A bathroom fixture that keeps you looking and feeling clean, there’s nothing quite like a hot soak in a freshly cleaned shower. However, showers are often a breeding ground for bacteria and, if it’s not cleaned properly or on a regular basis, a shower environment can become a place where mildew, mould, soap scum, hair, water spots, general dirt, and other bacteria can build up. To prevent this, we advise cleaning your shower cubicle and the shower unit itself on a regular basis - we would recommend doing this around once a week. You may also want to keep a cloth or a squeegee and multi-purpose cleaning spray nearby to give your shower a quick wipe down after every use, helping to save time during deep cleans.
When it comes to giving your shower a full clean, one Panel Company tip is to spend time cleaning each individual shower part, including the shower head, glass, and the drain, as well as any other surfaces, to help it stay as clean and hygienic as possible - we suggest soaking your shower head in a zip lock bag of white vinegar to help prevent a build up of limescale which is one of the biggest causes of water spots. If you’re not sure where to start, our helpful guide will walk you through our advice on how to clean each shower fixture, as well as provide suggestions on how you can keep your shower clean in the future with minimal maintenance required.
How to clean a shower
There are many ways to clean a shower, but the easiest method is to tackle one shower fixture at a time, as the different materials of each element may require different cleaning solutions and equipment.
Before you start, we recommend removing all the items from your shower area, once removed, it might be worth sorting through each item, throwing away any empty shampoo or conditioner bottles to help prevent clutter once the shower area is sparkling clean. This will help you fully appreciate your efforts, and with less products in the shower, it may be easier to spot when mould begins to grow, or when dirt and grime starts to gather.
Whether you’re cleaning the kitchen, bathroom, or any other area of the house, the same rule generally applies: ventilate the area. This means that when cleaning your shower, we recommend that you open any windows, as well as keeping your bathroom door open. This acts as a safety precaution to help reduce potential health risks from the fumes of the cleaning supplies.
Once you’ve completed these steps, it’s time to move on to cleaning each element of your shower. Follow our top tips below on the best ways to clean individual shower parts to achieve a sparkling clean area.
Tips for cleaning shower walls
Your shower walls are often the areas likely to gather the most dirt. Before starting, we advise ensuring you have the right cleaning solution, as the recommended cleaner will depend entirely on what your shower is made from.
Tile showers
Ceramic or porcelain tiles are the most common material used in showers and tile cleaner can be purchased from just about any shop, or ordered online.
First, spray the cleaner onto your shower tiles - make sure you’re wearing gloves - before waiting around 10-15 minutes for it to work its magic. Clean this off using a soft sponge. Once this is done, your next job is to tackle any mould or dirt in the grout of the tiles using a homemade solution of water and bleach in a spray bottle - again, it’s important to wear gloves. Spray this solution on the affected areas and leave it to soak for around the same time as mentioned in the previous step. Then, using an old toothbrush, scrub the grout and rinse.
Stone showers
Stone showers feature natural stone and are typically made from marble or granite. These require more specialist care than standard ceramic or porcelain materials. One of our top tips is to avoid applying any harsh cleaners to the area as this material is more susceptible to marks and scratches. Due to their less durable nature, we also advise that you gently wipe down marble or granite showers after every use.
To clean this material, apply a specialist stone cleaning solution to the area and wipe down using a cloth or sponge. Then, rinse the area with your shower head and wipe with a dry towel or cloth to prevent any water marks gathering on the area.
The best way to clean shower glass
An area that can be more susceptible to gathering water marks compared to other shower fixtures, we recommend cleaning shower glass around once a week to help achieve a spotless look. Whether you’re looking to clean your glass shower doors, shower screen, or both,
follow our Panel Company tips below to help give your shower a clean and fresh appearance.
First, make a solution in a spray bottle that comprises equal amounts of distilled white vinegar and water. Next, apply this to both sides of your shower screen and shower doors, ensuring that all areas of the glass are thoroughly coated in the solution in order to achieve the best results.
Wait for around half an hour before using a damp cloth or sponge to wipe down the glass. You can also use your shower head to rinse off any remaining solution. To help prevent water marks
from staining the glass, use a squeegee on the area, before wiping with a dry microfibre cloth.
Tips to unblock a shower drain
One of the toughest and most unappealing yet essential areas of a shower to clean is your drain. If you’ve noticed your drain has become clogged with hair, it might be best to tackle this first as it can be a particularly messy job. The good news is, this should only need to be done once every so often. To prevent yourself from having to frequently clean the inside of your drain, we recommend purchasing a hair catching drain cover that allows you to simply remove and dispose of the hair after showering to prevent a large build up from blocking up the drain.
If you would prefer, calling a plumber might be a better solution for a drain that looks and smells like it might need some additional TLC. However, if it doesn’t look too bad but it's starting
to show signs that it could need a clean, such as if it’s beginning to drain less efficiently, or it’s starting to release a mild smell, follow our Panel Company tips and recommendations below to have it clean and working efficiently in no time.
There are several ways to unclog a drain, but the easiest and most common and time efficient method is to use a drain snake - if you don’t have one of these, a wire coat hanger will do. To do this, remove the drain cover and insert your drain snake, or straighten out a coat hanger using a pair of pliers, using the hooked end of the hanger to grab any hair that may be stuck in your pipes.
Once you’ve found your tool of choice, push this into the drain, and when you begin to feel some resistance, it means you’ve hit what may be clogging it up. Then, rotate the tool to ensure you’ve gathered all the hair, or other nasties that might be blocking the drain, before pulling it from the area and disposing of any grime and hair. Repeat this process if you feel necessary, but be careful not to push any blockages deeper into the drain.
Once complete, run your shower for a few minutes to flush away any excess hair, dirt or other residue. Once your shower looks clean and is draining smoothly again, clean and place the cover back in the shower pan.
How to clean a shower head
Arguably one of the easiest parts of the shower to clean, your shower head is generally quite low maintenance when it comes to cleaning, as the following steps only need to be done around once a month.
Simply remove your shower head and place this in a medium to large bucket, before covering it with distilled white vinegar. However, if your shower head is fixed to the wall and you can’t remove it, instead, fill a plastic bag with the white vinegar and carefully place this over the shower head, taking care not to spill any. Secure the bag around the shower head with anything you can find - ideally a hair bobble or rubber band.
Next, wait for around 30 minutes to one hour (only keep the white vinegar on for 30 minutes if your shower head is made from brass to prevent any damage to the finish). Finally, rinse with water and wipe down with a cloth. This helps to prevent a build up of limescale which can not only make your shower dirty faster, but can also be bad for hair health.
How to keep your shower clean
Like everything, nothing will stay clean forever and, in a week or so at least some parts of your shower may need cleaning once again. However, there are ways to reduce the amount of maintenance and upkeep you need to carry out on your shower. One of our recommendations for this is to invest in some quality shower fixtures from our range at the Panel Company, which are designed to be easy to clean and to prevent build-up to save you time when doing the weekly clean.
Panel Company shower fixtures
Whether you’re looking for a safe and durable shower screen, a shower head, or another common shower fixture, all the parts sold at the Panel Company have been made to an extremely high standard, and have been conveniently designed to require minimal upkeep and maintenance. Make cleaning your shower less time consuming by browsing our recommendations below:
Perfect for a wet room, these Kartell Koncept shower screens offer a sleek design that will provide your interior with a clean and contemporary finish. With a secure build, the safety glass has been toughened and offers a high amount of durability and strength. Suitable for installing on a shower tray, or wet room floor, these panels are easy to clean, require minimal maintenance and are available in a variety of sizes.
The Kartell thermostatic bar shower set is finished in stunning chrome with a practical dual shower head set, making this the perfect choice for households with small children. A dual shower also provides ease of movement to assist with cleaning the shower cubicle. The set also features a stainless shower drencher, helping to prevent water marks, reducing the overall maintenance and cleaning time.
Easy clean shower fixtures at the Panel Company
Whether you’re searching for a new shower head, valve, tray, screen, or drainage system, our shower collection at the Panel Company helps to make your life easier. Each fixture is easy to clean and maintain, reducing the time spent cleaning your shower. Offering excellent savings,
it might also be worth browsing the sale on our range of bathroom furniture and shower panels.
