How to Clean Hair and Dust from a Bathroom Floor

Mary asked, “How do you clean the gross floor of a bathroom that has hair and almost like silt on the floor? What are the steps. Help… There are all these tiny white hairs that seem to come down in the water droplets from a shower and they get all over everything. Nothing seems to clean them up easily; when I try to sweep them up they just get tossed up into the air and when I try to wipe them away with a cloth, they don’t get picked up. What do I use to clean this?”

Normally dusting is thought to take place in the living room or bedroom, however, bathrooms are actually one of the main rooms where dust is created: as we exfoliate, brushing our hair, etc. The moisture in the air makes is much easier for dust particles to begin sticking together as well and forming what can appear as tiny hairs can actually be clusters of dust particles. Paper fibers from toilet paper can also create these particles of hair-like dust, and having pets in the home can add to hair on the bathroom floor as well. Here are the steps for getting a bathroom floor clean and free of hair, dust and debris.

You Will Need:

• A magnetic duster
• A handheld vacuum, vacuum hose or broom
• A flat mop, preferably a spray mop
• A cloth
• A spray cleaner, such as diluted white vinegar

The bathroom floor should always be cleaned last when doing a bathroom clean; it’s important to always start at the top so any dust or spray cleaner droplets don’t fall onto a clean surface below, making it necessary to clean that surface a second time.

1. Begin by removing all obstacles from the bathroom, such as the toilet brush holder, dish soap on the sink, decorations on any shelves, etc.
2. Ensure that the  bathroom has fully dried out from the most recent shower, then dust the walls and ceiling with a magnetic duster.
3. Vacuum or sweep the bathroom floor to remove larger hairs like pet hair and other debris.
4. Ventilate the area of open a window to ensure any fumes from a cleaning product can be released.
5. Use a flat spray mop to mop the floor. These mops work particularly well in homes that have pets as they tend to gather the pet hair and push it into a line along the edge of a wall where it can easily be wiped up. A microfiber mop head works particularly well for this. A ratio of 1 part white vinegar and 2 parts water can be used in the spray mop for most floor surfaces, though as always, test a small hidden area first to ensure it is safe for your specific floor. For a stronger solution, use equal parts white vinegar and water. If you don’t have a spray mop, a flat sponge mop can work as well, however string mops will not be able to move the hair into a line where it can easily be wiped up.
6. Wipe away the line of hair with a damp cloth. Also wipe the area around the toilet or in other crevices where the mop doesn’t fit.
7. Allow the floor to air dry if using white vinegar as the cleaner, or rinse off any commercial cleaner by using a fresh mop head and plain water to wipe the area again.
8. Once the floor has been cleaned it can be wiped with a magnetic duster to remove any last stray hairs or dust particles that remain.

• Magnetic dusters are also referred to as electrostatic dusters.
• If the area around a toilet is particularly dirty, wipe up any mess first before cleaning the floor.
• Switching to a brand of toilet paper that gives off less dust can help to keep the bathroom more clean.
• Vacuums that have a HEPA filter are best to avoid having even the most miniscule dust particles being tossed back into the air while vacuuming.
• Always use a cloth product to clean rather than a paper towel as the paper towel can leave behind lint dust.