I need your cleaning tips- bathroom

[whataboutbob]

Yesterday I visited my brother. For background, he lives alone after our dad’s death and has some mental health problems . He was offered sheltered housing but refused. The hygiene levels in the home are not good. I spent over an hour in his kitchen unblocking his sink, then cleaning it and doing his washing up. I took a load of stuff to the dump and cut back the jungle in his front garden.
I noticed the bathroom but didn’t have time to tackle it so will return next month. It has thick layers of what looks like limesc ale and scum all over the sink and the bath. How best to remove them? What products work best? The bath is plastic I think. Any other general bathroom cleaning tips gratefully received.

Is he on the books of mental health services? If so then they may do home visits and look for ways to hep him with this.

Dudsville- he is. There’s a backstory which would take too long to outline but he has been offered help with specialist home helps going in and has refused everything. He has a mental health social worker and a MH nurse. At the end of the day he has capacity. My priority now is just to keep the home in as acceptable a condition as it can be.
Hope this doesn’t sound snappy, it’s just I feel now I have to crack on, roll up my sleeves and get some basic housekeeping bits done.

what about

HG limescale remover is meant to be really good for tough limescale but do use gloves.

In terms of bath cleaners, I always use flash which is great for soap scum. Dettol bath cleaner is also really good.

Thanks @Givemeabreakt. I’ll look out for the HG product.
I used to like Ajax and vim in the shaker tins but you don’t see them around anymore.

I'd be dousing the bathroom in bleach quite frankly. Leaving it an hour and then cleaning it off.

No problem WAB. Agree with fatted re the bleach.
Also if there is a mirror, it might be worth using a glass cloth to make it shine again.
Grout can be sorted with either HG, or Dettol Mould and Mildew cleaner along with a toothbrush. Feel free to pm me. You are doing such a lovely thing.

PS I agree with you about Ajax and Vim. I think you can get them on amazon but they are more expensive.

Viakal spray for limescale. Leave on for a good half an hour. Bleach and bicarb of soda for grout, scrub with a toothbrush. Got a loo cleaner with limescale remover, and again leave on as long as possible.

Thanks guys. Bleach is on the shopping list!
As I was leaving I noticed his toilet looks like the handle is ready to come off!!! I’m doing a plumbing course at the end of the month so hope to be able to fix it myself. It can be difficult getting tradesmen to do jobs for him, for obvious reasons.
We had very non practical parents and it’s taken me quit e a while to figure all these things out but now I have a passion for increasing my DIY and housekeeping skills.

Glad there are other Ajax and Vim fans out there. Will check amazon.

Bleach will not touch the limescale but viakal and limelite are pretty good... I’d bleach the tiles and the bath though after the viakal.. leave the viakal for a good 15-20 mins, wipe off then reapply if it’s still there.. the Black harpic is great for limescale down the loo...

Vinegar is very good for shifting linescske around taps etc. I wrap kitchen towel around the offending places, doeskin it in cheap white vinegar and leave as long as you can - overnight if possible. The. Tire,I’ve snd clean with another cloth.

I would fill basin and bath with hot water, bio washing powder and soda crystals while you start on everything else. There's a bonus in that you can chuck soap dishes etc in the bath to soak.

For limescale, I found Kilrock gel effective, although I'd probably have a go with vinegar and salt now. The toilet needs to be emptied - use a jug to get out what you can and then use old cloths to soak up the rest. You can then slap on whatever you're using and leave it to work.

I did this for my mother's bathroom years ago and it wasn't easy, but it was rewarding. Get plenty of old cloths, rubber gloves and scourers - I like those that look like tangled wire.

You'll save time if you leave products to work before you start scrubbing.

Try Iceland if you have one near for shakes vim/Ajax. They had some earlier in the year to my delight.

viakal great stuff for limescale.

tbh a bathroom like that I would consider getting a longer shower hose.
spray liberally with viakal, leave for a while and then hose off.
wear a face mask

Just a very kindly meant note as you've had lots of good suggestions here - be careful what you use where, mistakenly mixing chemicals/ bleach/ other products can create chlorine gas.

A top MN tip here from a poster whose DH is a chemist -

Buy some citric acid crystals (Amazon) and make up a solution in a spray bottle. Spray/soak and leave it for a while then wash away. It's the best thing for limescale and it's non toxic too.

I’ve found viakal brilliant. Also astonish mould and mildew - only £1 in poundshop and savers.

I have replaced a handle with no training. As pp says, take a photo and get the broken part. It really is quite straightforward.

Handle is easy

Unscrew from the inside - replace - rescrew

You may need a large ratch but that's it

My builder used HG limescale stuff when did some work in my bathroom. MAGIC!!!

Thanks everyone for your lovely suggestions. I am touched, really.
I think I will try and get hold of Ajax/VIm, shake a load all over the bath toilet and sink. If can’t get hold, use HG limescale remover. Leave about 20 minutes, go and watch some daytime TV then scrub. Then finish off with a wash of bleach in the sink and toilet.
I guess wickes or similar would sell suitable face masks @redsummershoes?

yes any diy store sells safety equipment.

good luck.