How To Clean a Shower

Read on to find out how to clean every part of your shower, and how often you should tackle each task.

Your shower drain can easily become clogged with an unappealing combination of hair, soap scum and dirt. Not only can this make it harder for water to drain, it can give off an unpleasant odour too.

Depending on how serious the blockage is, you may be able to shift it by pouring hot water down the hole or using a plunger, though you may need to use an unravelled wire coat hanger to help pull out larger clumps of hair. The more regularly you clear the drain, the easier the task will be.

Find out more about how to unblock your shower drain in our helpful guide.

Step 3: Spray them with a tile cleaner

Open your bathroom window and door for ventilation, then grab your favourite bathroom cleaning spray, ensuring it’s suitable for the material your shower walls are made from. Mentally divide your shower into three or four vertical sections to cut down on fumes and prevent the cleaning product from drying before you wipe it. Spray the first section, and let it soak for a few minutes (unless the label of your cleaning product says otherwise).

Your taps, which were once so sparkly and bright, can be dulled by watermarks and soap scum. Restore them to their original condition by rinsing them with water, then using equal parts hot water and distilled white vinegar to thoroughly clean and polish them. Use a clean cloth to dry off the faucets afterwards so that no streaks are left behind.

Like your taps, your shower head can be tainted with watermarks, and a build-up of limescale can clog up the nozzles, causing water to shoot in all directions. Once a month, give your shower head a deep clean to get it back to top condition.

If your showerhead is detachable, then take it off and soak it in distilled white vinegar. If it’s fixed, fill a plastic bag with the vinegar and tie it over the showerhead. Rinse with water, then use an old toothbrush to remove any stubborn limescale. Rinse again, then polish with a soft cloth.

Check out our step-by-step guide to cleaning your shower head for more information.

Noticed some unsightly stains on your glass shower door? These are watermarks and are caused by a build-up of hard water deposits. They’re easy to remove though, using the trusty mixture of water and distilled white vinegar. Simply spray your door, let it soak in and use a soft cloth to wipe the area clean.

For more information on cleaning your shower door, read our step-by-step guide on how to get rid of watermarks.

You can keep your shower curtain clean by spraying it down with a mixture of water and distilled white vinegar after every shower, and by washing the bottom of the shower curtain once a week. This will help to prevent the build-up of mould and mildew.

Once a month or so, you should give the shower curtain a thorough clean, either in the washing machine or by hand. Read our guide to cleaning a shower curtain for more advice.

If you follow these steps for cleaning your shower on a daily, weekly and monthly basis, your shower enclosure should appear as good as new for years to come.