How do professionals clean showers? Professionals use acid-based cleaning solutions like vinegar for hard water spots and soap scum. For deep-set soap scum, cleaners will use heavy-duty detergents and degreasers. Bleach cleaning solutions are best reserved for cleaning the mold and mildew from grout.
Remove Any Build-Up of Mold or Mildew
Using hydrogen peroxide with a washing soda can be highly effective, and so can using chlorine-based bleach as a disinfectant. If you want to make a cleaning solution on your own, you can combine your washing soda and hydrogen peroxide until they become a paste.
Sometimes, with soap scum, professionals will need detergents or degreasers as well to clean it thoroughly. Bleach is good for removing mold and mildew from your shower grout, but it's more of a temporary solution. You need to really clean the mold from within and seal the grout to prevent any mold from spreading.
Many hotels use ammonia-based cleaning solutions because ammonia readily cuts through dirt and soap scum. Because of the way it dries, ammonia also decreases the possibility of streaks on glass. That being said, exercise care when handling ammonia.
In fact, the number one trick used by many hotels is to install water softeners in the shower heads and pipes to reduce the hardness of the water. By removing the minerals that contribute to spots and stains on the glass, they can slash their cleaning times in half.
Dawn dish soap and vinegar – Mix equal parts of vinegar and blue Dawn dish soap into a spray bottle. Run the shower for a few minutes on hot to heat up the shower space. Spray to coat the surface of the shower walls evenly with the mixture. Let sit for 5 minutes then use a damp cleaning rag to wipe away.
The easiest way to clean grout without scrubbing involves hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Mix the two into a paste with some dish soap and apply to the grout lines. Alternatively, you can use a cleaning solution of water, vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda.
The combination of dish soap and vinegar is highly effective for a few different reasons. They're both excellent at breaking down tough grease and grime, but vinegar alone will simply run off of most surfaces, and dish soap is too thick to use on its own.
Spray all over the tub and shower and let it sit for a few minutes to a few hours, depending how challenging the job is. Scrub if you need to, but the scum should rub right off. Don't worry about the strong vinegar smell. You will be pleasantly surprised it smells more like Dawn than vinegar!
The most common and effective homemade grout cleaner is a mixture of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and dish soap. Cream or tartar and lemon juice is the best all-natural solution for whitening. Avoid using highly-acidic solutions like vinegar because they can corrode grout.
Fill your spray bottle with a 1:1 solution of vinegar and water and spray the work area generously. Let the solution sit for about five minutes, then follow up with a grout brush or a scrub brush. If you don't have one of these, a toothbrush works in a pinch. Rinse with warm water.
As soon as you get out of the shower, wipe the floor and close the curtain so it can fully dry out. Shower curtains are prime targets for mildew. If you have a shower with a door, leave the door open to air out the inside of the shower.
Glassware, linen and the TV remote
Go ahead and toss the bedspread on the floor right now. Typically, they don't get cleaned between guests and become a breeding ground for bacteria. Use the pillows from the closet; they're more likely to be freshly washed than the ones on the bed.
Cut a lemon in half, then dip half the lemon in kosher salt. Rub the lemon directly on the shower door. Repeat with the other half if needed. The acidic lemon juice and abrasive salt help to break down hard water deposits.