Clean the tub right before you clean yourself

Shelley discovered it's easier to clean the tub when she's in it:

I am 7+ months pregnant with my second child and simple chores seem to be, well, not so simple anymore. Cleaning the tub, for example. With the belly bump it's hard to reach/scrub in all the grooves and corners. Finally, in desperation, a couple of weeks ago I climbed all the way in and cleaned the tub. I did manage to clean the entire tub but when I was finished I was more than a little wet. So, the next time I rethought and climbed in naked. I cleaned the tub and afterwards cleaned myself (showered). It is very simple and I find I clean the tub a little more often now.

(I also keep a hanger in the laundry room for when I empty the washing machine - to reach those one or two items stuck in the machine.)

My only addition to this hack would be to use non-toxic cleaning products. I'm a fan of Bon Ami cleanser for the bathtub.

Related: Let your toddler "help" clean the bathroom

Comments

[Tony L.]

Another good idea, "make your husband do it," my wife says :)

[Annika]

We use baking soda. Works better than any cleaning product I've ever tried, is as non-toxic as it comes (I mean, it's edible!), and so cheap.

[Joyous]

I agree with Tony L's wife. :)

We have a cleaning service who does the heavy scrubbing and so forth. It's been a lifesaver during pregnancy!

[Jeremy Miles]

What about 'don't bother cleaning the tub'?

[Pippin's Mama]

When I was pregnant, my grandmother gave me one of those extendable "grabby" arms- things elderly people use instead of bending over- It worked like a charm with laundry and other chores.

[carmie]

One of my seniors that I volunteer for came up with a nifty home-made grabber idea - she takes a wire hanger and pushes the ends of the triangle part in until it's more or less a straight stick.

I will be using that in a few months when I get bigger!

[Annette]

Haha! I've been cleaning my tub naked for years, whether prego or not! I keep my tub/tile cleaner in the shower with a scrub brush so that I can clean whenever the mood strikes.

[1001petals]

When I was pregnant I ended up using a mop. When I'm not pregnant I get right in and clean it properly. Not sure how it can be done otherwise (bend and hurt your back??)

[1001petals]

When I was pregnant I ended up using a mop. When I'm not pregnant I get right in and clean it properly. Not sure how it can be done otherwise (bend and hurt your back??)

[Jill]

That's how I clean the tub all the time, and I'm not pregnant. I, too, keep a scrub sponge and Comet next to the shower so I can clean when I have time or feel like it.

When I was pregnant, my policy was no chemicals around the fat lady, so it was either up to my husband or I hired outside help. :) That usually meant that my frugal hubby actually did some scrubbing, a first in his life as far as I know of.

I recommend the naked cleaning, it's so much easier and I can't imagine NOT taking a shower after working up a sweat and smelling like chemicals! (I've tried the baking soda and it didn't seem to work as well... what should I do differently, maybe use a LOT?... I'd like to avoid the bleach products if I could)

[Hapa]

I grew up with my mom always using Dawn Dishwashing detergent to clean the tub. Cuts grease (i.e. body oils in this case) great.

[Karina]

I do that too, and I keep a nylon sponge and dishwashing liquid in the tub so it's easy to do it. If you do this frequently (as in everyday or every other day) the ring is easy to scrub off.

[Katie A.]

About the of using baking soda, I just dump a little all over the tub, grab a plastic body scrubby, put a little shampoo or baby soap on it and scrub the tub down. No nasty chemicals to make my asthma flair up and a clean tub. I probably do this about once a week and it seems to keep things mostly clean.

[Helea]

Sometimes in between cleanings (or the morning after we've cleaned the tub or sprayed the walls/curtain) I'll use some Dr. Bronner's from the hand soap dispenser on the sink. I scrub it around with our big scrub brush- it rinses quick and easy and makes things nice for my 2 year old's bath or shower.

I bet dishwashing soap would be perfect for this, but my point is to keep things semi-unchemically.

[Heather]

As for getting the underwear out of the bottom of the washing machine when very pregnant I used a pair of those really long handled tongs from the kitchen drawer. They were part of a pack of utensils I was given so I wouldn't usually buy them as I cant seem to get the hang of standing nearly a metre back from the stove in order to use them but they were just what the doctor ordered when I was at the point of throwing the next load in on top of the few items I couldnt retrieve from the last load of washing.

[Patti]

I've been cleaning the tub naked for years too! One word of caution, though: it gets slippery! While in college, I fell while cleaning the tub, and broke a rib :(

[crystal r]

when i clean the bath room i like to use pine sol scent if possible and comet does wonders

[crystal r]

when i clean the bath room i like to use pine sol scent if possible and comet does wonders

[Karen]

I use Clorox Tub cleaner wands. They have long handles and the clorox is right in the scrub pad.

[Jackie]

Thanks for the great ideas I am preg with my second and I never thought of climbing in the tub or using tongs for the clothes I couldnt reach. I just waited for someone to come over and help. Well atleast I have some ideas for when I get big this this one Thanks

[Carol]

I love it ~ cleaning the tub naked and then taking a shower afterwards. My husband usually cleans the shower for me but now I don't have to wait for him to do it. Thanks for the helpful tips. I love the tongs idea for the washing machine. I wished I had read about that earlier this morning before doing three loads of laundry already.

[Spring]

I would not recomend this for we pregnant women, but I cleaned rental properties in the Outer Banks of NC and I learned from another housekeeper to use oven cleaner in a bathtub (with proper ventilation.) You just spray it on and leave it for a few minutes, and when you come back to it, the grime just slides off.

[ma_picard]

I use baking soda to clean my tubs and it works great! I make a paste with baking soda and a little water, scrub the tub using a plain wash cloth and rinse away – it removes the soap scum and build up in my tub very easily, and I don't have to worry about my family bathing in any chemical residue.