How to Clean a Shower Enclosure
The shower enclosure is perhaps the most challenging item to clean in the bathroom. With regular use, you’re likely to see streaky water marks build up and moisture in hard-to-reach areas such as door hinges or runners. In this article, we’ll be discussing the best ways to keep your whole shower enclosure looking as good as new, for years to come!
Everyday cleaning
Giving your shower enclosure a quick wipe down with a soft cloth and/or shower squeegee after each use is an excellent way to keep streak marks and bacteria at bay. This might sound over the top, but if you prefer not to spend hours cleaning your enclosure, a quick wipe-down each day will help prevent stains, streak marks, and bacteria from forming.
Cleaning shower glass
Even with a quick wipe-down after use, the glass on your shower enclosure will still need a thorough and regular clean to keep it looking as good as new.
There are plenty of shower glass cleaners on the market, designed specifically for keeping your glass sparkling clean and streak-free. However, if you want a more natural solution to cleaning your shower glass, there are various options available, most of which you’re likely to have in your kitchen cupboards.
Vinegar is perfect for adding flavour to your food, but what about vinegar as a cleaning solution? If you’re looking for a natural cleaning solution for your shower glass, vinegar is the perfect choice. Made from acetic acid, vinegar is not only an excellent option for removing dirt, and grime but it also has antibacterial properties, making it perfect for ridding your shower enclosure of that dreaded bacteria.
Simply mix one-part white vinegar with one-part hot water, apply the solution to your shower enclosure glass and wipe clean with a soft cloth. However, if your enclosure has more stubborn staining or water marks, leaving the solution on slightly longer should do the trick. If you’re still left with a streaky mess, reapply the mixture 2 or 3 times and you should get your enclosure glass looking as good as new.
Some shower enclosures even come with easy clean glass, where a special waterproof coating, similar to that of a waterproof jacket, has been applied, to prevent excess water from sitting on the glass.
For more information on how to keep your shower glass sparkling clean, take a look at our article on The Key to Clean Shower Glass.
Cleaning hard-to-reach areas
Now we all know shower enclosures have plenty of nooks and crannies which can be hard to clean, so what’s the best way to tackle them? It’s likely that a toothbrush or even cotton buds could become your new best friend, as they can fit into small gaps that would otherwise be almost impossible to clean.
Again, distilled white vinegar is one of the best natural cleaning solutions and can also be used to clean around your shower frames, door handles, and door rollers. Mix one-part white vinegar with one-part hot water and apply sparingly to the affected area. Leave the solution to settle for 5 minutes then, give a light scrub using a soft head toothbrush, a cotton bud, or a soft cloth to prevent scratching. Follow up by wiping the areas down with plain water and a soft cloth. Be sure to dry the area as well as possible to prevent a build-up of moisture and grime. Depending on the condition of the area, you might need to repeat the process two or three times.
For shower door rollers you can also use a steamer to loosen any dirt, then simply wipe away with a soft cloth. However, you should be careful not to focus the steam on any plastic seals as this could melt or loosen the seal preventing it from working correctly.
Types of shower enclosure
With many shower enclosures available, from standard square enclosures to quadrant enclosures and those with bifold doors, each one will be different to clean. Bifold doors, for example, will have many more nooks and crannies than a standard shower door. With sliding shower doors there's the task of keeping runners clean. Frameless enclosures are likely to have fewer hard-to-reach areas around the edges than framed enclosures.
Considering the cleaning needs of a shower enclosure is a good idea when choosing the best type for your home. Shower enclosures featuring crittall glass for example will have more nooks and crannies for bacteria to build up in, however, if you’re prepared to keep to a regular daily cleaning routine, they can bring an outstanding statement feature to your bathroom or ensuite.
Take a look at this handy video buying guide from James at Plumberparts, to learn about different shower enclosure types in more detail.
If you're looking for further cleaning advice, take a look at the following posts - Kitchen Cleaning Tips - Bathroom Cleaning Habits You Can't Live Without - The Key to Clean Shower Glass.
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