Currently, many apartment owners are abandoning the usual baths in favor of showers. This modern device is more convenient to use, it takes up several times less space. However, in order for the service life of this product to please, it requires competent care. How to clean a shower cabin at home?
Cause of plaque
Almost all residents of the territory of the Russian Federation, and indeed of the CIS countries, are faced with the fact that the composition of tap water includes various s alts that contribute to the appearance of lime deposits both on the surfaces of the premises where water is used and on plumbing.
Showers are no exception. Such a unit will look perfect, as well as function without breakdowns in the event of regular cleaning of lime deposits, as well as soap splashes. There are several ways to help get rid of these troubles.
Cleaningwater
There are two types of mechanical water treatment: coarse and fine.
Coarse, using traditional filters, is able to capture and hold solid particles that accidentally find themselves in the water. Basically, these are mesh or fabric filters operating according to the classical scheme. Not intended to reduce the s alt concentration of calcium and iron in water.
Thin, with the help of special case filters, often combined with chemical treatment, is able to reduce the s alt content in tap water.
Water purification is very often used in private houses, cottages, dachas. Their use is especially important if the water comes from artesian wells.
Shower features
At first glance, it seems that the shower cabin, taking up little space in the bathroom, will not cause cleaning problems at all.
In fact, to achieve such results, you need to know some secrets.
Typically shower enclosures consist of the following materials:
- Glass, polystyrene (or other type of plastic) from which the cabin walls, roof, and doors are made.
- Acrylic, enamel surfaces, natural or artificial stone, ceramic trays, ceramic tiles.
- Chrome steel needed for faucets, showerheads, hinges and door handles.
- Painted aluminum used to make rails and frames.
When washing showerscannot be used:
- various abrasive detergents;
- hard microfibre sponges, brushes, metal utensils as they can damage surfaces.
To ensure high-quality mechanical cleaning of shower enclosures, the following accessories are used:
- polyurethane (rubber) scraper;
- non-woven fiber rags;
- synthetic (melamine) sponge;
- steam cleaner.
Types of cleaning showers
To maintain constant cleanliness in the shower, the following types of cleaning should be performed:
- Current. After each shower, it is recommended to rinse the walls of the cabin with a jet of hot water, then cold. Then - dry all surfaces.
- Main. It is carried out in accordance with the instructions for use of the shower cabin and depends on the frequency of use. On average, it is carried out once every two weeks with special cleaning products.
- Intense. Its feature is cleaning the cabin with strong cleaning agents. It is carried out with abundant lime or s alt deposits.
Shower surfaces
The main surfaces of any shower enclosure are doors, walls and ceiling.
An important part of caring for them is regular wiping with dry rags or paper towels. Calcium and chlorine compounds contained in tap water, when dried on plastic components, turn into plaque, and with repeatedrepetition - difficult to remove sediment. The exception is shower cabins equipped with glass with anti-plaque coating. Here the water flows off without leaving any stains on the walls.
So, to keep the shower in good condition, you need to take care of the walls of the cabin. But if plaque still formed, there is currently a large selection of detergents, and the question is: “How to clean the shower cabin?” - does not cause great difficulties. To perform basic cleaning with high quality, detergent in the form of a spray is applied to contaminated surfaces. If the plaque is not very pronounced, you can immediately wash off the product. If necessary, it is possible to withstand an exposure of 5 to 10 minutes. It is recommended to use a scraper on plastic as well as glass surfaces to remove subtle dirt particles.
And how can I clean the shower cabin with severe pollution? There are special potent pastes and creams that should not be applied to the entire cabin, but only to certain, especially contaminated areas. The agent is applied with a rag, sponge on the soiled surface, the time is kept according to the instructions, and then the surface is thoroughly washed off and wiped dry. If soap streaks and stains remain, you can clean the shower stall with a low (5-10 percent) concentration of vinegar.
Choice of detergent
When cleaning, it must be taken into account that the choice of one or another detergent depends entirely on the materials from which the shower stall is made. This information is in the instruction manual.plumbing or in its technical passport.
In order not to spoil the surface with detergents, it is necessary to carefully study their composition and scope before buying. It is better to decide approximately how to clean the shower cabin in advance by reading the necessary information in trusted sources. If something confuses, you can always get advice from the sellers. Product must not contain:
- formic acid;
- formaldehydes;
- acetone, gasoline (organic solvents).
As a rule, such detergents contain chlorine, hydrogen peroxide or a solution of acetic acid. But housewives often have an allergic reaction to these chemicals. How to clean the shower in this case? There are special steam generators that can easily clean the room from any pollution. You can buy them both on the Internet and in household appliances stores in any city. True, they themselves cost a lot of money, but, as they say, the game is worth the candle.
Walls
How to clean the walls in the shower? The easiest way to maintain the walls of the sanitary room, consisting of glass.
Here you can use any means for washing glass surfaces ("Sif", "Mr. Muscle", "Sanelit"). Such surfaces are successfully cleaned with soda, ammonia and acetic acid.
Plastic surfaces must not be cleaned with abrasive products. Only special tools are suitable herein the form of a spray, intended for plastic surfaces. And how to clean the shower at home, if there are no suitable compounds at hand? Solutions of citric acid and vinegar will not bring harm either.
Pallets
The most capricious to care for, but pleasant to use material due to its warmth is acrylic. Remove dirt from it carefully, with a soft cloth moistened with detergent. It can be dishwashing liquid, toothpaste, or commercial acrylic bathtub cleaner. It usually comes in the form of a spray or cream. Such a tool is applied to the surface, left for 12-18 minutes, then washed off with plenty of water. If dirt cannot be removed with these products, there is a more thorough cleaning with silver cleaners (polishes).
The easiest to clean is a natural stone pallet. How to clean a shower cabin with a stone tray? It is not necessary to use chemicals to clean it. Very often, only a steam generator is sufficient.
Pallets made of artificial stone can darken over time. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to occasionally clean them with toilet bowl cleaners containing oxalic acid. The main thing is to wear gloves before use to protect yourself from the harmful effects of acid on the skin. After cleaning, rinse the drip tray with plenty of running water.
Enamelled pallets are made of cast iron, steel and covered with a layer of enamel on top. Do not use products containing:
- sulfuric acid;
- alkaline compounds;
- formaldehydes;
- hydrochloric acid.
How to clean the shower from limescale, if it includes enameled surfaces? They are often cleaned with products that include abrasive substances. These are Pemolux, Comet and the like. Always have soda and citric acid on hand. These substances also do an excellent job both together and separately.
The chrome parts of the shower enclosure are easy to clean with a melamine sponge, even without chemicals. She independently erases fatty traces, rust, soap stains, limescale. To do this, moisten the edge of the sponge and walk around the chrome surfaces in a circular motion.
Shower Drains
A special alkaline agent "Mole" or its analogues will help to avoid sewer blockages. To clean the drain of the shower cabin, it is necessary to pour detergent into it all night, and in the morning rinse with plenty of running water. Thanks to this, grease, soap residues will not stick to the pipes and siphon of the cabin, which will reduce the possibility of clogging at times. Be very careful when using these products in acrylic pallets! Acrylic can cause permanent damage if alkali comes into contact with it!
How to clean a shower stall with folk remedies
The answer to the question: "How to clean the shower from limescale?" - can give the well-known remedy "Antinakipin". It is used for cleaning heating elements in washing machines. "Antinakipin" is dissolved in a smallamount of hot water, apply hot to heavily soiled areas, then wipe them with a soft sponge. This substance must not come into contact with the rubber parts of the shower enclosure.
There is also a more gentle way to clean showers from plaque.
To rid acrylic surfaces of heavy soiling:
- Apply a thin layer of toothpaste with a soft cloth (sometimes with a toothbrush).
- Hold it on surfaces for five to ten minutes.
- After the time has elapsed, rub the contaminated areas a little more and wash off the remnants of the product with a stream of warm water.
An excellent remedy for heavily soiled acrylic bathtubs - silver polishing compound.
How to clean the shower at home? You can use a solution of citric acid. To do this, you need:
- Take one hundred grams of acid and dissolve them in 500 milliliters of water (preferably hot).
- Using a spray bottle (if not available, then with a rag soaked in a solution), apply this product to contaminated surfaces, leave for 2-3 minutes. If the surfaces are heavily soiled, you can hold it for 10 - 15 minutes.
- Rinse the surface with plenty of running water and wipe dry with rags or paper towels. You can also clean the shower cabin with citric acid with plastic surfaces. Citric acid gently cleanses plaque and soap residue.
If the shower cabin consists of glass and enamelsurface, it can be cleaned with ordinary baking soda.
It is also recommended to prepare a special mixture of vinegar, soda and ammonia. It is prepared according to the proportion 1:1:2. This mixture is diluted with water and applied to surfaces with a spray gun. The tool perfectly removes soap deposits, grease, dried drops of water. When using it, there will be no question: “How to clean the shower cabin from limescale?”
Surprisingly, the well-known drink Coca-Cola also has detergent properties. Thanks to phosphoric acid, which is part of this carbonated water, cola is capable of a lot. It will effectively get rid of rust, mineral deposits. When using it, the question will no longer arise: “How to clean the shower cabin from plaque?” It is necessary to use a sponge dipped in cola to treat contaminated surfaces. Soak for about half an hour and wash off the "detergent". Clean surfaces - wipe dry with a rag.
Mold in shower stall
Due to constant humidity, mold often appears in showers.
Besides the fact that it spoils the aesthetic appearance, molds are also the strongest allergens. Therefore, after using the shower, do not close the doors tightly. A very important and correct step will be the installation of existing ventilation and dry heat sources (for example, underfloor heating). And to clean the shower from mold, you will need to use detergents containing chlorine, hydrogen peroxide or vinegar. Then you need to dry it properly.room with an electric heater and treat with an antifungal agent. If the mold has managed to get deep into the surface, the walls - in this case, the question may arise of replacing the shower cabin and overhauling the premises in general.
Finally, I would like to say that cleaning the shower cabin is not such a difficult and scary task as it might seem at first. The main thing is to competently approach the question: what and how to clean. Having understood the composition of the shower cabin and detergents, choosing the necessary accessories and substances, you can achieve excellent results. A shower cabin with proper operation can last more than 10 years.
