Cleaning a bathroom, let alone a shower isn’t the funniest of jobs. Being around bathrooms all day and for many years, we've seen our fair share and are asked about cleaning a shower and in particularly how to keep their beautiful new bathroom and shower screen looking like new.
The two biggest secrets we have to cleaning your shower is:
Reduce moisture as much as possible as it is the lifeblood of mould and mildew.
Maintenance. Regular cleaning stops mould and mildew from taking hold.
You obviously want to know what to clean the shower with. But with so many parts to a shower, each needs its own approach. The shower parts that need individual cleaning regimes.
Shower screen
Shower curtain
Shower doors
Shower frames or wall clips
Shower head
Drain
Exhaust fan
Even the shower mat
But first of all you should know when to clean the shower. It is best to clean your shower once it is already wet, straight after everyone has showered for the day.
The cleaning product and cleaning agents you use are up to personal preference. But please follow these three basic rules
Use a piece of cloth or smooth brush that is not abrasive
Check your cleaning agents aren’t abrasive
Check your cleaning agent is going to deteriorate the finish on any surface such as a frame of the silicon or seals in your shower.
Once you have cleaned the shower, rinsing is always vital to give frames and glass a good finish. is advisable to avoid accumulation of dirt.
One of our best tips is to keep your shower clean is frequent cleaning. Maintenance is one of best tips, so giving your shower a quick once over when you jump out will keep your shower in its best condition and also make it easier to clean when you are giving it a deep clean.
Make a solution consisting of white vinegar and water in equal quantities.
Pour this solution into a plastic spray bottle.
Use a soft cloth or sponge.
Clear your shower or all shampoos, scrubs and brushes etc before cleaning.
Fill a bucket with clean, fresh and warm water.
Rinse the interior of the shower.
Apply the vinegar and water solution to your shower screen.
Wipe the surface with the cloth.
Rinse the cleaning cloth on a regular basis.
After finishing rinse the shower screen with plain water.
You can use any piece of cloth or smooth brush provided it is not abrasive to clean shower screens with. Then use a cleaning agent of your choice but ensure that is also abrasive or won’t deteriorate any surfaces, seals or silicon’s in your shower. If you aren’t having any luck with the current cleaning agents you use, why not try the below.
If you follow this process once every two weeks, you will find that the cleaning process takes only a few minutes. If you don’t clean your shower screens for months, you will find it is much harder to achieve a fully clean shower screen that sparkles and gives you that showroom shower screen look.
Cleaning the frameless shower screen involves cleaning the glass panels and the glass clips which hold the panels in position. You should use a cleaning reagent that does not deteriorate the surface of the glass or the clips along with a piece of cloth or sponge that is not abrasive. Vinegar is often used as a reagent. Apply the cleaning reagent, use the cloth to wipe off the dirt and rinse accordingly.
Cleaning a semi frameless shower screen is not difficult. It is usually advisable to use cleaning materials such as cloths and brushes that are not abrasive to maintain the glass and frame finish. Frequent cleaning is also advisable to avoid the build up of dirt and soap residue. Depending on the nature and type of frames and glass panes, the choices of the cleaning agents must be carefully selected to suit both the glass and the frames.
Cleaning framed shower screens should be done on a regular basis. This is usually to prevent the buildup of residue in and around the frames, joins and seals. If the residue builds up, the show screens can become harder to clean and maintain a clean look. Use a non-abrasive cleaner and cloth and thoroughly rinse off. Framed shower screens are definitively harder to clean than a frameless one which is why they are such a popular choice amongst home owners, renovators and designers. The frame of a shower screen means that mould and mildew has an extra spot to take hold in your bathroom. So the most important tip is to be consistent with your cleaning (every 1-2 weeks) of your showers frame. Check out our full Shower Cleaning Guide for more great tips.
The best option to a streak free glass shower screen and doors is to use vinegar.
Dab the vinegar on a dry cloth
Starting at the top, wipe the cloth over the glass and work towards the bottom
Rinse off the glass with water again starting at the top.
Dry off the shower screen with a squeegee.
What can’t WD40 do? Spray WD40 on the glass surface you want to clean. Then take a clean cloth and wipe down the glass surface. After which, rinse the surface with water and then dry.
Pour white vinegar on the glass surface and use a cloth to wipe off the dirt and build up. Then rinse off the glass with water and dry.
Spray your shower curtain with a mould remover or cleaner or
Soak it in vinegar and water for at least an hour or
Put it in the washing machine and dry completely in the sun. Most are washable but just check before you do.
Of course, the best way to avoid a dirty shower curtain is to not have one. Shower screens come in all different styles, prices and are custom made so a shower screen can be created for almost any shower or bath.
The best way to keep your shower curtain clean is to avoid it getting dirty to start with. But keeping mildew and mould at bay is easier said than done.
Moisture is your worst enemy and a bathroom is the perfect environment for mould as it is damp, warm and often starved of light. It sounds silly in a bathroom, but keeping moisture to a minimum in your bathroom will reduce the mildew and mould.
Try these tips as a start to keeping your shower curtain clean
Keep a window open when showering
Run the fan while showering
Keep the fan running for 20 minutes after you have finished showering
Keep a squeegee in the shower to wipe away excess moisture after you’ve finished
Make sure you hang it after use to give it maximum airflow to allow the moisture to dissipate.
Ideally you remove the mat from the bathroom to remove the extra moisture from the room which only contributes to the growth of mildew and mould. It should be dried outside in the sun. Most bath mats can then be washed regularly (once a week) in the washing machine.