In most cases, vinegar is the best product to clean shower tiles. However, if you are using another cleaning product, the process is almost the same!
Using Vinegar on grout can also cause the grout to breakdown overtime. And, that strong acid could damage the finish on the tile too. Making the sheen on the tile look different and uneven.
For stubborn shower stains, soap scum and grime, mix one cup of warm water, two cups of white vinegar and one teaspoon of a vegetable-based dishwashing soap in a spray bottle. Spray the solution on the shower walls, let it work for 15 minutes and use a sponge to scrub off scum and grime.
Cleaning Grout with Vinegar
Distilled white vinegar is a safe, natural cleaner and disinfectant you can use all around the house. Pour or spray undiluted vinegar onto your grout and let it sit for 10 minutes before using a toothbrush, scrubbing in a circular motion. Next, rinse away the dirt and mildew.
Spray the floor with the Dawn and vinegar mixture. Use the mop and gently scrub the tile. For stuck-on areas or to spot clean, use a soft bristle brush and scrub the area. After scrubbing the entire floor, rinse the mop.
Vinegar kills germs, dissolves soap scum and mineral deposits, and leaves tiles sparkling clean. But before you go soaking your tiles with it, there are a few precautions you'll want to take to make sure they don't get damaged.
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.
A good way to clean bathroom tiles is with vinegar. Simply create a 50:50 diluted solution with white vinegar and water in a spray bottle and spray directly onto the surface. It can be used to clean soap scum from any surface including glass and tiles. All you have to do is buff it dry to avoid any streaks.
Preventing Mold Growth with Vinegar
Store a spray bottle of vinegar in the bathroom and mist it over the shower stall after taking a shower, or add vinegar to your mopping solution to prevent mold growth on the floor.
The time that white vinegar should sit on the tile before cleaning depends on the severity of the stains or buildup you are trying to remove. In general, it is recommended to let the white vinegar solution sit for at least five to ten minutes to penetrate and dissolve any dirt, grime, or soap scum on the tile surface.
While it is possible to use bleach to kill mold as well, experts agree that vinegar is a much better option. Unlike bleach, vinegar can effectively kill the mold at the root, which means it's less likely to return. Vinegar is also less toxic than bleach, making it a better choice for household use.
What do professionals use to clean grout? Whether you believe it or not, most professionals use a solution of white vinegar and water with a 1:1 ratio.
You can also use white vinegar for chemical-free grout cleaning. Simply pour vinegar from the bottle into the cap and pour it over the dirty grout lines. Allow the lemon juice or vinegar to sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, scrub with a small brush or old toothbrush.
Avoid Vinegar and Baking Soda
Vinegar and other acids are also a bad idea for stone tile because the acid can etch the stone. Another widely praised household cleaner, baking soda, is alkaline (not acid), but it is not very effective as a grout cleaner.
Mix half vinegar and half warm water in a spraying bottle. Then, mist the vinegar solution in the tiles (focusing on the grout) and leave it sitting for a couple of minutes.
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.
Shower Walls
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.
Hydrogen oxide (separately, a great cleaning agent and antiseptic), if mixed with vinegar, creates peracetic acid, as vinegar contains acetic acid. This combination of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide is potentially toxic and corrosive, which can break down or damage the surface it is applied to.
Don't use vinegar, lemon juice, or other cleaners containing acids on marble, limestone, travertine, or onyx surfaces. Don't use cleaners that contain acid such as bathroom cleaners, grout cleaners, or tub & tile cleaners. Don't use abrasive cleaners such as dry cleansers or soft cleansers.
TL;DR: Combine baking soda & white vinegar to create the perfect cleaning solution for tile grout. Scrub with a toothbrush and voila! For floor tiles, combine baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, apply paste, let sit, then scrub away and rinse off with warm water. Grout gets dirty and unsightly – quick!