Cleaning the shower is important if the undesirable household task that should be carried out weekly if not more often. When several family members bathe in the same shower, a variety of conditions can evolve that must be taken care of before they cause someone to become sick. For example, an athlete’s foot is a common shower problem. Certain kinds of mold that grow in a warm, moist environment can be deadly for someone with an allergy or asthma.
If you are assigned the job of cleaning the shower, here are some tips for going about it.
- Use a suitable cleanser and cleaning implements. Many housekeepers find a scouring powder useful in cleaning the shower and tub. But be careful that the powder doesn’t scratch the finish on your shower. Most won’t, but double-check to be sure. A home-made cleaning agent is simple baking soda sprinkled on the surface areas that have been moistened with water, left to sit a few minutes, then rinsed away. This will remove basic shower scum and stains. It will not, however, kill bacteria or germs.
- Use a fungicide spray for mold growth that you find in the shower area. It may be any of a variety of colors, but especially green or black. You can use a homemade solution of one teaspoon of bleach to a quart of cold water as long as bleach won’t hurt your shower fixtures or finish. Otherwise use a disinfecting product that you can buy from the store. Apply to mold or mildew, and follow the package directions if using a commercial product.
- Get an old toothbrush for rust stains or hard-to-reach spots around the shower door (unless you use a shower curtain). (Keep the toothbrush separate from others so no one mistakes it and uses it for teeth.) The toothbrush also can help to clean the drain and tiles, along with nooks or crannies that a cloth or sponge might have little effect on.
- Use a long-handled brush for the higher parts of the wall. Apply cleaning product to the brush and wipe it on that way if you like. Or spray it on (turning your face to avoid contact) and then remove with the brush. Use it also to rinse the walls and top parts of the shower area. Wash it out thoroughly each week when you are done.
- Don’t forget to clean the shower caddy, wash cloth racks, fixtures, drain, and other related areas. Clean the door area thoroughly, inside and out, or remove the curtain and launder it in the washing machine. You may have to use a special cleaning product that removes rust if your home has well water.
Rinse the entire area thoroughly with the brush or by turning the shower head to all angles as it pulses water. Open windows or turn on the fan so the shower can air dry. Wash the floor around the shower, let it dry, and put down clean shower mats or bath rugs, along with clean towels. Now you have a clean shower awaiting when you’re done with the rest of the cleaning!
