Quick Tip Tuesday | How to Keep Your Kids From Destroying the Bathroom

Kids make messes; big, BIG messes!

Honestly, I can't quite seem to keep up with all of the toys, trash, and tangles!  Parenthood, I've found, should be approached with a sense of humor, a spoon full of sugar, and getting ahead whenever you can!

Young children aren't exactly pros at cleaning the bathroom daily (if they are, you must tell me your secret!).  But chances are, they bathe fairly often, so why not make good use of the time?

Bath time with my younger kids used to feel like such a long process, and it would bother me to feel like I had to just sit there and get splashed on when I could be doing so many other things!  Of course I like to play with my kiddos, too, but I also really wanted to feel productive!


So I began using bath time as an opportunity for this busy mama to check one more thing off my list!  We all know that it's the little moments throughout the day that add up to a well-maintained house, so what better way to keep the family bathroom from getting grossified (yes, it's a word) than by using those small moments during bath time to spruce things up!

* QUICK TIP *

Use bath time to clean up!

• Yup, Multi-task - While your kiddos are taking a bath, grab a sponge or wash cloth and do a quick wipe down of your counters, sink, faucet, and cabinet doors (if your kids are anything like mine, toothpaste ends up in...interesting...places).

• Use the Steam - Grab a rag or paper towel and clean the mirror while everything is steamy!  No cleaning sprays required!

• Wet Floor, No Problem! - Lay down small "cleaning towels" (the old ones designated for spills and messy jobs - not your fluffy white bath sheets from Macy's.  Please don't.) for your kiddos to stand on and then use the inevitable splash water and damp towel to do a quick mop up.  It's not super get-in-all-the-corners-and-around-the-toilet-with-disinfectant clean, but it keeps things manageable in between "real" cleaning days.

• Puddles are Friends, Not Foes - If you're really ambitious (or your kids think they're Nemo, Ariel, or a submarine) you can get your kids out of the tub without a mat or towel on the floor, and use their puddles to mop up the floor! 

• Wash the Tub - After the kids are dried off and the water has drained from the bath tub, take a second to run some clean shower water over everything.  It take about ten seconds to rinse the tub, and you'll end up having to scrub soap scum and the dreaded tub ring far less often!  Don't forget to use that cleaning towel or a paper towel to wipe off the tub faucet!

Q: What are your hot tips for bathroom cleaning?  What do you like to do while the kids are splish-spashing?  I typically place cucumbers on my eyelids and listen to soothing wind instruments while getting a foot massage.

And by that I mean I'm cleaning cucumbers off my face cause my baby goobered me after dinner, listening to my kids blow bubbles and spit in the tub, while having a "feet party" where I sit on the edge of the tub and dangle my feet and legs in the water while the kids swim under them, over and over again.

Very relaxing.


Hugs & High Fives!
Holly

P.S. When asked, my daughter also stated that she likes to pretend she's a "water cat" when playing in the tub.  In fact, it was her first response.  Had to throw that in there, 'cause there's plenty of other parents who can relate to their kids pretending they're "water cats".

Just me?

Weird...  ;)


Original post September 27, 2016