How to clean a shower stall at home

Shower - comfortable, dynamic, modern. Recently, shower cabins have become very popular, they are preferred when refurbishing bathrooms. The cubicle is an ergonomic solution for limited space, such as the bathrooms in our apartments.

But no matter how the eye rejoices at the new acquisition, over time, spots and plaque appear on shiny surfaces. The walls of the shower room and the glass doors of the entrance become cloudy, splashed with the remains of soapy foam, which, when dry, leaves streaks. It's time to take action and decide how to clean the shower stall efficiently, quickly and at minimal cost.

How often should the shower stall be washed

The advantage of a shower cabin over a conventional bathroom is its compactness and greater hygiene. But there is also a significant drawback - the bathtub is much easier to clean than the stall. In the care of the shower box, we will have to face the following types of pollution:

• plaque on the walls from dried soap suds;
• lime deposits on pipes, watering cans and taps;
• mold stains.

These troubles appear gradually, accumulating day after day during operation. There is only one way to deal with them - to regularly maintain cleanliness. This does not mean that after each shower, you need to wash, clean and scrub everything, periodic, light cleaning is enough.

Let's start with simple manipulations, when you finish washing, just rinse the stall and wipe the surfaces dry. In most cases, due to lack of time, not everyone will succeed. Then pay attention to the shower, at least once a week.

How to wash properly

The main problem, not only for shower boxes, but also for all our plumbing fixtures, is the quality of tap water. Its hardness accelerates the process of limescale deposits, which can deteriorate the appearance and break down equipment. But, if you know how and what to wash the shower stall, most of these troubles can be avoided.

Let's start with the cab doors, most often they are made of glass or plastic. If it was not possible to wipe the surface of the shutters dry after taking a shower, then special detergents will help to cope with dried drips. For these purposes, sprays or gels are best suited. Apply the product to a surface or soft cloth and dry thoroughly.

Next, we move on to the pallet. Most likely it is made of acrylic, which is very easy to clean with ordinary soapy water and a sponge.From household chemicals, the most acceptable option would be a polish containing wax, which will create a water-repellent effect.

Now let's make the metal sparkle. Special sprays and aerosols will also be effective here. We spray them abundantly on the surface of chrome-plated parts, wait for a while, according to the instructions for the product, rinse with water and rub the surface until it shines.

As a general rule, no cleaning pastes or powders containing abrasive particles are required.

Selection of the necessary tools

When caring for a shower stall, you need to take into account the fact that it is made of dissimilar materials. Therefore, to work we need a certain toolkit. But before picking up the tools, let's see what our booth is made of:

• for the manufacture of walls, doors and roofs, plastic and glass are usually used;
• pallets are usually made of acrylic, but they also use ceramics, natural or artificial stone, enameled steel;
• frame elements and guides are made of aluminum;
• mixer, handles, shower heads - chrome-plated steel.

Soft cloth and microfiber

To clean the shower box properly, first of all, you need to arm yourself with a rag. This is a universal washing tool, but there are certain technical requirements for it:

1. The material must be strong and durable;
2. It is good to absorb water, dirt and leave no streaks.
3. Easy to squeeze out, lint-free and gentle surface care.

These requirements are fully met by the new generation material - microfiber. It is a polymeric fabric with a fiber thickness of several micrometers. The structure of the material resembles a sponge. It absorbs four times its own volume of water, and after squeezing it remains practically dry.

Rubber scraper

Quick and effective cleaning of glass surfaces can be done with a scraper brush. Structurally, the scraper in appearance resembles a mop with a double-sided working surface. The upper part of the tool is equipped with a foam nozzle, the bottom - a scraper made of soft rubber. A foam insert is applied to the glass with a cleaning solution. After washing, the dirty water is thoroughly swept away with a rubber squeegee.

Foam sponge

Foam rubber is the most common material for sponges. Its porous structure promotes abundant foaming. The difference between the sponges is in their size and density of the material. The defining characteristic is the density, the higher it is, the more foam is formed during washing, therefore, detergent is saved. The double-sided sponge is equipped with an abrasive layer, which is used for treating surfaces with persistent dirt.

Toothbrush

As you know, there is high humidity in showers. If the ventilation system in the bathroom is insufficient, then in an enclosed space, like a booth, mold spots form. It is a harmful substance in the form of black plaque at the corners, in the seams, on the joints. Such places, without postponing for a long time, must be treated with an antibacterial agent.Since mold, most often, appears in hard-to-reach places, in order to remove it efficiently, you should use a toothbrush.

Special cleaning products

When we clean the shower stall, it is important to choose the right detergent for the most effective cleaning. When choosing household chemicals for washing and cleaning, first of all, you should pay attention to the composition of the substance. To eliminate the risk of injury to individual parts of the shower cubicle, the product should not contain active ingredients such as alcohol, ammonia, acetone, acids.

Depending on the material of the surface that you are going to wash, you need to decide which type of product is suitable. So, aerosols and sprays are offered for cleaning products made of acrylic, glass or metal. Gel-based products can be used to effectively remove stubborn dirt and stubborn limescale. In any case, the final choice will depend on your preferences and features of plumbing.

Cleaning with folk remedies

In some cases, it becomes necessary to abandon chemistry and use proven folk remedies for cleaning the shower stall. The principle of operation of almost all home-made solutions and formulations is based on the reaction from the interaction of water-soluble acids with magnesium and calcium salts, as a result of which the decay of lime deposits occurs.

Ammonia

Ammonia has repeatedly proven its effectiveness in the fight against soap suds. To enhance the action of the ammonia, you can prepare a cleaning solution with baking soda and vinegar. To make such a tool, you will need the following ingredients:

• 100 ml of ammonia;
• filtered water - 2 liters;
• 50 grams of baking soda;
• table acetic acid - 50 ml.

The components are thoroughly mixed and applied with a sponge to the surface to be cleaned.

Hydrogen peroxide

To clean the shower box properly, you need to consistently use baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. This product will not only wash away accumulated dirt, but also help get rid of mold and mildew. The sequence of actions is as follows:

1. Sprinkle areas of contamination and mold spots with plenty of soda and leave it for 10-15 minutes.
2. We clean the surface with microfiber and a sponge.
3. We treat with peroxide and leave to dry. We use a toothbrush in hard-to-reach places.

Soda

How to clean the shower cubicle from limescale? Soda will quickly and effectively deal with even the most persistent dirt and lime deposits. Moreover, such a component is likely to be found in any kitchen. What we have to do:

1. We moisten the area of ​​the shower stall to be cleaned.
2. Gently apply a small amount of soda to it.
3. Armed with microfiber, gently scrub the surface.

Do not forget that soda is abrasive, so work should be done with caution. In order not to spoil the surface with scratches.

Lemon acid

Citric acid is a versatile remedy for all types of dirt: from soap suds to limescale.The preparation based on this component is very simple. Pour a tablespoon of acid into a glass of warm water and stir until completely dissolved. Make sure that there are no lemongrass crystals left at the bottom, as they can leave scratches. We moisten a sponge in the solution and start washing. In heavily soiled areas, the hard surface of the sponge can be used.

Stages of cleaning the shower stall

The cleaning process in the shower cabin can be roughly divided into several successive stages. To begin with, we set ourselves up morally and gather strength. The next step is to prepare tools and detergents, taking into account the materials to be processed and their degree of contamination. Do not forget about personal protective equipment: gloves for hands, and in case of using cleaning agents with a strong, persistent odor and surfactants, use a respirator and goggles.

Next, we carry out the conditional division of the booth into zones, in the sequence with which we will wash them:

1. Chrome surfaces, taps, flexible hose, shower diffuser.
2. Ceiling and side panel surfaces.
3. Front door glass or plastic on the curtains.
4. Pallet.

Remember that you are working in a confined space with high humidity and the use of chemicals, so you should take care of ventilation or good ventilation.

How to get rid of old plaque

If it so happens that your shower stall has not been washed for a long time and an old plaque has formed on its surfaces, do not rush to part with it and acquire new equipment. There are many tools and methods that will help return the booth to its original appearance.

The principles of cleaning shower boxes from old plaque are the same, both with folk and special means. Apply the product to the surface to be cleaned, leave it for a while, then rinse it off with water using a sponge or scraper. We collect the rest of the water with microfiber so as not to leave streaks.

Equally efficiently, the task can be accomplished using a melamine sponge. Thanks to its unique composition, it removes old plaque without the addition of a cleaning agent. After that, it remains only to wipe the surface with a lint-free cloth.

The steam generator has super ability to remove old plaque. After processing the surfaces of the shower stall with a hot stream of steam, it remains only to wash off the exfoliated dirt and wipe everything dry.

General rules of care

In order to keep the inside of the shower box clean and fresh as long as possible, a number of simple rules should be followed:

1. Whenever possible after showering, try rinsing surfaces to remove any traces of soap suds.
2. Continuously clean the walls from moisture with a scraper with a rubber nozzle.
3. Wipe the cab dry with a soft cloth.
4. Do a general cleaning with special detergents once a month.
5. Wipe down metal and chrome parts thoroughly after use.
6. Keep the booth door half-closed to prevent mold and mildew stains.

This will be enough for the miracle of plumbing to work for a long time and trouble-free.

If you have read all the recommendations to the end, you can consider yourself an expert in shower care. Agree, there is nothing difficult. You just need to follow the rules, spend a minimum of time cleaning after visiting the shower and get maximum pleasure for many years.

Video: cleaning the shower stall from limescale