What do you use to clean your shower? I have tried everything and none of it really works to where I dont have to scrub. I cant physically scrub anymore but would still like a clean shower. The Works shower cleaner worked well but of course Kroger stopped selling it and I dont see it at the other places. I need industrial strength. Anyone have an idea?
Shower Cleaners
Comments ... #
I use Dow Bathroom Cleaner. It's an aerosol can. The "scrubbing bubbles" stuff. It works just fine. Spray it on, let it work - it doesn't take too long -and rinse it off. Very little elbow grease is required, unless the shower hasnt been cleaned in a long time.
I think how difficult shower/tub cleaning is depends on what the shower/tub is made out of (enamel/porcelain vs acrylic/etc), combined with how heavy the soap scum is (and how many people contributed to it). Years ago, I realized that dispite all my scrubbing (and buying every product (and I mean every product, some industrial) I could find) that I was basically just scrubbing the soap scum in some places. Soap scum can be difficult to remove. Anyway, out of frustration & began to gently scrape the surface with a single-edged razor blade (in a holder) & was amazed at how the soap scum shaved off in dry sheets, exposing the 'clean' & white surface beneath it. Sounds disqusting, and it was - and it took me some time to scrap the entire surface of my kids tub, but once that old soap scum was removed, cleaning the tub just got so much easier. Now & then I'll go at it with the blade in areas, but it's been easier to keep clean since that first 'scrape down'(which had built up over some time before I realized I had been scrubbing 'dried scum' & not the tub surface). After it was scraped down, I tackled it with Softsoap with Bleach & a furniture remover pad to scrub it (soft enough to not scratch, but scrubs well). I've since used this single-edged razor blade 'technique' on that foggy dried dog spit scum build-up on my sliding glass door - shaving it off makes it easier to clean the actual glass, without all the scrubbing to get through the scum. I've long said that household cleansers will be the death of me - anybody who's scubbed down tubs in an enclosed windowless bathroom knows what I mean about fumes.
I do think enamel/porcelain tubs are easiest to clean. The acrylic (or whatever it's made of) surface seems to act like a soap scum magnet & is just more difficult to clean off.
I haven't tried the liquid soap - my husband is staunch about using Safeguard, will accept no substitutes. My son insists on Dove which I think makes the worst soap scum & it melts so fast (and I think it's hard to wash off your body). I'd like to try the liquids - maybe I'll lay down the law to no more bar bath soap.
posted by starling02 on May 24, 2008 at 06:52:08 pm #
Clorox Clean-Up works great for me. Has strong fumes though. If you use regularily, it's spray and wipe, no scrubbing.
posted by angryconsumer on May 24, 2008 at 08:44:23 pm #
I buy The Works at the Dollar Tree. But have recently found that I also love Clorox Clean-up for my shower.
posted by NeighborGirl on May 25, 2008 at 05:19:43 am #
Thanks.. I'll look at the dollar tree. I have some clorox clean up here already. Maybe I'll give that a try too.
Any product with bleach in it is going to cut your scrubbing work by like 90 percent or even more, unless your shower is particularly gross with soap scum, mold and mildew. In a pinch, a solution of bleach diluted with water (like, say, 1:10) in a spray bottle works just as well and saves money.
Just remember to rinse surfaces with fresh water after 10 or 15 minutes or so, and don't let the bleach solution sit too long on any caulking you may have along your inner tub surround. Be sure to rinse and dry any bleach-treated caulked areas very well. Really, the worst of the "work" is the rinsing, if you don't have a detachable shower head. I often skip that step entirely and don't bother with any post-treatment scrubbing at all, either, because it's usually not required, but those are probably not the best directions to give someone.
In between serious cleanings, you can always give your shower a quick spray-down with a vinegar-water solution (like 1:4 or stronger). Works just as well as commercial "daily shower cleaners." And again, it's cheaper. White vinegar is a great, cheap, less toxic cleaner in the bathroom and kitchen for quick light-duty cleanups. No rinsing required. I always keep a bottle of a strong vinegar-water solution on hand for counter wipe-ups, for example. Spraying vinegar on a new shower curtain liner is also supposed to slow the accumulation of grime, but I'm only semi-convinced of that. (I've heard that a salt-water soak can accomplish the same thing, but I've never tried it.)
JUST PLZ DO NOT USE BLEACH AND VINEGAR TOGETHER, OK?
Also, I also sometimes get yellow-ish or gray marks on the floor of my tub. A wet Mr. Clean Magic Eraser -- or one of its generic equivalents -- works really well on those, without any chemicals. I'm not sure if the Magic Eraser might not hurt some tub finishes, though, so test an inconspicuous spot first. :)
After you get your shower clean, here's a tip...
Don't use bars of soap. Use liquid soap/body washes. Bar soap leaves the soap scum that's the worst of all to clean.
I have a spotless glass shower door that people have asked me how I keep clean, assuming that I must scrub it often. Actually, I never "scrub" my shower at all...getting rid of the bar soap made all the difference.
posted by mom2 on May 24, 2008 at 11:27:47 am #