Considering how to clean your shower can often come with a bit of a debate as to the order in which you clean. Most people have their own unique way of cleaning their own shower. Perhaps you scrub it with a shower cleaner first and then give it a good rinse! Or, maybe you clean in the reverse order, starting with a good hose down of your shower, followed by a bubbly rinse! But have you ever questioned what the best way is to clean a shower? Well this all depends on the kind of shower you have. But the one thing we do all have is a shower head - and that can often be a pain to clean! So let’s start with some guidance on how to deal with the grime on your shower head.
How to clean your shower: first steps
Firstly, you may be wondering how to clean your shower head? Surprisingly, after an hour’s soak in a plastic ziplock bag filled with white vinegar, the limescale should come off fairly easily! You only need enough vinegar to cover the shower head. After it has soaked, simply rinse off the vinegar with water. Using a toothbrush will help perfectly to get rid of any lingering limescale. Other household cleaners (apart from bleach), shower head descalers and even lemon juice can be suitable alternatives to white vinegar. Just make sure you avoid this method if you have a shower made of natural stone or marble!
How to clean your shower: make your shower doors shine.
Knowing how to get soap scum off your shower doors can be frustrating - but here's how to start. Clean your shower screen from top to bottom and dry up excess water with a microfibre cloth. When you clean, use lemon juice or baking soda on a dampened sponge for best results. Let it soak on the screen for a few minutes if tough stains are visible.
If you want to keep your shower door looking good, squeegee the glass after each use of the shower. Keep a mixture of vinegar and water in a spray bottle to spray on the screen each day. You only need one cup of water and half a cup of vinegar to make this homemade cleaning spray. Using a water repellent spray or all purpose bathroom cleaner each month, will keep away any hard water stains that like to show up after a while! If you have a shower curtain, rather than a shower screen, this should also be washed monthly. You can also clean a shower curtain with a melamine sponge!
The best way to clean marble and stone showers
For marble and stone showers, just use a soap solution and dry the shower down after each use to maintain its condition. If you don’t have time for drying marble or stone showers, you may need to use baking soda and water mixed into a paste to get rid of mould.
How to clean grout inside a ceramic tile shower
Mildew spores easily grow inside grout. You will need to regularly clean to keep away the appearance of black lines inside a tile shower. It’s best to clean the grout before you begin cleaning the whole shower with the usual multi-purpose cleaner. The solution you need to use is quite strong so keep the bathroom windows open. Make sure you have at least 20 minutes to spare before you start cleaning. The solution needs 10 minutes to soak into the grout before being rinsed away. Wear rubber gloves and use a sponge to apply a mix of one part chlorine bleach and two parts water to the grout. The longer you leave it, the less scrubbing you will have to do. Even if you use a commercial cleaner, leaving it to soak will give it time to break down tough dirt. Try and find an old toothbrush to clean the scum away from the grout and avoid using highly coarse brushes that could damage your tiles.
How to clean smaller areas of your shower
Have you ever noticed rusty rings appearing beneath a soap bottle you don’t often use? A quick trick to clean these away is to use lemon juice and baking soda! However, it’s a big mistake to use bleach on rust stain as this will only make them more permanent. Stronger commercial cleaners will help with older stains if the lemon juice doesn’t seem to be working. A paste made from a teaspoon of lemon juice and two teaspoons of salt is also helpful for getting rid of the rust in smaller areas of your shower door. Regularly wash behind any other small shower accessories such as shower caddies and bathmats. This is exactly where mould and scum can build up unnoticed! Remember to also clean your shower tracks regularly to avoid having a rough time deep cleaning them.
Long lasting methods for a cleaner shower
Finally, besides the usual daily rinsing and drying of your shower, there are a few extra things you can do to reduce how often you need to deep clean. If your bathroom doesn’t have much ventilation, a dehumidifier could work wonders for keeping the mould away. To maintain shower cleanliness for longer, consider having a water softener installed if you have hard water in your area. Overall, regular cleaning and choosing the correct cleaning method for your type of shower, will ensure that you keep your shower sparkling clean!
