We’ve all been there, from mouldy grouting, to pink mildew on seals, to soap scum on shower screens. It builds up quickly and there’s not much we can do to prevent it – especially when we’re using our shower cubicle every day. Although quite a time-consuming task, it’s really important to learn how to clean a shower cubicle and tray. It’s been reported that a dirty shower cubicle can increase your chances of catching viruses, having breathing issues and even developing skin problems.
Each little bit of your shower cubicle needs cleaning slightly differently to keep it free from dirt and mould. But no need to worry about it, we have everything you’ll need here in this handy guide. Ready? Then let’s start with the smallest part of cleaning your shower cubicle, the seals around the door:
Shower cubicle seal
What you’ll need
- White vinegar or bleach
- Hot water
- A good size spray bottle
- Gloves
- Old toothbrush
- Clean, dry cloth
Step one – Make up your solution
Grab your spray bottle ready to make up your solution. If you’re using vinegar it’s equal parts with hot water and then a good squirt of dish soap. For bleach it’s two tablespoons per 250ml. Once you’ve added it to your bottle, mix well by giving it a good shake.
Top tip: If you’re working with bleach, be sure to ventilate the bathroom well by opening windows and turning on extractor fans. We’d also recommend wearing gloves, a mask and protective clothing too to avoid stains.
Step two – Spray away
Apply your chosen solution directly to the seal strip covering it as completely as you can. For best results it’s a good idea to leave it to sit for up to 15minutes – especially on those tough spots of mildew and mould.
Step three – Get scrubbing
Take out your toothbrush and wet it with more of the solution, then it’s time to put some elbow grease in. Give the shower cubicle seal a thorough scrub getting into the corners and hard to reach bits with the bristles. For best results, rinse it with water in between scrubbing too.
Step four – Wipe down
Once you’re happy with how the seal of your shower cubicle is looking, give it a rinse with clean water. Then wipe it down with a clean, dry cloth.
Shower cubicle door
Before you reattach the seals you just cleaned, let’s tackle the shower cubicle door.
What you’ll need
- Baking soda
- White vinegar
Or
- Glass spray
- A microfibre cloth or non abrasive sponge
- Gloves
Step one – Make up your solution
If you want a natural way to clean your shower cubicle glass surfaces simply mix baking soda and water to form a paste. Then pop on gloves and apply to the surface with your non abrasive sponge or cloth.
Step two – Rinse it off
Afterward rinse it off with vinegar – a great tip is to wipe this off in the same direction which will avoid streaks.
Top tip: If you’re not too fussy about using chemicals in your bathroom, simply invest in a good glass spray and use this instead of the baking soda paste. There are plenty of great ones out there. Follow the tip in step two to avoid streaks on your shower cubicle door too.
Shower cubicle drain
What you’ll need
- Baking soda
- White vinegar
Or
- Good quality drain unblocker
- Hot water
- Drain snake
- Bucket
- Gloves
- Bin or bag
Step one – Unblock the drain
Pop on your gloves and remove the drain cap in the shower cubicle tray drain. Try and remove as much of the hair and grime at the top as you can and dispose of it in your bin. Then put your drain snake down and twist it to bring up the rest.
Step two- Dissolve the rest
Mix a tbsp of baking soda and white vinegar together and pour down the drain to get rid of any hard to reach blockages – a fizzing sound will indicate the remaining grime is being dissolved. Alternatively pour a good slug of drain cleaner down there. Leave this for 30-40 minutes.
Step three – Flush away the grime
Once you’ve waited for the solution to do its thing, pour half a bucket of hot water down the plug to flush away the remaining residue in your shower cubicle drain.
Shower cubicle tray, taps and fixtures
What you’ll need
- Baking soda
- White vinegar
Or
- Good quality cleaning spray
- Hot water
- Non abrasive sponge or cloth
- Gloves
Step one – Make your solution
Add a mix of one tbsp of baking soda and one of white vinegar, or a good quality cleaning spray, and apply to your cloth or sponge. If you’re using a cleaning spray with bleach in it, be sure to ventilate your room and make sure you’re wearing protective clothing.
Step two- Get scrubbing
Pop on gloves and give your shower cubicle tray, taps and fixtures a good scrub with the mixture, being sure to get in any grooves or bumps. Fixtures means anything from your plug hole and drain cap, to your shower head, to your door handles and hinges.
Step three- Rinse away
Use your shower head to rinse the shower cubicle tray, taps and fixtures with hot water.
Shower cubicle tiles
What you’ll need
- Baking soda
Or
- Good quality cleaning spray
- Non abrasive sponge or cloth
- Old toothbrush
- Gloves
Step one- Apply the solution
Mix together one tbsp of baking soda with water to form a paste – we’d usually add white vinegar to the mix but it’s known to leave marks on natural stone tiles. Pop on your gloves and smother it all over your shower cubicle tiles with your cloth or sponge.
Step two- Wipe the tiles
Take your sponge or cloth and rub down the tiles with the solution, being sure to put pressure on in areas where there’s mould or soap scum.
Step three – Get in the groove
Take your toothbrush and start to scrub the grouting in between the tiles. Although this may feel tedious, it really effectively removes any mould or mildew build-up. You can also apply this to the rubber sealant around the top of your shower cubicle tray and give it a scrub.
Step four- Rinse away
Once you’re sure all the mildew and mould is removed from your shower cubicle tiles, rinse with your shower head.
An alternative
If mixing your own solution sounds like too much work, use a good cleaning spray instead of the formula in step one. Just be sure to ventilate the room by opening windows and tuning on extractor fans if your spray contains bleach, alongside wearing protective clothing.
And there you have it! That’s how to clean a shower cubicle and tray. A sparkling clean shower cubicle, from tap to tray. Got any other tips? We’d love to hear them. We’re also always around on social media or in-store if you have any questions.
