9 WAYS TO KEEP YOUR BATHROOM CLEAN LONGER

We hear you. When we polled 5000 Good Housekeeping readers about their cleaning habits, it came through loud and clear that the bathroom is not only one of your home’s most important rooms to keep clean, and but also one of the most difficult.

Here’s how to get more mileage out of your efforts and help this high-traffic room stay fresh longer.

1. Stop moisture in its tracks.
Nothing helps delay mildew stains like a dry shower. Hang a squeegee over the shower head and make it a rule that the last one to take a shower wipes down the walls, tub, and shower doors. A couple extra minutes of work can really minimize cleaning time in the long-run.

You can also quickly zap moisture by opening a window and turning on the exhaust fan while showering. Leaving the door open, even a crack, helps it dissipate. And don’t forget to stretch the shower curtain open when it dries, too.

2. Coat shower walls and doors with a water repellent.
We like EnduroShield or RainX. They help water, minerals, and soap scum bead up and run off, so there’s less for you to scrub away.

3. Skip bar soap at the sink.
Use a liquid soap with a pump or a even hands-free soap dispenser instead. Eliminating the grimy soap dish with help your sink and countertop stay cleaner.

Getty Steven Miric

4. Create order in your cabinets.
If you dedicate spots for cosmetics and hair tools in your medicine cabinet or vanity, they can be can be stashed away but remain within reach. A clutter-free counter instantly makes a bathroom look and feel cleaner.

RELATED: Super-Smart Ways to Organize Under the Sink »

5. Install ample towel bars.
Towels will dry more quickly and your bathroom will look tidier, too, when you hang them across a bar. No wall space? Consider an over-the-door towel bar or hooks.

6. Reach for long-lasting cleaners.
We like Mr. Clean Bath Cleaner with Shine Shield and Lysol’s Click Gel Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner. These formulas help sinks, tubs, and toilets resist stains for up to seven days.

Getty Angela Wyant

7. Stash a canister of disinfecting cleaning wipes under the sink.
This way, you can quickly zap toothpaste splatters, water marks, and other messes when you see them, and they won’t have a chance to dry and become tougher to remove. We also like the new tap-and-clean productsfrom Lysol or Clorox; they’re great for spot-cleaning.

8. Keep a stash of used dryer sheets nearby.
You can use them to quickly and easily nab hair and dust bunnies from the floor without dragging out the vacuum cleaner, and delay a major clean sweep.

9. Combat shower curtain buildup.
Spritz the bottom of a vinyl shower curtain liner several times a month with a bleach-containing all-purpose cleaner to keep soap scum, water minerals, and mildew at bay. Just let the shower rinse it off (before you hop in) and you won’t need to launder the curtain as often.