Bathroom Chores For Kids By Age

The bathroom is one of the dirtiest, most-used rooms in the house. It's also the least fun to clean. The good news: kids can do a lot of what this busy room needs. They do help muck it up, after all.

Here's a list of bathroom chores for kids by age, from toddlers flushing and hanging up their towels to teens scrubbing the toilet. Kids can do the chores for their age group and every group below it.

Some of these jobs happen every day, some once a week, and some once a month. There's a schedule further down. (For chores in every room, see Chores for Kids by Age.)

Bathroom Chores for Kids at a Glance

Bathroom Chores for Kids Ages 2 to 3

Toddlers can handle the basics, and the basics are most of the battle.

•      Flush the toilet and put the seat down

•      Help rinse out the tub after bath time

•      Put dirty clothes in the hamper (if the top is low enough)

•      Hang up their towel on a low hook

•      Put tub toys in a bin

Hooks beat towel bars at this age. A towel bar requires folding. A hook requires flinging, and toddlers are excellent flingers.

Bathroom Chores for Kids Ages 4 to 5

•      Put tub toys in the net or bin so they can drain and dry

•      Rinse out the sink after brushing their teeth

•      Rinse the tub with the handheld sprayer or a cup (with you right there)

•      Wipe toothpaste off the counter with a damp cloth

•      Put the cap back on the toothpaste. Yes, this counts. Ask any parent.

Bathroom Chores for Kids Ages 6 to 8

Now kids can do real cleaning with water, a cloth and a squeegee.

•      Rinse out the tub

•      Wipe up spills and splashes

•      Squeegee the shower walls and door after every shower

•      Hang up their towel on the towel bar (folded in thirds, ideally)

•      Sweep or vacuum the floor and wipe up spills with a damp cloth

•      Wipe smudges off walls and doors

•      Empty the wastebasket

•      Wipe the inside and outside of the cabinets

The squeegee is the best two-minute chore in the house. Thirty seconds after every shower keeps soap scum and hard-water spots from building up, which means a lot less scrubbing later. Kids love it, too. It's basically a windshield wiper for the shower.

Bathroom Chores for Kids Ages 9 to 12

Preteens can clean most of the bathroom, using a spray cleaner you've chosen and a microfiber cloth.

•      Clean and disinfect the counters

•      Wipe the faucets, chrome fixtures and mirrors until they shine

•      Clean the shower

•      Mop the floor

•      Clean the windows

•      Clean the window blinds

•      Put out fresh towels and refill the soap

•      Wipe and disinfect light switches and doorknobs

•      Empty the wastebasket and wipe it out with a disinfecting wipe

Teach them to work top to bottom and dry to wet: mirror and counters first, then the shower, then the floor last, so the dirt falls on the part that isn't clean yet. (Here's how to teach any chore.)

Bathroom Chores for Teens Ages 13 to 17

Teenagers can clean the whole bathroom, start to finish. Including the toilet. Especially the toilet.

•      Clean the toilet, inside and out

•      Scrub the sink and the tub

•      Wipe down the walls

•      Wash the shower curtain and liner

•      Disinfect the sink and clear the drain

•      Clean the light fixtures

•      Restock toilet paper, soap and toothpaste, and tell you when supplies run low

How to clean a toilet, the teen version: put on gloves. Squirt the bowl cleaner under the rim and let it sit while you spray and wipe the outside, top to bottom: the tank, the lid, the seat (both sides), the rim, and the base.

Then scrub the bowl with the brush and flush. Clean the brush by rinsing it in the clean flush water, and let it drip dry between the bowl and the seat before you put it away.

The 2-Minute Daily Bathroom Wipe-Down

The secret to a bathroom that never gets truly gross is a tiny bit every day. Post this on the inside of the cabinet door:

1.     Towel on the hook or bar, not on the floor.

2.     Dirty clothes in the hamper.

3.     Rinse the sink and wipe the toothpaste off the counter.

4.     Squeegee the shower if you used it.

5.     Flush, and put the seat and lid down.

6.     Caps on, stuff away. Toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, back where they go.

That's it. Two minutes. Brushing your teeth takes longer.

These are personal virtues, not chores: everybody cleans up after themselves. The real chores are on the weekly list.

Bathroom Cleaning Schedule for Families

For more on fitting it all in, see Weekly Chores for Kids by Age and Monthly Chores for Kids by Age.

Make the Bathroom Easy for Kids to Clean

Make the Bathroom Easy for Kids to Clean

•      One hook per kid, each a different color, at their height.

•      A step stool so little ones can reach the sink.

•      A kids' cleaning caddy with a microfiber cloth, a squeegee, and a spray bottle of water with a few drops of dish soap.

•      A cup or a toothbrush holder for each child, so nobody's toothbrush ends up on the counter.

•      A mesh net or bin for tub toys, so they drain and dry instead of growing mildew.

Bathroom Cleaning Safety for Kids

•      Never mix cleaners. Bleach plus ammonia, or bleach plus an acid like vinegar or some toilet bowl cleaners, makes toxic gas. Teach this one before anyone sprays anything.

•      Lock up cleaning products and medicines, up high and out of reach. If a child swallows a cleaner or a medicine, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.

•      Little kids clean with water and mild soap. Disinfecting sprays and wipes start around 9, with good ventilation, and kids wash their hands afterward.

•      Toilet bowl cleaners are for teens and adults, with gloves.

•      Never leave a toddler alone in the bathroom, even for a minute. Young children can drown in a few inches of water in the tub, a bucket or the toilet. Use a toilet lid lock if you have a toddler.

•      Set the water heater to 120°F to prevent scalds.

•      Wipe up wet floors right away, and use a non-slip bath mat.

Frequently Asked Questions

At what age can kids clean the bathroom?

Kids can start helping at 2 by flushing, hanging up towels and putting away tub toys. By 9 to 12 they can clean most of the bathroom with a spray cleaner and a cloth, and by 13 they can clean the whole bathroom, including the toilet.

At what age can a child clean a toilet?

Teens can clean the toilet, inside and out, with gloves and a bowl cleaner. Younger kids can wipe the outside of the toilet with a disinfecting wipe once they're about 9.

What bathroom chores can a 5-year-old do?

A 5-year-old can rinse the sink after brushing, wipe toothpaste off the counter, hang up their towel, put tub toys in the net, and flush and put the seat down.

How do I get my kids to keep the bathroom clean?

Post the 2-minute daily wipe-down on the cabinet door, give everyone their own hook and cup, and keep a squeegee in the shower. A little every day beats a big scrub every week.

What cleaning products are safe for kids to use?

Water and a microfiber cloth, or a spray bottle of water with a few drops of dish soap. Kids 9 and up can use disinfecting wipes with you supervising. Keep bleach and toilet bowl cleaners for teens and adults.

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