in your bathroom. Everything from a night light toilet seat to a faucet that hooks up to your iPhone. But, none of these gadgets and fixtures are very impressive if they are dirty and grungy.

Here are some tips on how to keep your bathroom fixtures clean and looking good:

Though it will take a joint effort by everyone in the home, wiping fixtures after use is the best way to minimize build up. This could easily be achieved by having a hand towel for drying hands and a cloth for wiping the faucet. While it might sound a little obsessive, preventing water spots and build up from accumulating on your faucets is less work than having to scrub and deep clean your bathroom regularly.

If you can’t get buy-in from your family on the preventative wiping suggestion, then try adding a protective coating to your fixtures to prevent water droplets from sticking. After cleaning all of the fixtures in your bathroom, take a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil and wipe the fixtures with it. The oil makes the fixtures waterproof and keeps water from drying on them causing the grungy look

Depending on how grimy your bathroom fixtures are, using diluted white vinegar to clean them could work well. If the grime is stubborn, you’ll have to use a store bought cleaner to cut through. In either case, your bathroom fixtures should be cleaned weekly to prevent any permanent damage

After a long day of working, running errands, and helping others taking a hot shower or bath to unwind is top of the list. But, walking into a dirty grimy bathroom will instantly turn that relaxation into anxiety. Follow some of these tips to keep your bathroom looking clean and sparkly!