Try these ideas for how to clean a textured shower floor. Because of the texture, it can be difficult to get shower floors clean, but these tips will help!
How To Clean A Textured Shower Floor
Nina from Nevada asks:
Do you have any suggestions for cleaning a textured shower floor? The Mr Clean Magic Erasers work OK, but they are really expensive and don’t last long. I’ve also tried bleach and a scrub brush but that didn’t really get the floor clean.
I’ll start with the cheapest.
Use ammonia to clean it. Let it sit and then use a stiff brush again. (Be sure that you don’t use Ammonia if there is still bleach there. When Bleach and Ammonia mix, they create a toxic gas, That would ruin your whole day ;-) ) Ammonia works well for a gummy greasy scum build up.
You may try soaking it in vinegar and then scrubbing it with the stiff brush. This works best if you have hard water deposits or mineral build up.
I use a cleaner called The Works for those really hard areas. You spray it on, let it sit five minutes and then use a stiff brush and most of it comes out. It’s pretty cheap, about $2, a bottle at Wal-Mart or most Dollar General type stores. It is by far the best cleaner we have found for cleaning very dirty bathrooms.
The trick is going to be to let it soak to loosen the grim and then scrub really well. You may have to use a really stiff brush such as a grout brush to get it clean.
Tawra (Who has had plenty of practice cleaning that nasty stuff off of big mistake houses that we have rented.)
I too have trouble with the textured floor as it removes the coloring if I scrub too hard. I cannot use too stiff of a brush and The Works does not work. I will have to try Ammonia or Vinegar….Thanks
You can also use baking soda, vinegar, and a stiff brush. Sprinkle the baking soda, spray with vinegar or pour over top to create the foam, and scrub away. It’s a great arm workout!
I have found that Bon Ami (Hasn’t Scratched Yet) works the best on any type of stained or dirty surface that you don’t want to scratch. I use it on the shower/bath floor, and on glass ware that has coffee or hard water stains. It doesn’t need to soak so I’m in and out in a flash. I use the Magic Eraser (store brand) for the sides and fixtures where the powder doesn’t want to stick, and the eraser lasts soooo much longer. If anyone knows what the active ingredient that works so well is in Bon Ami, we may be able to get that even cheaper. ‘Til then, it doesn’t cost all that much for all it does.
“Bon Ami still uses the trademark feldspar and limestone as gentle, effective abrasives, but now combines them with even more sustainable cleaning agents from renewable corn, coconut, and palm oils. Plus we’ve added a touch of baking soda to help absorb odors.”
(from: http://www.bonami.com/index.php/products/powder_cleanser/ )
Bar keepers friend turns out to be Oxalic Acid.
Somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind, I remember reading about using cheap shaving cream to clean the yuck and grease off my kitchen cabinets.
Did I dream it or would it really work? I’ve used Murphy’s Soap in the past, but these cabinets are too far gone for even it.
You remembered right. I have heard that shaving cream works too although I haven’t tried it for cabinets. I usually use my Dow bathroom cleaner but I wonder if there is something about foaming soap type things which cause them to work better on grease. I do know shaving cream on a mirror works good to help clean it and to help it not fog up and it works great on glasses too.
Oh and my favorite window cleaner is a foam stuff too. It is called Sprayway window cleaner. I have used all the usual stuff like regular cleaners, car windshield cleaners, vinegar, ammonia and all but if I want something to really shine and sparkle I get out my Sprayway. I use it sparingly because I do have to pay more for it and use vinegar or something I got for free on my regular things. There just must be something in the foam that works so good.
Try Pledge on Kitchen cabinets. Spray on a cloth and wipe. If there is a lot of greasy residue, spray and let it sit awhile. This has saved me hours of cleaning in rentals!!!!!!! I tried off brands, but they don’t work as well. Worth every penny for the time this saves me!
I’ve noticed that the dollar stores carry the equivalent of the magic erasers in a 2 pack for $1. They work great! :)
I just clean the shower floor while I am taking a shower. I use a scrub brush and the junk goes down the drain. After all, the floor has been soaking while I am taking my shower…
I thought vinegar was a good to use on the build up on the glass doors. I’m going to try that.
For my mirrors, I just use straight rubbing alcohol. It gets them really clean!
I use some foam bath cleaner or “comet” on my bath floor and scrub it with a clean nylon bristle broom, then rinse. The bristles are stiff enough that they get into the grooves of the textured shower floors. (saves my knees and my back the strain. :D )
That’s what i do to Esther!
This may sound crazy, but I used the magic eraser (dollar tree)initially, and the floors were spotless. THEN my husband changed soaps (Irish Spring) to my soap (oil of olay), and the film has NEVER come back! Now I just clean shower walls/floor with cheap dish soap! Spotless!
try fabric softener sheets on your glass shower doors to get rid of the film!!
My deceased sister was a cleaning lady when she was alive, and she told me that she made her customers, if they used Dial soap, change soaps. She actually made me stop using Dial, and I’m glad she told me about this.
She said that Dial soap made the most soap scum of all the soaps. And it does. So, if you use Dial, you might want to try another brand of soap.
This is so true Joanne. It isn’t only Dial there are a couple of others too that do so if you noticed an unusually amount change soaps. One thing too always always (boys and girls) put bubble bath (I used dish detergent for years but I know some ladies are more delicate so may have to use something else) in the tub when you take a bath. Even when the kids were extra dirty or something I never had a ring in my tub.
For what it’s worth, I have a well water system and if i’m running low on salt or don’t get the “rust out salt” my shower stall turns orange. Lots of iron in the water. The “Works” actually does work great but you have to get the “Works” for the toilet, not the other “Works” for sinks and other surfaces.
The Works has changed its formula from 20% acid to 9.35 % acid and added a bubbly soap that takes 2 flushes to go down. I found a new bowl cleaner Vani-sol with 23% that takes much less product to clean rust and scale on toilets. pumice stones are great too.
Baking soda and a plastic scrubby (like you use to clean your body) works really well. You DO have to scrub a bit but it works great. If your tub isn’t grubby yet just use a little body wash or shampoo and the scrubby every time you shower and you’ll never have to scrub hard again.
I didn’t see anything about using a squeegee ($1..00 at Dollar Tree) to keep glass shower enclosures very clean.. Removing the water from the glass immediately keeps the whitish deposits from remaining. Takes a few seconds to squeegee and the glass stays CLEAN. I learned this from my friend Betty in Montgomery AL. I use “the Works” from Dollar Tree a
lot for my shower walls.. Tommie—-Abilene, TX.
My mom’s was just black with filth and nothing worked. Turned out it was old sebum. We successfully used dawn extra-strength degreaser. We used everything else without luck, EVERYTHING!
Good luck!
I totally agree that textured shower doors can be difficult to clean. I’ve always tried to stick to normal cleaners, but I’d never thought about ammonia. I’ve got a couple of stiff brushes that I’ve used in the past, but I’m excited to go and try and see what I can do. Thanks for sharing!
I had a really grungy textured shower floor, and NOTHING worked to get it clean. I read somewhere online about placing paper towels on shower doors and spraying them with straight vinegar until wet enough to stick, then leaving them on there for 30-60 minutes — that worked like a charm, so I decided to try it on the shower floor — It took out all the grime and soap scum, and the shower floor looks like new!
I have a cleaning service and have been doing this for over 30 years. Make a paste of baking soda and Dawn ( castile soap can be used too). Apply that paste liberally on the sides, seams and floor. If it’s heavy build-up you will need to let this sit for 12-24 hrs for best results. After your dwell time lightly dampen the area with water and use a soft bristle scrub brush or sponge to agitate the cleaner on the surface. It will become quite soapy, let sit for an additional 30 minutes. Come back with some white vinegar and lightly spray the entire area. Next you need to rinse with warm/luke warm water. (soap will become soapier with hot water). Spray again with vinegar and you should be okay with a final rinse. Baking soda is a water softener and dish soap cuts the grease/body oils. What you need to stay away from is ammonia and anything very acidic. They work great at first but you are marring the finish on your showers by doing this. Over time they will become harder to clean and lose their factory finish, ammonia can turn them yellow.
Like Patti, I use a baking soda and dawn combo. The trick is not to let it get bad to begin with (as in, clean it regularly), but even so in time it will take the layers off. I’m not even as fancy as Patti, I just sprinkle baking soda on, and dribble a bit of Dawn dish soap. Then I use those scrubbies from Dollar Tree (the ones that are a yellow sponge on one side, and a green scrub thing on the other) while wet and go at it. Sometimes I have to add a bit of water to get the right consistency for scrubbing. Never scratches, and the scrubbies can be used several times before I toss them (they’re like 8 for $1.29 to begin with, so I’m not too heartbroken). Then, rinse well.
I started using this when I was pregnant with one kid or another, and I found the fumes from shower cleaners intolerable.
If it is made out of acrylic use Bar Keepers Friend (the squirt bottle formula, NOT the powder). Use Magic Eraser on glass door.