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Cleaning with vinegar and bicarb
Cleaning showers is equally essential and tricky. The glass on the shower screen and doors cannot be appropriately cleaned using ordinary glass cleaners available on the market for cleaning windows. The stains, spots, and soap scum on shower glass are so stubborn that they need some extra effort for cleaning. However, they are not as impossible as they might seem.
With the right ingredients and supplies, you can get rid of dirty glass efficiently. Using vinegar and bicarb for shower cleaning is a popular trend nowadays.
Why does the shower screen get dirty?
The main reason glass shower doors and screens get dirty and foggy is because the water drops that get splashed on them get dry and leave unpleasant marks. It is nearly impossible to prevent water drops from splashing on the screen and door. However, you can stop it from drying and blurring it. Here are a few tips to prevent shower screens from getting dirty.
- Avoid using hard water. Hard water damages shower screens the most. If you live in a place where there is a shortage of water, try using a water softener for bathing.
- Use a dry cloth or a wiper to wipe off water from the shower screen and doors after you shower.
- After drying the glass, use a hydrophobic spray to prevent water drops from staying on the surface.
This will not consume a lot of your time but surely saves hours spent on cleaning afterwards.
Supplies you need
To kick start your cleaning mission, you need to have some essential supplies that would do the job. No need to worry; you don’t have to run errands to grab these supplies. Peak a little into your pantry, kitchen, and storeroom, and you will have most of the supplies in your hand. These supplies will serve you for house cleaning as well. So here is a list of equipment you need to have.
- A medium-sized spray bottle
- A scrubbing sponge
- White vinegar
- Baking soda
- Paper towel
- A piece of microfiber cloth
Besides these supplies, you must ensure you have a clean supply of water as well.
Why vinegar and bicarb?
Vinegar is a significant type of kitchen product that elevates the taste of different food items with its unique flavour. Besides this, it also has cleaning properties and serves as a natural disinfectant. There are many types of vinegar, but the most versatile among them is white vinegar. It serves as a great cleaning agent because of acetic acid.
Bicarb (sodium bicarbonate or baking soda) is yet another necessary kitchen item and a cleaning agent. It works best for cutting off grease and removing oils and dirt. It is also effective for cleaning clogged drains and pipes.
Besides the individual characteristics of both these ingredients, there are also some additional benefits of using them as cleaning agents including:
Cost-effectiveness
The most significant benefit of using a homemade cleaner, scrub, or natural product is its cost-effective aspect. You can spend hundreds of dollars on expensive products and still have a dirty shower if they are not effective. The good thing about experimenting with natural products at home, such as vinegar and baking soda, is that they do not put a burden on your budget for home cleaning.
Also, they are easy to handle with a low risk of hurting the user in case of mishandling. You do not even have to make a special addition to your monthly grocery list since they are probably a part of it already.
Effective cleaning
Vinegar and baking soda are pretty effective cleaners used separately or combined. You can use them for other home cleaning tasks such as cleaning a clogged sink, removing stains from clothes, and dishwashing.
They provide reliable results when used for shower cleaning and transform a dull and blurry shower glass into a clean-as-new one.
Long-lasting results
Unlike some branded cleaners, a homemade cleaner with vinegar and baking soda produces reliable and long-lasting results. This combination can consistently prevent dirt, oil, and grease from piling up and make the shower screen and door appear spotless. Spraying the mixture of plain water and vinegar in between your bathroom cleaning routine helps keep the shower clean for good.
Steps for cleaning your shower screen
A clean bathroom will still look dirty if its shower screen and doors are dirty. Besides making your bathroom appear filthy, a dirty shower has an unpleasant impact on your mood while showering. It is as vital to clean the shower’s surface area as cleaning the rest of the bathroom is. Here are some tips for cleaning.
Step one: Wet the shower screen/door
Splash water with a bucket or spray it on the glass shower door and screen.
Step two: Scrub off stains and soap scum
The second step is to scrub off soap scum and stains from the glass door. You can do this in two ways:
Method one: Vinegar in a spray bottle
Use a spray bottle to spray vinegar on the screen. Don’t leave any spot dry. Next, take a scrubber or a sponge and sprinkle baking soda on it. Use it to scrub the glass thoroughly.
Method two: Vinegar and bicarb scrub
Make a DIY scrub by mixing vinegar and baking soda. Next, dip your sponge in it and scrub the wet glass shower door to remove stains and spots.
NOTE: Whichever method you use, make sure that the vinegar and baking soda mixture dissolves all water spots and soap scum.
Step three: Let the solution work its magic
Leave the mixture on for a few minutes. The cleaning properties of both these ingredients act upon the surface and dissolve soap scum and other impurities.
Step four: Rinse and spray with water and vinegar
Splash clean water and rinse off the scum. Then spray a mixture of water and vinegar.
Step five: Dry with a microfibre cloth
Use a microfibre cloth to dry the glass and give yourself a pat on your shoulder for making the blurred shower glass shine again.
Other shower screen cleaning alternatives
Apart from using vinegar and baking soda together and separately, you can combine them with other ingredients as well for better cleaning. You can apply alternative methods in your cleaning routine to make it fun for yourself. Here are a few more cleaning combinations to use.
Cleaner one: Vinegar, essential oil, and dishwashing liquid
This cleaner comprises three simple ingredients that are most likely already present in your home. All you have to do is combine them right, and you are ready. Here is the recipe to make this effective cleaner.
- Grab a spray bottle and add dishwashing liquid or detergent to it. Add vinegar three times more than the dishwasher. Make sure that the bottle is big enough for the liquid.
- Mix the solution well by shaking the bottle. Add a few drops of essential oil for a pleasant fragrance.
- Use this mixture to spray on glass shower doors, the screen, and the showerhead. Leave it for a few minutes and rinse it off with clean water.
- In case of stubborn stains, scrub the surface with a sponge but be gentle to avoid scratches. After scrubbing, use hot water to remove the mixture.
Cleaner two: Vinegar and dishwashing detergent
Another cleaner recipe is to mix vinegar and dishwashing detergent to form an easy yet effective shower cleaner. You should have a bowl to combine ingredients, a scrubbing sponge, and a clean cloth or paper towels for this cleaner.
- Take the bowl and add your cleaning ingredients to it. Mix well and form a good mixture.
- Turn on your tap and let the water run out of the shower for a few minutes. This is to hydrate the shower deeply.
- Dip your scrubbing sponge into the cleaning mixture and start scrubbing off the dirt and impurities from top to bottom.
- Do not forget to focus on the shower door and its sides. Scrub thoroughly until the mixture forms a foamy consistency.
- Remove soap scum by splashing water and make sure that all of the cleaning solution is removed from the screen and door.
- After that, use plain vinegar and dip your clean sponge into it. Clean the shower screen and door gently with the sponge.
- Finally, splash clean water and rinse off any vinegar that remains. Dry the surface using a clean cloth or paper towel.
- Make sure you leave no spot; otherwise, it would leave stains on the surface.
Cleaner three: Vinegar, baking soda, and lemon
One should not underestimate the wonder a lemon can do, from making your food recipes delicious to adding to your beauty and making home cleaning effective. It combines with baking soda and vinegar well to form an inexpensive yet highly effective cleaner.
- Take lemons and cut them in half. The bigger, the better.
- Dip the lemon into baking soda from the pulpy side and scrub the lemon onto the surface of the doors and shower screen. Keep squeezing the lemon to form enough liquid to cover the surface.
- Let it stay until it dries out entirely.
- Dampen the sponge and start rinsing off the dried-out mixture with a gentle motion.
- Rinse it off completely by splashing water.
- Mix lemon juice with equal amounts of water and vinegar in a spray bottle. Mix it well to combine all ingredients.
- Spray it onto the surface for extra cleaning and shine. Let it stay for a few minutes, then remove with a damp cloth.
- Dry out the surface with a paper towel, and you are done!
After cleaning tips
The job does not end with cleaning your shower as it is a crucial task to maintain the results of your whole cleaning drill. Instead of scheduling cleaning once a month, make it a part of your routine. It will make the task easy for you and require less time and effort. Here are some cleaning tips for you.
Daily cleaning
Since you use the bathroom and shower daily, you need to clean daily and keep clean throughout the day. There is no need to spend hours on deep scrubbing for daily cleaning. Follow a simple process and make the task easy for yourself.
Prepare a homemade shower cleaner by combining water and vinegar in a spray bottle. Mix the solution well. Spray the cleaner every time you shower to prevent dirt residue. It will also work against unpleasant odours. And that is it.
It would hardly take a few seconds, and your shower will be clean and refreshing. The best part about this homemade cleaner is that you can store it for weeks at room temperature. However, if you do not want your shower to smell like vinegar, you can use a few drops of any essential oil to have a pleasant fragrance.
Mould prevention
Bathrooms are prone to growing moulds because of moisture that stays in there. Once your bathroom becomes a breeding spot for them, cleaning becomes tedious and requires more effort. To avoid growing moulds, keep your bathroom dry as much as possible. Furthermore, use the following process to avoid making your bathroom a spot for this mess.
Take a spray bottle and fill it with water, vinegar, baking soda, and ammonia. Shake the mixture to mix all the ingredients well. Spray the mixture on walls, the floor, cracks, and creeks where mould might grow. The baking soda and vinegar solution will combine to form a cleaning effect, and you might see bubbles forming there.
Let it rest for a few minutes, and then rinse it off with clean water, followed by drying with a microfiber cloth.
Regular cleaning
Regular cleaning makes cleaning showers easy and convenient. You can use a simple two-step cleaning method once or twice a week. The process is as follows. Mix the vinegar and baking soda to form a paste. You can also add a few drops of a dishwasher for good consistency.
Use a brush or sponge to clean the shower thoroughly with it. Rinse with water afterwards. It will prevent oil and grease from forming residue there and keep the place dirt free.
Things to remember
Although the cleaning process using natural ingredients is quite simple and effective, you must be careful with their use and keep certain things in mind. Here are a few things to remember while using natural cleaners.
- Avoid using a coarse cloth or sponge for scrubbing and cleaning. Your shower screen and doors comprise glass, and therefore, it is important to scrub gently to avoid scratches.
- Baking soda is abrasive and must be used in the right quantity. Avoid adding too much baking soda or even vinegar to any cleaner. Use the right proportion to get the best results.
- Always wear gloves while cleaning. The chemical properties of vinegar and baking soda can be harsh on your skin.
A clean bathroom is a beautiful bathroom
Cleaning only the shower screen or shower glass is not enough. You must focus on cleaning the rest of the bathroom as well. If you are limited on resources or time, you can divide the task into little targets of cleaning the bathroom in three to four shifts. Start with cleaning the shower screen and doors and move on to cleaning the bathtub, showerhead, sink, and more.
Keeping your bathroom clean is the first step to giving your bathroom a facelift. Ensure shower cleanliness and enjoy a happier, healthier life!
