How to REALLY get rid of boy smell in the bathroom-from a mom of 3 boys who has tried and tested every solution out there for getting rid of urine smell in bathrooms!!
I've been wanting to write this post for quite some time but kept putting it off because, well, it's just not a "pretty" thing to talk about. If you search Pinterest for tips for this situation you'll find tons of articles and I have tried them all over the years. One solution in particular that has been pinned a lot didn't do a thing for my boy's bathroom-then I realized the author had only daughters! How could she possibly truly understand the full extent of little boy nastiness that can occur??? Today I'm here to tell you that as the mother of three young boys (all under 9) that this is how to really get rid of boy smell in the bathroom!
First off, I didn't take a ton of pictures for this post-I'm not filling my blog with toilet pictures, it's icky. Second, this is not one of my natural cleaning posts. I've tried four hundred different combinations of baking soda and essential oils and they did NOTHING to get rid of the pee smell in my boy bathroom. I had to pull out the big guns to get the job done.
Is your grout sealed?
It's important to know if your grout is sealed-it will make a big difference in how much your bathroom retains the stinkiness and how difficult it will be to clean. I gave a full tutorial for how to refresh and seal grout when we were at our last house-you can find it here. If your grout is not sealed I highly recommend you seal it after a thorough cleaning to help make cleaning easier in the future.
Start at the top
Now for the cleaning-I recommend bleach-I use this cleaning spray. Start at the top of the toilet and wipe it down with (thick) paper towels. Don't just pay attention to the obviously soiled areas-believe me when I tell you that there is a fine layer of miscrospray over the entire area. I know. It's gross. But it's true and if you don't get every inch of the porcelain you can't expect for it to really be clean.
As you make your way down the toilet be sure to wipe around the area where the toilet seat attaches to the bowl and then wipe down the sides of the toilet bowl exterior and all around the bolts at the bottom-this is a huge problem area for my little guys. I also use the bleach on the tile about a foot out from the toilet base as well.
The Secret Weapon
Now for the secret weapon to get those hard spots-this gel bleach pen is the bomb. Lift the toilet seats-you'll see some small bolts that attach the lid to the bowl-this is another secret space that urine can accumulate and cause that yucky smell. It's tiny so it's hard to clean but I apply a little of this bleach gel to the area, let it sit a few minutes then use a Q-tip to wipe it out. (Prepare for nastiness when you do this-it's gross as can be!) I also use this bleach gel on the caulk around the base of the toilet. Again, let it sit then wipe up with paper towels (I never use sponges on the toilet cleaning-it grosses me out!)
The Finishing Touches
Finally I clean the bathroom floors with my steam mop because the high steam temperature really helps get the area clean and removes any bleach residue that might be left.
Okay, there you have it-my essay on cleaning boy pee-pee bathrooms. I promise to be back to more appealing subjects tomorrow!!
Anybody have anything to add? I'd love to hear your tips on what has or hasn't worked for you!
You might also like my kid's bedroom cleaning checklist, kid's bathroom cleaning checklist or all of my cleaning tips and tricks!
L says
The ignorance in which you freely tell people to use bleach is concerning. First you suggested that people should clean their washers with bleach and vinegar which creates a deadly gas... now you're suggesting that bleach should be used where urine is present?!?!?!? Will you please do everyone a favor and learn about the dangers of mixing certain chemicals and which ones cannot and should not ever be used together. You're literally going to be the reason someone ends up in the hospital or dead. Stop spreading ignorance and educate yourself. Unbelievable.
Melissa Riker says
Using a bleach-based cleaning spray to clean the exterior of a toilet is in no way dangerous. I am not recommending mixing ammonia and bleach.
Natalie says
These are great tips and well needed. I only have one boy (and a daughter) but he does a fine job of stinking up the bathroom. I recently had the plumber here because i couldn’t place where the smell was coming from. He said under the base of the toilet it was all crystallized urine 🤢. He cleaned , put a new seal on but I still need more cleaning !!! This will be great. Thanks !!
Melissa Riker says
The struggle is real!!
Natalie says
There walls behind the toilet AND beside the toilet always need wiped down too. Things spray everywhere in the bathroom.
Melissa Riker says
Yes, it is a constant battle!
D says
I never comment on blogs but as the mom of 4 boys I think I'm qualified on this one! My number one tip is to get one of those toilet seats that removes easily for cleaning. That way you can get in around the bolts that attach the seat more easily AND you can take the seat to the sink and thoroughly rinse off the hinges (after having sprayed them with cleaner). Their bathroom has never smelled cleaner!
Melissa Riker says
That's a great tip! I need to put that on my to-do list, the bolts are the worst part!
Karen says
I put the toilet seat in the bathtub to clean it. Then I clean the bathtub afterwards.
K says
Don’t forget to wash the shower curtain (if you have one) occasionally!
Melissa Riker says
Great tip!