Freshening up in the showers feels heavenly, but it’s a pain to many people when it comes to keeping it clean. Showers with a bathtub are easier to clean because you only need to fill the water in the tub then scrub the sides, just like you would do when cleaning a bathtub. Unfortunately, many people are not aware of how to clean a shower floor, and end up doing a shoddy job. As a result, may have problems arise like bad smells and bacteria, which in turn cause health issues. If you are eager to learn how to clean your shower floor, then you may need to continue reading. In this article, we shall discuss everything you need to know about cleaning the shower floors. We shall also tackle questions regarding cleaning different types of shower floors and the right tools and other requirement needed.
If your shower has a bathtub, its floor is the bathtub’s bottom. You can open the water from the tub and allow it to soak the bottom. Then cleaning it becomes like a walk in the park. But it’s not the case with showers without bathtubs. With just the shower stall, there’s no way you can get standing water like in a tub. Besides, those with the square shape can be like a hard nut to crack when it comes to cleaning the corners. But just like other cleaning chores in your home, it becomes easier if you clean your shower floor daily or regularly. For instance, wiping down your shower after every wash can reduce mildew and mold on your shower floor and walls. Also, if the regular mildewing is giving you trouble, try adding a disinfectant spray when wiping or do the following:
- Get rid of hard water deposits every week by using a white vinegar mixture
- Use baking soda, vinegar mixture, hot water and a scotch pad to clean shower dirt and remove stubborn stains on your shower floor
- Open your shower’s windows and doors to allow sufficient air circulation
- Loosen all the tough scum stuck on your shower’s floor by using a fabric softener mixed with warm water
Your shower’s close confines should get cleaned when the area is well ventilated, even though it means using a fan. Ammonia too is excellent in cleaning your shower’s floor, but you should use rubber gloves on your hands to protect your skin. But shower floors come in various types, and each gets cleaned differently for effective results. Let’s look into how you can clean a textured floor.
How Do You Clean a Textured Shower Floor?
Cleaning a textured shower floor can turn to be a real chore, but the best part is that it’s doable. For every four parts of mineral oil, use a part of warm water to remove hard and stubborn soap scum on a textured shower floor. Use a sponge to liberally coat the floor and start scrubbing in circular but gentle motions. The oil loosens the soap scum, making its removal easy. After scouring the floor thoroughly, complete cleaning the shower’s floor by using a mixture of warm water and white vinegar. Mineral oil traces can cause slippage. To avoid this, rise the floor thoroughly with clean water. You may now know how to clean a textured shower floor, but you may wonder the best time for cleaning. Check out the answer herein below;
When Should You Clean Your Shower Floor?
You should clean any shower floor after using the shower. As you shower, the water and hot steam loosen up scum and dirt in the shower. Cleaning at that time becomes like a walk in the park. But the area around the door tracks can get tricky to wash. Use a toothbrush, or scotch pad sponge to reach inside the crevices. Sometimes grout comes out; if you notice any missing on your shower floor’s edges, add caulk immediately. As a result, long term damages will get prevented.
Our daily schedules and routines can use most of our time. Therefore, you may not get time to clean your shower floor every day. But this shouldn’t bother you; a monthly schedule will also work. Ensure your shower floor stays clean to prevent the breeding of fungus, molds, and bacteria which cause infections in the feet.
As additional shower floor cleaning tips, always clean your shower stall starting from the top towards the bottom. Use vinegar mixed with warm water to loosen deposits caused by hard water in your showerhead. If the spigots get blocked by any deposits, break them loose using a toothpick. After cleaning the shower head and its stall, then move to the doors and walls. The shower floor should get cleaned last. Also, use warm and clean water to rinse your shower floor after cleaning to eliminate any cleaning agents’ traces. Always wipe your shower’s wet floor and walls, and allow in fresh air by opening the doors and windows. In doing so, you get to discourage molds from growing.
Your shower floor may not get textured but made from natural stones. Here is how you clean such a surface;
How Do You Clean a Shower Floor Made with Natural Stone?
Shower floors with natural stone surfaces appeal the eyes, but they may lose their beautiful appearance and luster if not well maintained. Natural stone floors get made with either marble, granite, sandstone, slate, limestone, or travertine. To keep this type of shower floors clean, you need to use cleaning products made from pure natural materials and ideal for that specific kind of stone used in making the floor. Come up with daily schedules for cleaning, and establish maintenance routines. Also, take caring and protective precautions of these shower floors. But you may ask what natural cleaner solutions one can use on natural stone shower floors. They include the following;
What Natural Cleaner Solutions Can You Use on a Natural Stone Shower Floor?
Natural cleaners also get known as green cleaners. They come with a bunch of benefits such as;
- It is affordable
- Easy to make
- Environment-friendly
Natural cleaners will therefore not damage your natural stone shower floor, nor make them dull. Instead, they will polish and leave your floor clean. But if you should get from a store, ensure that the cleaner gets explicitly made for that kind of natural stone floor. For example, a stone detergent, soap, or mild dish soap. Below is a list of natural cleaner solutions ideal for natural stone shower floors.
I. Pine-Fresh Floor Cleaner Solution
With this solution, your bathroom floor will get left smelling nice, thanks to the pine-fresh smell that comes with this cleaner. It also gets made with castile soap, a gentle product obtained from vegetable oil. The fact that Castile soap does not form soap scum with any hard water makes it ideal for cleaning your shower floor and other areas like in the bathtubs, vanities, and showers. Pine-fresh floor cleaner solution works best when used on onyx, marble, travertine, and limestone. You can make this cleaning solution at home by mixing the following;
- A gallon of hot water
- Ten drops of essential oil from pine
- Two tablespoons of castile soap. It should be in liquid form like Dr. Bronner’s
- Five drops of essential oil from cypress.
II. Vinegar Solution
Shower floors made with slate, granite, quartzite, and sandstone get cleaned and maintained correctly with vinegar. Even floors in other areas like the foyers and kitchens. Never use vinegar solution on travertine, marble, onyx, and limestone unless they get sealed. Otherwise, they will get harmed by the vinegar solution. Here is how you make your vinegar solution at home; mix the following ingredients;
- Hot water in a full gallon
- White vinegar equivalent to one cup
- A drop of Murphy’s oil soap or dish liquid.
Sometimes you may need to mask the smell from the vinegar. In such a case, add a few drops of lemon, rose, lavender, and orange essential oils.
III. Rosemary-Geranium Floor Solution and Countertop Wipes
The fragrant wipes are perfect when used for deep cleaning like wiping down spills, in between mopping, or on the floor. But they come with vinegar, so do not use them on limestone, onyx, marble or travertine floors. Mix the following in a bowl and put in an airtight plastic baggie, can or container to make this solution at home;
- A cup of white vinegar
- Ten drops of geranium essential oil
- A cup of water
- Ten drops of rosemary essential oil
- Rectangle-shaped cellulose cloth
After mixing the ingredients in a bowl, put the rectangle-shaped pieces of cellulose clothes inside to absorb the mixture. Then put the cloth pieces inside an airtight container.
IV. Lavender Soft Scrubber
If your natural stone shower floor requires more scrubbing, the lavender soft scrubber is perfect in cleaning hard to clean surfaces. Impressively, it is safe to use on all surfaces made with natural stone. To make this solution at home, you need the following;
- Half a cup of liquid castile soap
- A ¾ cup of baking soda
- Five drops of lavender essential oil
- Water
- A ¼ cup of powdered milk
- A plastic squirt bottle
Start by mixing all the ingredients without adding water. Then pour the mixture in a plastic squirt bottle and add enough water to form a smooth paste. Shake the container to ensure that all the ingredients mix well. Then on your shower’s floor, squirt the solution and use a damp cloth to wipe the area. Then rinse thoroughly with clean water. If your shower floor is always prone to soap scum, here is how you can make a great remover at home;
The requirements;
- A teaspoon of salt
- Vinegar
- One tablespoon of baking powder
- Two drops of essential oil of your choice
First, mix all the ingredients in a small container. Ensure the vinegar is enough to help form a paste. Then apply this paste on areas with soap scum on your shower floor and scrub using a brush or damp cloth. Then rinse thoroughly with enough clean water. You, therefore, need not worry if other cleaning solutions failed on your limestone, onyx, marble, or travertine shower floor; this soap scum removal will work like a miracle on these floors. But you need to use only a small amount then rinse immediately. In case the natural stone floor gets dull on using this solution, use a soft cloth with an ideal polishing solution for that particular stone floor to polish. But the secret to a great shower floor is to clean and maintain it. To be successful, you need the know-how on the same. Check out the following tips on how to clean and maintain your shower floor.
You may also check our review on the best bath sponge here.
Are There Tips to Cleaning and Maintaining a Shower Floor?
- Avoid using too much-bought cleaners like soap on the shower floor as it may leave a film or cause streaks. Always ensure the mopping cloth used is soft, and use your hands to mop and wring it out.
- After scrubbing your dirty shower floor, don’t put the cleaning cloth back in the mopping bucket with the cleaning solution. Instead, use a clean mopping cloth and put the already used one aside or in the dirty laundry for washing. As a result, the water remains clean, making the shower floor get cleaner. Always use a clean damp cloth to help remove all the soap residue.
- For the natural stone shower floors, a steam mop is safe and ideal.
- Dust natural stone shower floors every day with a clean but untreated dry mop. It helps in keeping the floor free from grit, sand, debris, or dirt.
- If you’ve got items that can scratch your shower floor like china, silver or ceramics, place a mat underneath.
- To reduce scum, use a squeegee on wet areas ideal for getting soap scum after using your shower.
How to Clean a Shower Floor
Conclusion
As illustrated above, shower floors get made from different materials. For effective cleaning, you need to use the ideal cleaning agents for the specific floor material. Otherwise, you may end up damaging your shower floor. If you want to avoid bad odor and health issues, shower floors should get cleaned and maintained regularly. You may need to apply the listed cleaning and maintenance tips to ensure your shower floor is always at its best state. Use the cleaning methods discussed above to make your shower floor sparkling clean.
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