How To Clean a Walk In Shower in a Few Minutes Or Less.
Want a sparkling clean shower with just a few minutes effort? With the right tools and know how it’s super easy and quick.
I’ve rarely give my shower a full clean, yet it is always sparkling.
It wasn’t always this way for me. I’ve wasted many an hour, cleaning a dirty shower and a dirty bathroom. So I’ve really had to research and work to come up with methods and a routine which make it super quick – giving me a clean shower with more life and time not spent cleaning.
There are two steps:
1.) The key to minimum cleaning is to spend a few seconds after every shower cleaning up. The more you can do after a shower, the less you will have to do on a regular clean.
2.) Declutter – a shower with less stuff is so much easier to clean.
What You Must Do During and After Every Shower
The aim is to prevent moisture and soap scum building. Less moisture means less mildew and mould. Less soap scum means more sparkle.
Therefore, after each shower:
1.) Remove moisture for the shower glass after each shower using a squeegee. Clean from top to bottom, to prevent soap scum and moisture. You can also do this for the tiles. This takes a minute tops. If you don’t have a squeegee, try using a towel.
2.) You can also use the squeegee to push water down the drain. Then wipe any excess water from the shower floor with a towel. I used to use a microfibre cloth to do this. However, I learned the microfibre cloths can shred fibres into the water system, which isn’t good for fish and the environment. So now I wipe the shower floor dry with a Turkish towel, which I just use for this job. But any towel will owrk. Make sure that you rinse the shower floor free from any dirt before the end of your shower, otherwise, your towel may get dirty.
Try and make sure that any cracks are dried each time you have a shower as this will prevent more cleaning later down the road.
3.) It’s also important to ventilate while you are taking a shower and for 30 minutes after. This will ensure you don’t get any mould or mildew around the shower. Use your extraction fan and /or open a window.
These 3 steps take 1 to 2 minutes after each shower. And it’s so important in keeping a clean shower. If you keep the shower free of moisture and get rid of the soap scum, it doesn’t really need a lot more cleaning. And when you do clean it, it’s a breeze.
Declutter
I wasn’t always able to do such a quick clean of my shower after each use. My shower was full of clutter. Shampoo bottles, shower gel, kids bath toys, soap and lots more. It’s impossible to clean your shower when there is so much stuff in the way.
Getting rid of all the stuff in the shower helps me keep it clean, as you only need a quick wipe down with a squeegee and a towel. No need to remove everything. In fact, my bathroom is kept free of clutter – meaning all cleaning is much quicker than it used to be.
Nowadays, I keep any bottles and cleaning stuff I need in baskets. I take the basket I require into the shower. I then take out the products I need while I’m in the shower, and replace it in the basket immediately after use. Once my shower is done, the basket goes back in it’s place in the cupboard.
I also have a basket full of cloths, towels and products I need for my shower clean.
Having a shower where nothing is stored will cut down your cleaning time immensely.
A Full Clean
There will be occasions where your shower will need a full clean. Once you’ve done a full clean, you can return to a maintenance schedule (cleaning a minute or so after each shower).
The best time to give a full clean to a walk in shower is just after you’ve used it. The hot water will loosen the dirt.
I go into the shower barefoot to clean the glass and the tiles. If you are worried about slipping, consider investing in a non slip shower mat or wear flip flops.
Clean the shower glass
I spray the glass with vinegar and then I rub in with a sponge. The vinegar breaks down soap scum so it does the work for you. Work your way from the top to the bottom from left to right. Then leave to work. I do all rinsing at the end.
If there is a lot of soap scum you can also use a tiny bit of washing up liquid / dish soap. Rub it in with a sponge and then leave to work.
Tiles and Shower Interior
Clean the tiles with a sponge and vinegar. Sometimes you may need something with a little more cleaning power than vinegar so you can use a squirt of washing up liquid (dish soap). You can also use it in a spray bottle. Use one part white vinegar and one part dish soap. Mix the ingredients in a spray bottle and spray your shower.
Don’t forget to clean round the shower unit itself. How long you spend on this will depend on how dirty your shower is.
Rinse
Rinse all the tiles and shower glass with the shower. Use a squeegee to remove the water from the tiles and glass You can also use a towel to dry the tiles and glass although personally, I just use the squeegee.
Floor
Divide the shower floor into sections. Step into the shower to clean the section furthest away first. You can also use a long-handled mop to clean the section furthest away if you don’t want to step into the shower.
Clear the shower floor with vinegar and a sponge. Again washing up liquid (dish soap) can be used if you would like a bit more cleaning power. You can then the cleaner off with a damp multipurpose cloth. If you want, use a towel to dry any remaining moisture.
Remember to clean around the plug hole / drain.
Shower Head
Vinegar is perfect for cleaning the shower head. If you can, remove the shower head and soak in vinegar overnight.
Other Shower Cleaning Tips
Use liquid soap in the shower instead of bar soap. There will be less soap scum to clean
Get your family on board. Make sure that everyone uses the squeegee to wipe down walls and the glass after each shower (can be done in under a minute). And it’s a fun task for kids to do.