Most of us think of the shower as a great place to go to get clean, but it can also be a place where we are exposed to mold, grime and mildew. Cleaning your shower can seem like a daunting task, but thanks to new and innovative tools and cleaning products, it’s easy to keep and maintain a clean shower.
- Empty your shower: Remove shampoo bottles, loofahs, razors, soap, body wash, etc. You may also want to wipe down and clean these items because they too, can be a haven for mold and mildew. Try to limit the number of items that you keep in the shower. If you aren’t currently using a particular item, stow it in another location. The more items that you have in the shower, the more you are giving micro-organisms a warm and moist place to grow.
- Rinse your shower walls and tub before scrubbing the walls: Using a Rinseroo, slip the stretchy top portion of the Rinseroo over your showerhead before turning on the water. (The Rinseroo is an excellent alternative to rinsing with a bucket or cup and, unlike a handheld showerhead, it doesn’t need to be installed. One Rinseroo can be used for all the showers in your house) The goal with this step is to get all the hair, dirt, and other particles down the drain and out of your way before you start to clean the walls. In a perfect world, you will rinse your walls and tub once a week to maintain shine and cleanliness. Keeping up with a weekly schedule alleviates the need for a more time consuming deep cleaning and prevents the buildup of dirt and germs. For best results, use a cleaner that helps prevent mildew and soap scum.
- Ventilate the room: If you have a fan, turn it on and if you have a window, open it. Cleaning products can be dangerous if you inhale them.
- Spray the walls and tub with a cleaning product: Let it soak for 5-10 minutes and do some other cleaning while you are letting it soak.
- Scrub the shower and tub walls: Use a sponge, cloth, or soft bristle brush and make tight, circular strokes. Avoid using hard bristle brushes and metal scrubbers. These can scratch your tile and tub.
- Rinse the shower walls with clean water using a Rinseroo: The Rinseroo converts your showerhead into a rinsing machine and gets the rinsing job done quickly and easily. If you don’t have a Rinseroo, use a cup or bucket to splash water on the walls to remove the remaining cleaning product. If you have a detachable shower head, then use that to rinse the shower wall instead. If your shower walls still look dirty, you can repeat the process but if you commit to cleaning weekly, it won’t be necessary.