Clean a Shower

Your shower may be where you go to get clean, but it can be a thriving haven for mildew and grime. Cleaning your shower can be a big job, but it’s worth it to have a fresh, clean shower. No matter how dirty your shower is, there is a strategy to clean each part.

Steps

Unclogging Your Drain

  1. Remove hair from the drain. Take apart a wire hanger or use a thin, long item such as a knitting hook. Grab a garbage can or a plastic bag to put the hair in. Then unscrew the cap on your drain or just reach in, depending on the style of your drain. Pull the hair out and throw it away. Keep pulling the hair out until the drain is clear.[1]
    • Hair should be removed from drains on a weekly basis to keep your drains clear.[2]
  2. Apply a drain cleaner. You can opt for a commercial brand, or you can make your own by adding ¼ cup (59 milliliters) of ammonia to a quart (1 liter) of boiling water. Pour in the cleaner to dissolve any remaining clogs.[1]
    • Use a drain cleaner about once a month to prevent major clogs. With proper cleaning, your drains should continue to work well. If a drain becomes too clogged, you may need to call a plumber.[2]
  3. Rinse with hot water. Turn on the faucet and clear the drain with clean water. If the drain backs up again during rinsing, repeat the steps to remove the clog.

Cleaning Your Shower Walls and Tub

  1. Empty your shower. Remove bottles, loofahs, razors, soap, and other items. Wipe down plastic items to remove mildew and excess water. Throw out empty bottles and items you aren’t currently using. Having too many items in your shower makes it harder to keep your shower clean.
  2. Rinse your shower walls and tub. Using a bucket or cup, splash the shower walls and tub with hot water. If you have a handheld shower head, they work very well. You don't need to be perfect with this step; you just want to get all the hair, dirt, and other particles down the drain and out of your way.
    • Rinse your walls and tub once a week between deep cleanings to maintain cleanliness. For best results, use a cleaner that helps prevent mildew and soap scum.
    • Deep clean your shower and tub once a month.
  3. Open the bathroom door. If you have a window, open it as well for extra ventilation. Cleaning products can be dangerous if you inhale them, so leave the room if you start to feel lightheaded or nauseous.[1]
    • If your bathroom has a fan, turn it on to help with ventilation.
  4. Divide your shower wall into three to four sections. Mentally divide your shower so that you can make your cleaning task more manageable. Cleaning in sections will prevent the product from drying before you have a chance to work it into the surface.[1]
    • If you have a bathtub, include it in your sections.
  5. Spray the first section with a cleaning agent. Let it soak for 5-10 minutes, unless the package recommends a different amount of soak time.[1]
    • Make sure that your cleaning agent is appropriate for the type of material that your shower is made from. Never use acids like vinegar, ammonia, and normal bathroom cleaners on marble. Only use products that are labeled for use on marble.
    • Make your own cleaning agent by mixing 1 cup (237 milliliters) of vinegar, 1/2 cup (118 milliliters) baking soda, 1 cup (237 milliliters) ammonia, and 1-1/2 gallons (5.5 liters) of hot water.
  6. Rub in the cleaning agent. Use a sponge, cloth, or soft bristle brush and make tight, circular strokes. If your shower is very dirty, then you may need to rinse your sponge, cloth, or bristle brush in-between passes.[1]
    • Don’t use hard bristle brushes, and never use metal scrubbers. These can scratch your walls and tub.
  7. Rinse the shower wall with clean water. Use your cup or bucket to splash water on the wall, removing the remaining cleaning agent and the grime.[1]
    • If you have a detachable shower head, then use that to rinse the shower wall instead.
    • If your shower wall still looks dirty, then re-apply the cleaning agent and repeat the process.
  8. Repeat for the remaining shower wall sections and tub. Spray the next section, let it soak, rub in the cleaner, and rinse for each of the three to four sections.[1]
  9. Scrub grout with a bleach-water mixture. If you have grout, clean it with bleach and a small scrub brush. Mix two parts water and one part bleach. Use a grout scrubber to clean the grout with your mixture.[1]
    • Use an old toothbrush as a scrubber.
    • Don’t clean your grout with bleach and water while you clean your shower walls with the cleaning agent. Mixing chemicals is dangerous.
  10. Turn on the shower for a final rinse. Allow your shower to run for about a minute so that the bleach and any remaining cleaning product are rinsed away.[1]

Cleaning Faucets

  1. Rinse your faucet. Splash water up over your faucet to wet the surface and wash away debris.
    • You should clean your faucet weekly to remove spots and stains. Toothpaste and soap often leave flecks on faucets, and they are easiest to remove when they are recent.
  2. Mix equal parts vinegar and hot water. Create a cleaning and polishing agent using white vinegar and hot water. Your water should be hot, but not boiling.
  3. Wet a cloth. Dip your cloth in your vinegar-water mixture. Be careful not to burn yourself with the hot water.
  4. Wipe your faucet to remove spots. Work the cloth in circular movements as you polish away hard water spots and other splash marks on your faucet.
    • Use a clean cloth to dry the faucet so that you don’t leave streaks.

Cleaning Your Shower Head

  1. Pour white vinegar in a gallon-sized (4 liter) plastic storage bag. The amount of vinegar that you need will depend on how big your shower head is. You need just enough vinegar to cover the end of the shower head where the water sprays out.[3]
    • You can use any plastic bag, but a storage bag is more likely to be leak-proof.
    • Clean your shower head once a month to keep your water flowing well and to prevent mildew.
  2. Place your shower head in the bag. Make sure that your shower head is submerged in the vinegar. If you need to, remove the bag and add more vinegar to cover the spray area.[3]
  3. Tie a large rubber band around the end of the bag. Place your rubber band above the shower head so that the bag stays in place while allowing the shower head to fully soak in the vinegar.[3]
    • If you don’t have a rubber band, you can tie off your bag with anything that will hold it in place.
  4. Remove the bag in the morning. Let your shower head soak in the vinegar overnight. In the morning, pour the vinegar down the drain and throw away or recycle the bag.[3]
  5. Run clean water through your shower head. Turn on your shower and make sure that the shower head is spraying at full capacity. Wait a minute before getting in the shower to ensure that the vinegar is fully washed away.[3]

Cleaning a Shower Door

  1. Rinse off the shower door. Use your cup or bucket to wet the shower door. This pre-rinse should also remove any debris.
    • Rinse the door weekly between deep cleanings. Deep clean the shower door once a month.
  2. Apply a cleaner. You can use a commercial product, or you can mix a tablespoon (15 milliliters) of white vinegar into a cup (237 milliliters) of baking soda to use as a natural cleaning agent. Coat the shower door in your cleaner.[3]
  3. Set a timer for 1 hour. Your cleaner needs time to set. While you wait, you can clean another part of your shower if you’d like.[3]
  4. Wipe away the cleaning agent with a soft cloth. Be careful not to use a brush or wire scrubber on a shower door, which can easily scratch. Choose a soft cloth, such as microfiber, to remove the cleaner and grime.[3]
  5. Rinse the door with clean water. Cleanse the door until there is no more cleaning agent.[3]
  6. Dry the door with a soft cloth. Use a clean cloth to remove the excess water. This will prevent streaking on your newly clean door.[3]

Washing Your Curtain and Liner

  1. Remove your shower curtain and liner. Be careful not to drag them on the floor.
    • You may not need to clean the shower curtain itself. The shower liner is both easier to clean and the part that is likely to be dirty.
    • If your shower liner is very soiled, then you may need to replace it.
  2. Place them in the washing machine. Separate the curtain and liner, then spread them out. Drape each around the agitator in your washer, or loosely place them in the tub if you don’t have an agitator.
  3. Add two to three old towels. Towels will help remove some of the stains from your curtain and liner because they will scrub against them in the wash. Use medium to large bath towels.[3]
  4. Add your regular detergent. Unless the label specifies otherwise, you can wash your shower curtain and liner with your normal laundry detergent. Avoid using fabric softener.[3]
  5. Check the label for the recommended wash setting. If none is recommended, wash on a normal setting. If you are washing your (non-color) liner without your shower curtain, then treat it like you would your whites, washing it on hot with optional bleach.
  6. Hang dry or tumble dry low. Shower curtains and liners can easily shrink, so follow the care directions on your items. If you choose to tumble dry your liner and curtain, do it in 15 minute increments because they will dry quickly.[3]


Tips

  • Try using Rain X, a windshield protectant, to prevent future water stains.
  • Maintain your clean shower by keeping a squeegee in your shower. Squeegee your shower walls and glass shower door after each use.
  • Start the shower after you've finished to make sure there aren't any clogs.
  • Leave your shower door open after your showers, to allow air to circulate and dry the walls. Use a fan during and after your showers to dry out the bathroom. Sunlight also helps to discourage mildew.
  • Close the shower curtain after a shower to allow it to completely dry.

Warnings

  • Never mix household chemicals, especially bleach and ammonia. If you use multiple chemicals to clean your shower, rinse very thoroughly and allow plenty of time in between.
  • Most mildew-fighting chemicals are bleach based.
  • Keep the door to the bathroom open and keep the area well-ventilated. If you start to feel dizzy or nauseous, leave the room immediately and get some fresh air.
  • Never use steel wool pads in your shower, or even harsh plastic scrubbing pads or brushes on a plastic tub. You could leave scratches, which would gather water, dirt and mold.
  • Shower chemicals designed to work on hard water or soap scum are usually very strong acids. Wear gloves and handle with care.

Things You'll Need

  • Rubber gloves
  • Cleaning chemicals, either homemade or store bought
  • Sponge or scrub brush
  • Old toothbrush or grout scrubber
  • White vinegar
  • Cup or bucket
  • Soft cloths
  • Commercial shower cleaning product (optional)

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a17825/clean-dirty-shower/
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://www.plumbingsupply.com/how-to-prevent-clogged-drains.html
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/cleaning-bathroom/how-clean-bathroom/shower
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