WHILE cleaning your bathroom isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time, it’s an unavoidable part of homeownership.
However, the plus side to this is when finished, a squeaky clean shower can make the whole bathroom look and feel fresher.
How to clean a shower?
First things first, clear the area of any bottles of shower gel, soaps, and flannels. Give yourself a clear space to work with.
You will need:
- Cleaning fluid (natural or chemical)
- Sponge
- Squeegee
- Plastic mesh scrubber
- Toothbrush
- Rubber gloves
- Microfibre cloth
When you're all prepped, cleaning just takes patience and elbow grease for your shower will be sparkling in no time.
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Don't forget to ventilate the room as best as you can when using chemicals, take breaks and don't mix products with bleach and ammonia.
How to clean a showerhead
Cleaning the shower head is often one of the first tasks people look at when starting.
Limescale can build up around the head making it less powerful and directing your water off in odd directions.
The safest and easiest way to do this is by removing the head from the pipe, this is usually a simple unscrewing.
An expert at Victorian Plumbing advised: " Most modern shower heads should simply screw off with little effort, though you may need to use a small spanner on stubborn older ones.
"Once unscrewed, you may find a small rubber washer within the hose connector.
"Make sure you keep this safe as without it, your shower will almost certainly leak water from this connection."
You can clean the head easily with white vinegar if the limescale isn't too bad - just leave it in a bucket of vinegar for half an hour.
Remove the head and rinse before cleaning any tough bits with vinegar and a toothbrush (we don't recommend using your current brush).
If the limescale build-up is more substantial or you don't want the vinegar smell, buy a specialist limescale cleaner.
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Victorian Plumbing advised to "brush away at any remaining blockages within the nubs on the face".
An expert explained: "The white vinegar should have loosened these up, making them relatively easy to remove.
"Follow this by polishing the unit with a soft cloth to really bring it back to life."
Once this is done, you're set to rinse and reattach your head.
How to clean the shower drain
The shower drain is a dark and dank area of the shower which most of us avoid cleaning regularly.
The good thing is there are many ways to clean a drain, but they each require you to get a bit grubby.
Put your rubber gloves on and lift the drain trap, remove any hair or debris caught and clean it.
If the blockage is lower down, use a drain snake to clear the pipes before pouring your cleaner.
Use boiling water to help dissolve any soap scum and begin shifting dirt.
Follow the instructions on your drain cleaner or for a natural option mix white vinegar and baking soda, let this sit in the drain for 15 minutes and then rinse with more boiling water.
If this doesn't help improve the speed of drainage or there is still a blockage, call a plumber.
How to clean a shower glass
Glass is relatively easy to clean as the flat surface lets you move quickly over the shower.
Limescale and watermarks can quickly make your shower look dirty, so using a squeegee after each shower is a great preventative measure.
Use a soft sponge and spray your cleaner over the glass, use circular motions to break down any limescale build-up.
Once the shower is clear, rinse with water then squeeze the water away so you don't undo all your hard work.
How to clean tiles
Grime and dirt can easily cling to grout and tiling, allowing mould to grow in some cases.
According to experts at Victorian Plumbing, "the first thing you should focus your attention on is the grouting" when wanting to make your bathroom look tip-top.
One said: "This can really start to look dirty after a while and mould growth can begin to appear too which will obviously spoil the look of the room.
"Luckily giving your grout a new lease of life isn’t all that difficult, just a little bit time consuming, especially in a larger setting."
Start by spraying your tiles with hot water - as hot as the shower will go - to loosen any dirt and open the pores in the grout.
Next, get your cleaner (be it a homemade vinegar-water mix or shop-bought) and coat your tiles with it.
Leave this to sit for ten minutes before starting on the grout, scrubbing with a toothbrush but avoid the tiles themselves so you don't scratch it.
If you have a softer scrubber use this over the whole tiled area to dislodge any dirt.
Rinse the sides and wipe dry with a microfibre cloth.
Victorian Plumbing advised those who want their bathroom to look brand new will have to add an extra step.
An expert at the bathroom company added: "If you want a brand new, super clean look, however, simply cleaning might not be enough.
"What you need in these circumstances is something called a grout pen.
"These clever items look a bit like marker pens but they allow you to paint over the existing grout, bringing it back to a finish that looks like the day it was first applied.
"You can get them in numerous colours too!"
How to clean a shower curtain
Luckily shower curtains are super easy to wash and many are washing machine-safe.
Remove the curtain from the pole carefully and place it in the washer at a warm temperature.
Use a gentle liquid detergent for the cycle and simply hang it back up after it is finished.
The trick to keeping shower curtains clean is to wash them regularly and allow them to dry thoroughly.
Damp patches let mould grow so open your curtain out to dry if possible.
How to clean a shower tray
Finally, your shower tray will also need cleaning, especially after cleaning everything else.
Gentle perseverance is the best course of action with shower trays.
Rinse or wipe away any dirt with hot water.
Spray soap scum or limescale patches with cleaning fluid and leave to sit for five minutes.
Wipe this away with the sponge, or scrub away if it's a bit more stubborn.
Once the dirt has lifted, rinse well and leave to air dry.
How to get rid of mould in the shower?
Mould is rife in showers at they have the perfect conditions for it to grow.
Vinegar once again can be a great option if you're going down the natural route for cleaning.
If not bleach will do the trick to kill off any mould.
Pour a mixture of water and bleach on any affected areas, making sure to wear gloves.
If the grout is growing mould, grab your toothbrush and scrub with bleach mix.
Take regular fume breaks, keep the bathroom ventilated and wear glasses as well as gloves if possible.
Rinse away the mould and bleach after cleaning, if it's still there the grout or sealant may need replacing.
Use an extractor fan or keep windows open when showering to stop mould growing.
