Shower tiles can get grime, mold, scum, and other fungi from time to time if they’re not cleaned regularly. Dirty shower tiles not only damage the tile itself but also can result in you injuring yourself while walking on them. However, there are several methods you can adopt to prevent this from happening.
Some products that you can use to clean shower tiles include bleach, vinegar, lemons, or synthetic lubricants like KOH and muriatic acid. However, you also need to observe the correct cleaning method to make your shower tiles spick and span.
Getting rid of soap scum and grease marks from shower tiles is not a straightforward task. If you don’t choose the correct cleaning products, you’ll end up pointlessly scrubbing at tough stains for hours. Therefore, it’s essential to know which product will make the task of removing these stains easier.
How To Clean Shower Tile Properly?
If shower tiles are not cleaned, they can become slippery and lose their friction-like surface. This might cause you to slip over and possibly break an arm or two.
Moreover, the fungi and grime stuck to the tile end up weakening it as it infiltrates through loose ends and cracks. This can move the tile from its place and often require professional help to put it back together. Therefore, it’s very important to know how to clean shower tiles properly.
There are multiple ways to clean a shower tile properly. However, the best way is to use a solution comprising vinegar, water, and dishwashing soap. The properties of these elements combined will make your shower tiles glow like new.
Step You Can Take to Clean Shower Tiles
Before you start scrubbing those shower tiles clean, you need to gather all the necessary equipment needed for the job. This equipment includes:
- A pair of rubber gloves
- A bucket of Warm water
- Some white vinegar
- Dishwashing soap
- A spray bottle
- A Sponge
Step 1: Put on your rubber gloves and mix one cup of warm water with two parts of white vinegar.
Step 2: Next, add one teaspoonful of dishwashing soap to the mixture and stir it well. Now, simply pour the mixture you’ve just created into a spray bottle.
Step 3: Spray this solution on your shower tiles and let them rest there for 15-20 minutes. This will give them enough time to work their magic on the stains and grease marks.
Step 4: Once the grease marks and stains have softened, use a sponge to scrub the tiles. Make sure to clean every inch of the shower tile for the best results and rinse the tiles with fresh water once you’re satisfied.
The only condition where this method won’t work is if you already have permanently damaged tiles to start with. If there are cracks and scratches on the tiles then you will have to get them replaced as there’s no other permanent fix to them.
Can You Use Bleach To Clean Shower Tile?
Bleach is a common household cleaner that can disinfect multiple surfaces. Since it is commonly used for cleaning purposes, can you use it on shower tiles?
You can use bleach to clean your shower tiles if they’re getting stained or have mildew forming on their surface. Since bleach has harsh chemical properties, it will clean the shower tiles quickly, however, it’s important to follow the correct method while doing so.
How To Use Bleach to Clean Shower Tile?
Always use bleach with precaution as if it comes in contact with human skin, it can cause severe irritation. Therefore, it’s best to follow some simple steps that will ensure you make your shower tiles glow without harming yourself.
Step 1: First, put on your rubber gloves and wear protective goggles to ensure that no solution gets inside your eyes accidentally.
Step 2: Now take a bowl and mix two parts of bleach powder with one part of water. Diluting the solution with some amount of water will help you get rid of the stains on the tiles more quickly.
Step 3: Stir the mixture well until it becomes a paste. Then lather the paste on top of the dirty tiles that you want to clean.
Step 4: Let the paste rest on the tiles for 10-15 minutes and do its work to soften up and disintegrate the grime. After the grime is separated from the tile, use a sponge and clean water to scrub and wash off the paste from the tiles.
And just like that, you will immediately notice positive results. As always, if you still see a spot that you missed, do not hesitate to repeat these steps.
Can You Use Vinegar to Clean Shower Tile?
Vinegar is a basic home substance that is frequently used as a cleanser. This is due to vinegar’s strong acidity levels, which enable it to easily remove filth and scum from many surfaces. However, the real question is, can vinegar be used to clean shower tiles?
Vinegar is a great shower tile cleaner and an effective disinfectant as well. Moreover, vinegar has the ability to decompose soap scum and grease marks quickly. The process is simple as well, as all you need apart from the vinegar is a spray bottle, a sponge, and some clean water.
How to Use Vinegar to Clean Shower Tiles
All you need to do is mix half a cup of vinegar with almost one liter of warm water. Next either use a spray bottle or a sponge to apply that mixture to the shower tiles. Then scrub the mixture gently on the tiles to get them clean.
An important thing to note is that you should not be using vinegar on natural stone tiles like marble or granite as it damages them permanently. For natural stones, you must use other alternatives since vinegar can etch and dull the stones due to its acidic properties.
Can You Use CLR to Clean Shower Tile?
CLR is a strong cleaning agent that can eliminate even the most persistent stains. The best thing about CLR is that it has no harsh or toxic components. Sounds like a great cleaner for shower tiles, right?
Well, it’s true, CLR can clean shower tiles quite well because CLR is a powerful chemical that does not require heavy cleaning. All you have to do is rub the CLR compound on the shower tile, wait for 15 minutes, and then scrape off the stains using a sponge.
How To Use CLR to Clean Shower Tiles
To get the best results from the CLR, you need to follow three steps that will leave you with the gleaming shower tiles you want. Just remember that it is not recommended to use CLR on natural stone tiles such as granite or marble since CLR is far too acidic for them.
Step 1: Put on your safety rubber gloves before handling the CLR cleaner as it can irritate your skin due to its acidic properties.
Step 2: Apply the CLR on the stained tile using a sponge. Rub it on the stained area and leave it for at least 15 minutes.
Step 3: Wipe the tile with a clean cloth thoroughly so that no spot remains unchecked. Finally, wash the tile with fresh water to remove any remaining residue.
Can You Use Acid (Muriatic/Hydrochloric) to Clean Shower Tile?
Muriatic acid is a purely acidic chemical that can easily remove salt deposits on hard surfaces. It’s also a great tool for getting rid of stain marks, so can you use it to clean shower tiles?
Muriatic acid can be very useful when you need to clean your shower tiles. The acidic nature proves to be very abrasive for the tiles and makes them look good as new. However, you need to prevent it from coming in contact with your skin as muriatic acid can cause severe burns.
Proper Way of Using Muriatic Acid to Clean Shower Tiles
Not only will following the appropriate method for handling muriatic acids prevent you from injuring yourself, but it will also leave your shower tiles sparkling clean.
Step 1: The first step is a no-brainer; you have to put on your rubber gloves before handling the acid.
Step 2: Once equipped with the proper safety gear, grab a bucket and pour in one part of muriatic acid with five parts of water and stir well. Diluting This muriatic acid prevents it from discoloring your tile due to its strong acidic nature.
Step 3: Once the solution is prepared, apply it to the shower tiles with a sponge. Sponges will work fine even on hard stains since the acid will easily dissolve them and you’ll be left with only gentle scrubbing to do.
Step 4: Once you’ve scrubbed out all the dirt and grease from the tiles, rinse them with warm water and wipe them with a clean cloth. Make sure no residue remains on the tiles.
Can You Use Baking Soda to Clean Shower Tile?
The good thing about baking soda is that it is almost always available in our homes and can be used to clean a variety of surfaces. However, should you use it for cleaning shower tiles?
Yes, baking soda can easily help you to clean your shower tiles. However, baking soda is best used as a mixture with other cleaning products. A solution of baking soda containing hydrogen peroxide and dish soap is one of the most effective ways to clean badly stained shower tiles.
How To Use Baking Soda to Clean Shower Tiles?
A great thing about using baking soda is that it’s a very effective and safe alternative to using harmful bleach. This means that you can use any type of tile, whether they’re made of artificial or natural stones.
However, like every other cleaning product, you need to follow the correct cleaning procedure with baking soda to get the optimum results on your shower tiles.
Step 1: Take a bowl and mix half a cup of baking soda with a quarter cup of hydrogen peroxide.
Step 2: Add a teaspoon of dish soap to the mixture and stir the mixture well.
Step 3: Apply the mixture to the stained spots on the tiles.
Step 5: Let the mixture rest on the tiles for a while, preferably 15-20 minutes.
Step 6: Rinse the tiles with clean water and wipe them. You’ll notice a visible difference in the shine of the shower tiles.
Can You Use Dawn/Dish Soap to Clean Shower Tile?
There are a lot of uses of dishwashing soap. From cleaning kitchen utensils to ovens and hardwood floors, dish soap is a great cleaning tool to have at home. However, can you use it to clean shower tiles as well?
Using a dishwashing soap to clean shower tiles works like a charm if your options are limited. Dish soap can be used to clean your shower tiles with ease, as it breaks down the stains and allows you to remove the dirt effortlessly.
How to Use Dish Soap to Clean Shower Tiles
The process of using dish soap to clean shower tiles is quite simple. All you need to do is mix the dishwashing soap with warm water and apply it over the shower tiles. Once applied, let the solution rest on the tiles for at least 10-15 minutes before you rinse them with fresh water.
Once you’re done washing away the dirt and grime, use a clean and soft cloth to rub away any excess scum, and you’ve got a set of brand new tiles!
Can You Use Clorox/Borax to Clean Shower Tile?
Borax is a common type of bleach that is well-renowned for its disinfecting properties. However, it’s also known to damage some types of surfaces, such as stainless steel appliances. So is Borax safe and effective when it comes to wiping your shower tiles clean?
Yes, a Borax cleaner is perfect to remove scum and grease from your shower tiles and make them shine as bright as new. This chemical is abrasive enough to clean even the toughest stains from your tiles, however, you should dilute it with water first to prevent the solution from harming the tile.
How To Clean Shower Tiles Using Borax
To clean your shower tiles using borax you just need to follow some simple steps to make your shower tiles look brand new.
Firstly, you need to mix equal parts of water with equal parts of borax to create a diluted mixture. After you’re done, drench your shower tiles with your created solution and thoroughly scrub the tile with a small brush.
Next, let the scrubbed solution rest on the tiles for 10-15 minutes before moping the tiles clean, and voila! Spotlessly shiny new tiles right then and there.
Can You Use Oven Cleaner to Clean Shower Tile?
Don’t get tricked by their name, as oven cleaners aren’t just used for cleaning ovens. They have multiple uses which include getting rid of bathtub rings as well as cleaning your toilets. Many people even use it to clean shower tiles, but is that a sensible thing to do?
Oven cleaners can be very effective when it comes to cleaning shower tiles. This is because they contain sodium hydroxide, which is a great degreaser. However, you should only use the fume-free version of oven cleaners so that natural stone tiles do not get damaged.
How To Use Oven Cleaner to Clean Your Shower Tiles?
If you’re about to hose down your shower tiles with an oven cleaner, take a moment and check out the correct procedure to avoid ruining your expensive flooring.
Step 1: As always, wear protective rubber gloves before using the cleaner.
Step 2: Next, spray a thin layer of the oven cleaner on your shower tiles.
Step 3: Leave the shower tiles for about half an hour so that they can soften and loosen up all the stains and dirt stuck to the tile.
Step 4: Scrub the tiles with a sponge or a wiper. Our advice would be to use a grouting sponge by Bon Tool to achieve the perfect results.
Step 5: After you’re done, rinse your shower tiles with fresh water to remove any residue of the oven cleaner from the tiles.
Can You Clean the Shower Tile With a Dishwasher Tablet?
Dishwasher tablets are small yet useful items that can leave behind a spotless surface if used effectively. However, you need a good amount of them to just cover a small area of a tile. So should you use them to clean shower tiles?
Although you can use dishwasher tablets to get rid of minor stains, it is generally not recommended to use them for cleaning shower tiles. This is because dishwasher tablets are not abrasive and require extensive effort and hard work to get rid of the tougher stains.
The first time you use dishwasher tablets, chances are that you might not see the desired results. You’ll need to do a lot of scrubbing to get this method to work so perform it at your own risk.
Can You Clean Shower Tile With KOH?
Potassium Hydroxide, or KOH, is a strong chemical that can be used to clean various stained surfaces including glass and ovens. Moreover, since it is also renowned for its dirt-removing abilities, can you use it to clean shower tiles as well?
Yes, you can use KOH to clean stained showers as it can break down scum and grease easily. However, one drawback involved is that you cannot use KOH as a standalone cleaner to clean the shower tiles; you’ll need to pair it up with an alkaline solvent, such as a detergent, for the best results.
How To Clean Shower Tiles With KOH
To clean your shower tiles using KOH you need to have a mixture of any surfactant or detergent. Further, following some simple steps will ensure that your shower tiles get their original shine back in no time!
Step 1: Put on your rubber gloves and safety goggles before handling KOH so it doesn’t irritate your eyes or skin.
Step 2: Dissolve a small amount of KOH into the alkaline mixture and stir it for a while.
Step 3: Use a sponge to apply the mixture to your shower tiles.
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Step 4: Scrub the tiles two to three times to remove tough stains clouding your tiles.
Step 5: Wipe the tiles using fresh water so that no cleaning residue is left behind.
Can You Clean Shower Tile With Lemon?
Sometimes, we’re running short of time and can’t get our hands on a good cleaning product. Lemons, however, come in handy in these types of situations as they’re very easy to acquire and are great for general cleaning purposes.
Whether it is soap scum or stains, lemon can get rid of all of them from your shower tiles. This is because lemons have a high quantity of citric acid that can easily break down the toughest stains. Moreover, they’re also one of the most economical options when it comes to cleaning shower tiles.
How to Clean Shower Tiles Using Lemons
Using lemons to clean tiles is a very easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy job. All you need to do is first get a spray bottle filled with lemon juice. If you don’t have ready-made lemon juice on hand, cut up a couple of lemons and squeeze their juice inside the spray bottle.
This article was first published on Jun 1, 2022 by Wabi Sabi Group..
Next, spray the lemon juice on your shower tiles and start scrubbing the soap scum off the tiles. After you’re done, just use fresh warm water to rinse off the tiles. Dry the tiles with a soft, clean cloth and that’s it!
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WabiSabi Group is the owner of this article and was published on Jun 1, 2022 and last modified on .