How to Clean a Shower: Our Eco-Conscious Tips

6 minute read

It’s impossible to understate how much a deliciously warm shower can improve your day. A shower helps clear away the day’s sweat and grime, soothes tired muscles, and simply gives us some peace after a long day. 

But soap scum, mold, and water spots can turn a serene shower into a stressful experience. 

While showers are pros at keeping us clean, the warm, damp environment your shower creates can invite some not-so-clean guests. So, be sure to add your showers to your deep cleaning checklist. If you want to restore your temple of shampoo and body wash with eco-conscious products and readily biodegradable formulas, learning how to clean your shower and keep the earth in mind starts here. 

#1 Use a Shower-Cleaning Spray

Given its surface area, shower cleaning can seem like a major task. However, don’t worry—no matter how expansive your shower may be, the right products can help you give your shower a refresh with minimal effort.

To give your shower an all-over routine clean, use a spray that fights soap scum and bacteria without leaving behind harmful fumes or chemicals, like ECOS Bathroom Cleaner.

Then, follow these steps to maximize your shower spray’s effectiveness:  

  • For daily use – After you’ve taken a shower, while the bathroom is still nice and humid, mist your cleaner onto the shower tile, fixtures, and handles. That’s it—no scrubbing or wiping required. Let the product do its work and it will rinse off on its own the next time you shower.
  • For a deep clean – Spray the cleaner onto any surface of your shower that needs a deep clean and wipe down with a clean cloth.

Modern bathroom interior with decorative ladder and shower stall

#2 Try a Scrub for Tough Spots

For tougher stains or soap scum on your shower floor or shower wall that a regular spray won’t solve, you may find some help in a slightly stronger solution. However, take a moment before reaching for the harsh chemical cleaners. 

A much more effective solution is one that uses an exfoliating scrub, like the ECOS Surface Scrub.

Instead of fighting grime with fire, this cleanser’s limestone particles work to gently lift the tough spots without damaging the shower surface.

To remove buildup and grime, simply squeeze a small amount of the cleanser onto a damp cloth and work it into the shower surface. When you’re done, wipe away with a clean cloth.

#3 Get into the Grout

Not loving those yellow lines in between your white shower tiles? The grout that seals our tubs and showers might do a good job of keeping the moisture out of our walls, but it’s also susceptible to buildup from the minerals in the water, which can cause discoloration.

While this isn’t necessarily harmful, it can be unsightly and keep your shower from looking fully clean. So, how do you return it to a fresh, bright white? 

We often think of bleach when it comes to whitening, but chlorine bleach can be harmful to nearly every part of your body, and there are other safer solutions that work just as well.

Try a mineral-based formula designed to lift stains, like the ECOS OxoBrite Multi-Purpose Stain Remover, and follow these steps:

  1. Mix equal parts OxoBrite and a gentle detergent or soap. It should form a thick paste.
  2. Using an old toothbrush, gently scrub the paste into the grout and in between the shower tile.
  3. For extra whitening effects, allow the paste to sit for 10–15 minutes before rinsing it off.

Caucasian woman cleaning shower stall in the bathroom

#4 Keep Mold and Mildew Away

Mold and mildew can make a shower experience less than refreshing. They can also negatively impact your health, causing respiratory issues and allergic reactions. 

While it’s important to take action on mold and mildew before they get out of hand, the chemicals we often turn to when getting rid of them are usually overkill. A disinfectant spray made with hydrogen peroxide, such as ECOS One-Step Disinfectant Cleaner, can be just as effective as bleach at killing mold, mildew, germs, and bacteria.

To get rid of any mold and mildew in your shower, you’ll want to spray on the disinfectant and let it sit for at least 10 minutes to allow it to do its work. Then, you can simply wipe it clean with a damp cloth and continue your cleaning routine as usual.

#5 Wipe Down Any Glass

A glass shower door can make a bathroom look ultra-chic. But water spots and soap scum? Not so stylish. To keep that sleek door sparkling, you’ll want to use a spray formulated just for glass. 

The shower glass can be tricky to clean, but some of our tried-and-true chemical solutions like ammonia can be toxic. Instead, look for sprays that are powered by plants, like ECOS Window Cleaner. It uses a vinegar-based solution that dries quickly and works just as well, but without harmful fumes.

Follow these steps to keep your shower glass door streak free: 

  • Spray the glass cleaner all over the shower glass.
  • Wipe it off with a clean rag or towel.
  • That’s it!

#6 Clean the Curtains

Owners of a two-in-one bathtub and shower know that a shower curtain isn’t just practical—it can also be creative.

However, if you also use an inner plastic shower curtain as an easy way to keep the water in the shower and off the bathroom floor, this element should be a part of your cleaning routine.

That’s because water can linger in folds of plastic for a long time, which can lead to the growth of mold and mildew. To avoid either of those growing and spreading to the rest of your shower (and avoiding any health hazards), it’s important to keep your shower curtain clean and dry when you’re not using it. Make sure you pull the shower curtain closed after each use and shake it out so it can air dry properly.

#7 Make the Fixtures Shine

Once your shower tiles are bright and shining, go ahead and step back to admire your work. You’ve earned it. However, you’re not done yet—your shower fixtures, including the drain, stopper, faucet, and shower head, also deserve a good shine. 

Metal fixtures can accumulate minerals from water and soap scum just as much as the rest of your shower. Your shower head is especially vulnerable to the buildup of calcium deposits, which can even interfere with its function. 

To remove buildup and get your fixtures shining again, spray on an all-purpose cleaner or shower spray and wipe clean. For extra shine and to eliminate water spots, you can follow up with a soft, dry cloth to buff the fixtures dry.

#8 Keep Your Shower Green

As you clean your shower, it’s also important to keep it green. What we mean is that you want to use products that are not only effective at cleaning but also good for you and the planet.

Remember, after all, that any chemicals lingering in the shower will be in close contact with your body, not to mention steamed into the air you breathe. Plus, any residue that gets washed down the drain ends up in our water and our ecosystems, with potentially toxic effects on our environment.

When choosing a shower cleaner that is safe for your shower and for you, avoid harmful chemicals such as:

  • Chlorine bleach – This chemical can produce toxic fumes, may cause lung damage, and irritates/burns the skin and eyes.   
  • Ammonia – This chemical is known to burn the skin and eyes, and when inhaled, can cause irritation in the respiratory tract.  
  • Ethanolamines – These surfactants break down into harmful, carcinogenic toxins. 
  • Phthalates – These toxins disrupt our hormones and have also been known to cause birth defects.
  • Formaldehyde – This toxin is extremely harmful, even lethal at times. It is very carcinogenic and can cause irritation even at very low levels.

Wondering how to spot an eco-conscious shower cleaner with ease? Look for the U.S. EPA Safer Choice logo on the label. Not only does this indicate those products are proven to work well, but these products will also help you avoid introducing any unnecessary nasties to the sparkling waterfall that is your shower. It indicates products safer for human health and the planet.

ECOS: Where Cleaning Meets Kindness 

With your new earth-friendly cleaning tips and shower cleaning routine, you’ll be ready to step into a shower that is as clean as it is restorative. Plus, the more you use easy daily steps to keep your shower clean, the easier it will be to keep it sparkling. To expand your efficient cleaning habits, learn how to clean a dishwasher and how to clean a sink using more of our plant-powered products.

We believe it’s vital to have cleaning products that are also clean themselves. Aside from avoiding harsh chemicals, that also means using Climate Positive manufacturing and 100% renewable energy to make them.

Our eco-conscious cleaning products are more than just clean—they’re also sustainable.

 
 
Sources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. General Information about Mold. http://www.cdc.gov/mold/basics.htm
US Geological Survey. Hardness of Water. http://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/hardness-water#overview 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Learn About the Safer Choice Label. http://www.epa.gov/saferchoice/learn-about-safer-choice-label