Things You'll Need
Newspaper
Phillips screwdriver
Cup
White vinegar
2 spray bottles
Measuring cup
Chlorine bleach
Rubber gloves
Stiff brush
The vent in a bathroom has the sole purpose of allowing air to escape to the outside -- keeping condensation from building up inside the room. Unflattering smells can build up in the vent as a result of mold and mildew and fill the bathroom with a less-than-pleasant odor. You can get rid of the smells that are plaguing the vent. Household supplies are needed, as are protective gloves that can be acquired from a hardware store or home and garden shop.
Step 1
Place a sheet of newspaper on the bathroom floor. Remove the screws form the bathroom vent, using a Phillips screwdriver. Place the screws in a cup. Place the cup on the bathroom counter. Pull the vent off the wall. Place the vent, face down, on the newspaper.
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Step 2
Pour white vinegar into a spray bottle and screw on the cap. Shake the bottle for 10 seconds.
Step 3
Spray a 10-second mist of vinegar onto the vent to saturate it. Wipe the vent's edges and between the slats, using a paper towel. Spray another misting of vinegar on the vent, only this time for three seconds. Turn the vent over. Repeat the procedure just completed on the other side.
Step 4
Pour 10 oz. of room temperature tap water into the second spray bottle, using the measuring cup. Add 2 oz. of chlorine bleach to the spray bottle. Shake the bottle, once the top has been screwed on, for 10 seconds.
Step 5
Put on the rubber gloves. Spray a stiff brush to saturate it. Scrape inside the vent compartment's edges with the stiff brush. Wipe the brush off on a paper towel after 10 seconds have passed. Continue scraping the inside edges until all of the contaminants have been removed. Place the brush in the bathtub to wash off later.
Step 6
Spray the inside edges of the vent for 10 seconds. Spray a three-second burst of mist into the vent. Let the vent air-dry for an hour before reattaching the vent. Empty the spray bottle in the toilet.
Tip
Keep the bathroom door and windows open, so there is ventilation while you work.