6 mistakes you're probably making when cleaning your bathroom, according to experts

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Cleaning the bathroom is the chore of all chores. In fact, more than half of the Americans surveyed by YouGov earlier this year said it was their least favorite of the 16 common household tasks listed, coming in below washing dishes and taking out the trash.

Turns out, a lot of the bathroom-cleaning habits we've adopted along the way are actually working against us, ultimately making the job even harder and more expensive. Don't believe me? I asked cleaning experts what we're getting wrong and how to make it right.

Before reaching for your bathroom cleaner, clear away dust and debris. "When you apply a wet cleaner directly to dry debris, you are making the area more of a mess rather than truly cleaning it," says Rosa Picosa , a cleaning expert with Fabuloso. "This smears the hair and grime around, which causes you to scratch surfaces and make the mess twice as hard to remove."

The dry-to-damp rule is key. "Always start dry," says Picosa. That can be as simple as wiping surfaces with a microfiber cloth or vacuuming up loose debris first. We've tested plenty of vacuums and dusters , including the picks below.

FixSmith Microfiber Cleaning Cloths, 12-Pack

Black+Decker Dustbuster AdvancedClean Handheld Vacuum

One spray fits all? Not so fast. Standard bathroom sprays are great for routine wipe-downs of your countertop, sink basin or around your toilet seat, but foam cleaners are intended for deeper cleans. Foam stays put, giving the product more time to break down heavy soap scum, limescale and mildew.

They're also the better choice for vertical surfaces, according to Axel Avery from Oakville Maids . "Foam cleaner sticks better to your walls, fixtures and other curved surfaces like your toilet or bathtub without dripping," he adds. His recommended foaming cleaners include the options below.

Not giving disinfectants enough time to work

Let disinfectants sit for the full contact time before wiping. "Majority of disinfectants needs to be left on surface for at least 30 seconds to kill bacteria," says Terry Klymkiv, owner of Alpha Cleaning Company . "By wiping immediately, you spread the germs instead of cleaning them."

Read the product label to determine the required contact time, which varies by product and whether you're sanitizing or disinfecting. For example, Scrubbing Bubbles Shower Foamer requires five minutes to disinfect, while Lysol Bathroom Foamer needs 10 minutes.

Sometimes you need a little elbow grease, but Avery says it's easy to go overboard. In fact, scrubbing harder won't make the job any easier. Nope, it may leave tiny scratches on fixtures and strip away protective layers on tubs and sinks.

"It's always best to let products act on the surface for 10 to 15 minutes," suggests Avery. Technique is only half of it — Avery also recommends swapping harsh scrubbers for softer tools, like old toothbrushes (great for tight spaces!), nylon scrubbers and silicone toilet brushes. "Silicone is non-porous, which means less bacteria will get inside, plus it's less abrasive," he adds.

Shower walls and glass doors also require extra TLC. Avery says people scrub too hard trying to remove hard water deposits, but the right product can help. "If you notice the shower glass still looks cloudy or dull after cleaning with soapy water or vinegar, you need to use a limescale remover like Bio-Clean," he says. Apply it with the soft side of a sponge or microfiber cloth, then rinse and dry with a squeegee.

You've got your toilet, countertop and bathtub covered, but what about all the nooks and crannies in between? Avery says they're the first to be forgotten. "Dust accumulates inside cabinets and drawers over time and you might not notice it, especially if it's above eye level. Or, sometimes you spill a bit of your conditioner or mouthwash in them and you don't realize," he says, adding that you should vacuum them out and wipe them down with a little dish soap on a regular basis.

The same goes for your grimy soap and toothbrush holders. "Usually the quickest way to clean them is soaking them in hot water and using an old toothbrush to reach inside each area," says Avery.

More product, more problems. "Over-applying product leaves behind a sticky, soapy residue," says Picosa, adding that "it acts like a magnet for fresh dust, hair and soap scum." The result? "Your surfaces get dirty twice as fast."

Read over product instructions to ensure you're using the right amount. Concentrated cleaners generally give you more bang for your bottle, but they need to be diluted appropriately — for example, you only need 1 tablespoon of Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds per quart of water when making an all-purpose cleaner.