How To Get a Shower Floor Squeaky Clean the Natural Way
Trying to keep your shower floor from growing mold and scum can be baffling. Nothing seems to work!
The cleaning products you’ve tried just don’t work the way they seem to in the commercials. They are irritating to your skin and dangerous to breathe in.
You don’t have all day to scrub your shower — and it seems like that’s what it will take to get it clean. You don’t want your kids bathing in chemical residue either, so you have to work around their schedule too.
There’s no need to test out any more of the chemical cleaners advertised as oh-so-magical. You don’t have to worry about what kind of exposure the shower occupants are exposed to.
We share proven methods of success for maintaining a clean, inviting shower that’s safe and chemical-free. Our priority at Tidy Up Portland! is to help you maintain a clean home safely and naturally.
Table of Contents
What Is the Easiest Way To Clean a Shower Floor?
The easiest way to clean a shower floor is through daily maintenance. Use a squeegee to direct any residual water down the drain. A spray bottle with rubbing alcohol is good to keep on hand, depending on the type of floor. It's a disinfectant that is easy on surfaces and is especially useful for disinfecting corners.
Although you shouldn’t use vinegar on grout because it can break down the seal, you can use it on a plastic tub or a tub without a finish. Vinegar breaks down the soap scum and disinfects.
The easiest way to clean a shower floor is to let someone else do it for you. Tidy Up Portland! can do this and much more. We have many options you can choose from to get the specific cleaning help you need in any area of your home.
How To Clean a Shower Floor by Type
How To Clean a Tile Shower Floor
Shower floors with grout (which fills in the spaces between tiles) are more prone to getting grungy than those without — as grime clings to grout. If you have a standalone shower, you have probably seen this because most standalone showers are tiled.
While many people think using vinegar on a tile shower floor is a great way to clean, at Tidy Up Portland! we don't recommend this because it can quickly break down the seal on the grout.
If there is enough buildup in your shower, you may have to resort to scrubbing with a scrub brush. For lighter cleanings, a little bit of baking soda on a sponge goes a long way. For regular upkeep (i.e. to prevent a gross shower that you will have to scrub), use a squeegee to direct the water into the drain after each shower. Keep the floor dry and well-rinsed of soap.
For tubs, you can clean with vinegar, since there is no seal to worry about. Vinegar breaks down soap scum and disinfects. It can even make pink mold disappear.
Fill the tub with an inch or so of water and several splashes of vinegar. If you have a bath mat, turn it upside down and either pour straight vinegar on it or let it soak in the tub with the water/vinegar mixture. Alternatively, wash the mat in the washer with vinegar (without detergent).
If your tub requires scrubbing, keep in mind that the rough side of a scrubby will scratch the surface of older tubs. Modern tubs, however, can sustain such scrubbing without damage.
For fiberglass and plastic tubs and showers, just rinse thoroughly so soap scum doesn’t build up and keep them as dry as possible.
How To Clean an Acrylic or Fiberglass Shower Floor
Be sure to use non-abrasive products, such as dish soap or liquid laundry detergent, along with non-abrasive scrubbing materials, such as sponges, brushes, or cloths made of polyethylene, polyester, or nylon.
Then follow these steps:
Apply cleaner with a sponge, brush, or cloth.
Gently rub the surface. Rubbing too hard can cause scratches.
Rinse the floor with water.
Dry the floor with a soft cloth.
If you have tougher stains that don’t respond to gentle scrubbing, consider the following methods:
Make a baking soda paste, apply it to the stain, and leave it there for several hours before rinsing thoroughly with warm water.
Pour vinegar over soap scum stains and hard water deposits. Let sit for a few minutes before scrubbing with a sponge or brush.
Saturate several layers of white cloth with hydrogen peroxide. Place it over the stain and let sit overnight. Rinse with water and dry completely.
Aim to clean your shower once a week and clean stains as they appear to avoid an intense and time-consuming session of scrubbing later on.
How To Clean a Shower Floor FAQs
How Do You Clean a Shower Floor With Vinegar?
Spray everything with a half vinegar/half water mixture for a regular low-effort way to keep your floor clean. You can scrub with this mixture or just leave it to dry and do its preventive disinfecting work on its own.
For a dirtier floor, use dish soap, white vinegar, and baking soda:
Mix 3 cups of water, 1 cup of vinegar, ⅓ cup of baking soda, and 2 tablespoons of dish soap in a spray bottle.
Let it fizzle before capping it.
Spray the shower floor, and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
Scrub with a sponge or toothbrush.
Rinse with water.
Dry thoroughly.
What Are the Best Natural Products To Use To Clean a Shower Floor?
Toxic chemical cleaning products can have various acute effects, such as eye and skin irritation or rashes, child poisoning, and breathing problems.
Long-term effects of chemical cleaner use include a higher risk of lung cancer, asthma, allergic contact dermatitis, and reproductive harm.
With that in mind, it makes sense to choose more natural cleaning tools. Depending on the shower, you may use:
Vinegar to break down soap scum and hard water deposits
Rubbing alcohol to disinfect the area
Baking soda in combination with vinegar to remove tough stains
Hydrogen peroxide to remove tough stains
A sponge or scrubber for gentle scrubbing
A squeegee for drying
How Do I Get Dark Stains Off My Shower Floor?
Although there are different reasons you could have dark stains on your shower floor, mold is the most common cause.
To get rid of dark stains in non-tile showers:
Create a paste that is one part hydrogen peroxide to two parts baking soda. For example, use 1 cup peroxide with 2 cups baking soda.
Apply the paste and let it sit for at least 30 minutes.
Scrub with a sponge or nylon brush and rinse with warm water. This is effective to remove red or black stains.
How Do You Clean a Shower Floor Without Scrubbing It?
The best way to avoid scrubbing your shower floor is by keeping up with everyday maintenance.
To get rid of soap or stains on your shower floor, add a lit bit of water to the baking soda and make a thick paste. Apply this paste generously to the floor. If your floor isn’t tile, add a few drops of vinegar to the paste.
What Is the Easiest Way To Clean a Shower Floor Mat?
There are two main options for cleaning a shower mat:
Wash it in the washing machine with towels and a dash of bleach.
Turn it upside down in the tub in about an inch of water and pour straight vinegar on top. Let it sit and then throw it in the washing machine. The vinegar/water mixture will also clean your tub floor.
Be sure you get all the water down the drain. Then spray with rubbing alcohol, making sure to get the corners.
Tidy Up Portland! Cleaning Shower Floors and More!
Even as simple as we’ve broken it down, cleaning your shower floor can still be a hassle when you are so limited on time and so beset with responsibilities.
Let Tidy Up Portland! take care of your cleaning needs. Save time for yourself and your family.
