How to Clean a Bathtub and Shower

If you can get into a daily routine, it can be very quick and simple to clean a bathtub and shower.

When cleaning my bathroom, I usually think of the chore in four separate steps:

Clean the bathtub and shower.
Clean the bathroom sink and vanity.
Clean the toilet.
Mop the floor.

And while just four steps seem like it should be a quick job, cleaning the bathtub and shower can take the longest.

I have the tendency to procrastinate the most with this step – which is a huge mistake. Believe me, it takes much more time, effort and elbow grease to clean a tub every month instead of every week. The soap scum and hard water stains have an uncanny way of building up over time.

If you’re a procrastinator like me, you’ll have a big job on your hands. Just plan on the extra work, and gather your cleaning tools.

This spring I discovered I love the effectiveness of Shaklee’s Scour Off Heavy Duty Cleaning Paste – it removes hard water stains and grime in a hurry. That, and a Norwex EnviroCloth, are my go-to bathtub/shower cleaning tools.

In the past I used Norwex Cleaning Paste, as well as Freshana 100% Organic Industrial Strength Cleaner, Seventh Generation Tub and Tile Cleaner, and Norwex Descaler. (Not all at the same time, mind you.)

Once you’ve gathered the cleaning tools you need, get to work. Get in your tub or shower. Take out all of the soaps, shampoos, and other products you keep there.

Start at a top corner of your shower or bathtub surround and work your way down – either spraying or wiping on your cleaning product, and scrubbing and rubbing it off.

Make sure you get all the nooks and crannies.

If you’re in the shower, wipe down you shower head. (If there’s mineral build-up, try removing it with white vinegar.)

And, once you finish cleaning the sides of your bathtub or shower, get the floor. Remove any shower mats if you have them, and keep scrubbing.

Depending on what product you use, you may need to rinse it off with water when you’re done scrubbing – or you may not. If you do need to rinse, wipe away any traces of water, to make your surfaces look clean.

Maintaining a clean bathtub or shower

Once you’ve gone to all the hard work of scrubbing your bathtub or shower, it’s not that difficult to maintain the clean. You just have to remember to do it!

You may want to use a Squeegee to quickly wipe down the walls after each shower – this will keep water marks and soap scum away. Or, I like to hang a Norwex EnviroCloth off a bar in my shower, quickly wipe down the wall every day, and then hang to dry.

Whether you choose a Squeegee or cloth, the entire process takes about a minute, tops.

The trick is in making it part of your daily shower routine.

By maintaining a quick and easy surface clean after I deep clean my bathtub and shower, my entire bathroom cleaning process is much quicker and easier.