Do you dread cleaning your bathroom because of the effort it takes to clean your standup shower or bathtub? The way you have to manipulate your body to scrub way deep down into a Jacuzzi tub or contort sideways to reach the back of a standup shower? This section of the bathroom can take up the most amount of time to clean. Especially if you are working with a lot of tiles, grout, and caulk with mold and mildew buildup?
Do yourself a favor a read the following for some time saving tips and tricks on cleaning your bathroom.
Prevention is Key
Whether you have a standup shower or bathtub preventing it from accumulating dirt and grime is the key to reducing the amount of time you are going to spend cleaning it.
Invest in a shower squeegee. After every shower, use the squeegee on all sides of the shower including the door. The squeegee removes ¾ of the water sitting on the walls after your shower. By pushing all of this water towards the drain it will allow the shower to dry faster and decrease your chances of mold buildup.
Make sure to run the bathroom fans during and after your shower to dry up any excess water before it can create mildew buildup.
Always leave the shower door or curtain open to allow for faster drying.
In between deep cleanings it is also important to be spraying your shower down with a shower cleaner at least 2-3 times per week. You can make a homemade shower cleaner using half part water half part vinegar and add a few drops of tea tree oil for fragrance.
Have The Right Kind Of Tools
The best type of brush to use especially for tile with grout in a stand up shower is a scrub brush that has a thin, head with stiffer bristles. Also a telescopic handle comes in handy to reach the furthest wall especially if it is really hard to reach.
Then use a smaller grout cleaning brush or a toothbrush to really get into the cracks and crevices that a larger brush won’t.
Clean The Grout
Another way to really prevent mold and mildew buildup in your bathroom is to take care of your grout. With grout you must seal it at least every year (sometimes every six months if the shower is used often) with a waterproof sealer.
Avoid using harsh chemicals on the grout such as bleach because it will wear away the waterproof sealant faster than normal. When the sealant is no longer effectively protecting your grout you will start to see mildew and mold buildup. This is the point at which it becomes very hard to remove.
There are several methods to removing mold once it is has accumulated in your grout:
- Mix ½ cup baking soda with one galloon of water into a spray bottle and spray the mixture on the affected area. Wait for a half an hour and rinse with warm water. May need to be repeated for best results.
- Mix ½ baking soda with a just enough water to make a paste. Spread the paste directly onto the mold spots. Let the baking soda paste sit for 10 minutes or more and then scrub with a strong bristle brush. This may need to be repeated for best results.
Protect Your Caulk
Another source of mold buildup is within the caulk between the tile and tub or at the corners of your shower. Caulk inside the tub is very important in preventing water from getting behind the tiles or tub insert and causing mold from growing in places that you cannot see.
The corners of your tub or shower should not look black or moldy. However, once they do become moldy it is extremely hard to get out. Moldy caulk makes the shower or tub look dirty even if it has just been cleaned…. It’s just irritating.
A great way to remove this moldy buildup from caulk is:
- Mix a cup of bleach with just enough baking soda to create a paste
- Paint the paste onto the caulk directly using a paint brush or sponge
- Do not skimp on the amount of paste used
- Cover the caulk with plastic wrap to keep the bleach from drying out
- Leave the paste and plastic wrap sitting for several hours
- When you see the caulk looking clean you can remove plastic wrap and clean with warm water
- If after several hours the caulk still looks moldy use a spray bottle to spray bleach directly above the plastic wrap
- Leave for several more hours until caulk looks mold free
Remember if you are working with bleach make sure to wear a mask and gloves. Also when using bleach make sure that you are in a well-ventilated area to prevent respiratory illnesses.
Remember Your Shower Curtain And Liner
This can be another source of mold and mildew buildup. If you have a shower curtain and liner it is important to spread the liner out after each shower. Do not leave the liner pushed all the way to one side. You will see quicker buildup of mold at the bottom of the liner if you do not dry it out properly.
After each shower you should squeegee your bathtub walls and even dry them with a towel if excess water remains. Then spread your curtain and liner out eliminating as many crinkles as possible.
The liner should be washed in the washing machine on a cold cycle every month. This will wash away the mold that will inevitably accumulate.
Don’t Forget Your Shower Head
The showerhead sometimes is easily forgotten. However, you will start to notice that there will be deposit buildup making it difficult for the water to come out of the showerhead. You may lose pressure in your shower if the head becomes too blocked.
When you clean your shower curtain remember this is probably also a good time to clean your showerhead. Take a plastic baggy filled with white vinegar. Place it over the showerhead and seal it with a rubber band or hair tie. Wait for thirty minutes to an hour and remove. Run the shower on hot for several minutes to clear the showerhead. Rub the showerhead clean with a cloth.
Scrolling through Pinterest you will see different pictures of home remodels with beautiful bathrooms that include enormous showers with hundreds of tiny tiles. Whether you have a bathroom that has a large detailed shower to clean or something smaller give these tricks a try to save yourself some cleaning time.