How to Clean a Shower

Showers must be cleaned thoroughly every week as a dirty shower attracts mildew spores, bacteria, and grime. Learn how to clean a shower properly here.

Our lives are busier than ever and some things are bound to slip through the cracks. Shower cleaning is near the top of that list. Despite our best intentions, it’s not uncommon to go a few days without cleaning your shower.

Still, it’s imperative to clean your shower thoroughly at least once a week because a dirty shower attracts mildew spores, bacteria, and grime.

But who has the time, you ask?

We want to help so we’ve come up with this handy guide. Continue reading to learn how to clean a shower quickly and properly.

1. Prepare the Space

The first step is to remove everything from the bathtub. Put bottles and other shower products on a towel or bathroom countertop. Take the bath mat out of the bathroom for now.

If you have shower curtains, pull them to one side or, better yet, flip them over the shower bar so you can have easier access for cleaning.

2. Spray the Walls With Cleaner

Get your tub and tile cleaner and spray the walls generously. Don’t spray the tub just yet.

For porcelain, ceramic or glass walls and tile, you can use your favorite tub and tile cleaner. We recommend apple cider vinegar as a do-it-all cleaner.

Natural stone showers that use granite, slate or travertine, require neutral soap or specialty stone cleaners.

Make sure you have the right product for your shower’s surfaces before you begin.

After you spray the shower walls, wait at least five minutes. The product is doing the cleaning work for you so the longer you let the cleaner work, the easier it is to attack soap scum.

Step 3

Take the rough side of your sponge and begin scrubbing the walls, beginning at the shower’s far left wall. Scrub left to right and move downward until you reach the bottom of the wall.

Then continue on to the next wall and repeat the process.

Step 4

Now it’s time to move on to the tub. The process is the same as in steps two and three. Spray the tub and let it sit for at least 5 minutes. Then scrub the tub moving from one end down to the other.

It’s important to note: If your tub surface is acrylic, only scrub with the soft side of the sponge as the abrasive side can destroy the finish.

Step 5

Now comes the fun part. It’s time to rinse your shower with hot water.

If you have a removable shower head, rinse down the shower using the same pattern you used to scrub it. Start on the far left wall and move right until the entire shower is completely rinsed.

If you don’t have a removable shower head, fill a container with hot water and rinse the walls, left-to-right.

Once everything is rinsed, use a squeegee to whisk water off of the walls and tub. If your doors are glass, using a squeegee can make them look like they were cleaned by a pro.

Then buff the walls and tub with a clean cloth. Shine the chrome to put the finishing touch on the shower.

How to Clean a Shower: The Bottom Line

Now that you know how to clean a shower, make sure you do a deep cleaning like this at least once per week.

Remember, mold and bacteria thrive in wet environments. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to keep your shower dry as much as possible. When you are done showering, use a squeegee to clear most of the water. Then use your towel to dry off any remaining water.

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