The Real Reason Why You Can Never Keep Your Shower Clean & How to Fix That
Posted on: 6 July 2018
If you've ever spent hours scrubbing grout lines with a basket full of fifteen different cleaning products beside you, you're not alone. Between the humidity and the soap scum, the shower is not a kind place to tile. Grout lines discolor quickly and soap scum hardens on tiles into an impenetrable shield.
Unfortunately, most homeowners aren't cleaning their bathrooms correctly. They may even be damaging their shower tiles in the process, despite their admirable effort. Here's what homeowners need to know about how their shower gets dirty and how to fix it.
What Causes Shower Stains?
The primary culprit is soap scum. The residue from the soap you use to clean your body will seep into the grout lines and cause discoloration. Bar soap is especially prone to creating a major soap scum problem. Over time, the soap scum begins to harden into a thick layer that's nearly impossible to clean off.
The other source of grout and tile discoloration is mold and mildew. Bathrooms are humid environments, and all the residual moisture on the walls of your shower provide an excellent breeding ground for mold and fungi. They grow in the grout lines and cause them to discolor.
How Do Homeowners Clean Their Bathrooms Wrong?
Homeowners often cause damage to their shower tile in the process of trying to clean their bathrooms. Vinegar is often recommended as a safe and natural cleaner for grout, but the acid in vinegar is actually strong enough to etch tile and bathroom fixtures. Powdered cleaners that work through abrasive action will also cause etching, especially when combined with vigorous scrubbing. Your tiles will lose their glossy shine and your grout actually becomes more vulnerable to staining.
Despite all the extensive cleaning and scrubbing, homeowners find that soap scum stains are nearly impossible to remove. Mold, mildew and soap scum stains all quickly return to discolor your grout lines. No matter what cleaning products you use, the problem never seems to be solved. The reason is that the cleaning products sold to homeowners are simply not strong enough to remove the hardened soap scum acting as a protective layer for the discoloration.
The final problem lies in the grout lines that join sections of tile—these are usually found in the corners of your shower. You may find that they discolor and nothing you use will ever get them clean. The bad news is that you're right—it's likely that the grout lines were improperly sealed when they were installed, which lets soap scum and hard water penetrate deep into the grout. Sometimes homeowners accidentally ruin the seal themselves by scrubbing the grout forcefully with acid-based cleaners. You'll need to call a professional to grind down the grout and reseal it properly.
How Can Homeowners Clean Their Showers Successfully?
The only solution is to call a bathroom cleaning professional. Professionals have access to industrial-strength cleaning products and the expertise to use them without damaging your shower tile. They also have tools such as high-speed scrubbers that can quickly remove hardened soap scum without damaging the tile underneath. He or she will also tell you if your grout lines need to be resealed. After an extensive cleaning, a special tile guard will be applied to your bathroom to prevent future discoloration.
Once your shower is spotless, prevent the stains from returning by switching to gel-based body wash instead of bar soap to greatly reduce soap scum. Run the bathroom's exhaust fan to remove excess moisture after each shower and prevent mold and mildew from forming. Preventing the stains in the first place goes a long way in keeping your bathroom spotless.
When all the scrubbing and cleaning in the world doesn't give you the results you want, call a bathroom tile cleaning service such as Ultra Clean of Arkansas. You'll end up with a spotless shower and prevent damage to your shower tile caused by abrasive cleaning products and harsh scrubbing.
Share