Inside: How to clean a shower with vinegar so it shines
Cleaning the bathroom can often feel like a daunting task, especially when it comes to tackling soap scum, hard water stains, and grime in the shower. However, there’s no need to rely on harsh chemicals to get your shower sparkling clean.
Vinegar, a pantry staple, can be a powerful and natural cleaning agent for your bathroom. Its acidic properties break down limescale while its antibacterial properties leave everywhere truly clean. All you need is a spray bottle and you’re set!
In this blog post, we will explore how to clean a shower with vinegar, offering eco-friendly and cost-effective solutions that will leave your bathroom looking and smelling fresh.
Why Vinegar Is an Effective Cleaner
We are so used to buying chemical-based products through years of advertising telling us they are the very best but more and more people are wanting to switch to eco-friendly alternatives. So what makes white vinegar such an effective cleaner to use around the home?
- Acidic Properties: Vinegar is mildly acidic, making it effective at dissolving mineral deposits, soap scum, and hard water stains.
- Antibacterial: Vinegar has antibacterial properties, which can help eliminate germs and bacteria in your shower.
- Deodorizing: It naturally neutralizes odors, leaving your shower area smelling fresh.
- Environmentally Friendly: Vinegar is non-toxic and biodegradable, making it a safe and eco-friendly cleaning option.
We don’t need chemicals to clean our home when we have so many natural cleaner alternatives. Vinegar can clean your bathroom, your laundry and so much more!
How to clean your shower with vinegar
If you have a shower then you will have a few areas that need attention, including the shower head itself, the shower screen, the tiles and the shower unit. Vinegar will make light work out of them all.
For stubborn areas you can create a vinegar and baking soda mix. Together they make a fantastic cleaning solution that cuts through grime with ease.
Materials You’ll Need:
- White distilled vinegar
- Water
- A spray bottle
- Baking soda
- A scrub brush or sponge
- Microfiber cloth
- Plastic bag
It is a good idea to open up a window when working with vinegar to avoid breathing too much in – especially when working with warm vinegar.
The shower head
This is where the power of vinegar amazes me – simply pour straight vinegar into a plastic bag and wrap it around the shower head, securing it with a rubber band or hair tie. Or, if your shower head is flexible you can lower it down and sit it in a bowl of vinegar instead.
Leave the vinegar to work overnight, where it will break down any limescale and other mineral deposits, leaving the shower head clean and clear once again.
The shower screen
If you have glass shower doors then you’ll be all too familiar with the build-up of residue that lines the inside. For this job you will need to prepare a spray bottle with a solution of half vinegar and half water.
Spray the solution onto the glass and wipe away using a soft cloth to reveal clean and clear glass! If you want to stop build-up again, consider investing in a shower head filter, as this will remove impurities, which is the main cause of scum build-up.
Shower drain
It’s never nice to imagine what lurks beneath the shower, but combine hair and soap scum and you get the idea. But once again, the power of vinegar comes to the rescue to leave your drains running clear.
To clear a drain, either regularly as part of your cleaning process or if one becomes blocked, boil a kettle of water and pour it down the drain – this will begin to melt away any soap scum. You then need to carefully pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain before pouring a mix of 2 cups hot water and 2 cups vinegar down with it. Leave this for 5-10 minutes.
The baking soda and vinegar breaks down the hair and scum blockage, freeing it up to move down the drain and out of your home. The final step is to boil another kettle-full of water and pour it down the drain to clear everything away.
Tiles and grout
The bathroom tiles get splashed with water and soap as well as the shower screen, but the grime is harder to spot on certain bathroom surfaces compared to shower glass.
All you need to do is spray some vinegar onto the shower walls, allow the vinegar solution to sit for 20 minutes before using an old toothbrush to scrub at the dirty grout. For particularly tough stains you could spray the solution onto paper towels and lay them onto the grout. Wipe everything away with a clean microfiber cloth once the time is up and you’re done!
Bath and shower floor
Whether you have an over-bath shower or a separate shower cubicle, the fibreglass or acrylic surface will need a good clean regularly to avoid water marks and scummy lines.
A homemade shower cleaner is much less abrasive than chemical cleaners you find in the store, so is perfect for the delicate surfaces in a bathroom. All you need to do is use a mix of equal parts warm water and vinegar and spray it onto the surface before sprinkling on baking soda – paying special attention to any areas worse than others.
Use a cloth to scrub away at any water spots and mineral deposits before rinsing with clean water.
Cleaning your shower with vinegar is not only effective but also eco-friendly and budget-friendly. By following these steps and using the power of vinegar, you can keep your bathroom looking its best while avoiding harsh chemicals. Say goodbye to soap scum and hard water stains, and hello to a sparkling clean and refreshed shower space.
There are so many different ways you can use vinegar around the home, from cleaning your washing machine to actually using it as a softener for your laundry. If you are sick of using harsh cleaning chemicals then switch out your cleaning supplies with natural products instead!