Three-quarters of Brits clean the shower while showering themselves according to a new study – and according to cleaning experts, they might be onto something as there are plenty of tasks you can crack on with whilst you’re waiting for your conditioner to get to work.
If you’re looking for a quick bathroom cleaning hack, this might be one of the best timesavers. The study, created by Drench, studied the bathroom habits of 1,000 people and found 75% of Brits liked the efficiency of cleaning whilst in the shower.
But what are the best tasks to be getting on with to make the most of that small amount of time when your hair mask is working or just before you rinse your conditioner? We asked a couple of cleaning experts to share the tasks to tackle to keep on top of shower hygiene – without taking up too much of your time.
1. Wipe your shower caddy
Your shower caddy is an easily overlooked shower item when it comes to cleaning – especially if it’s constantly fully stocked with your favourite bath products. But giving it a quick wipe when in the shower is an easy way to prevent a build-up of grime and soap scum.
‘They can fill with soap scum and limescale at lightning speed, so the next time you’re waiting for your conditioner to do its thing, clean them out – just keep a bottle of cleaning spray nearby for ease,’ says Heather Nixon, regulatory, NPD and sustainability manager at Bio-D.
2. Wipe and squeegee your screen door and tiles
Perhaps the most obvious of cleaning tasks is giving your tiles and screen door a wipe down, either with a cloth or squeegee. In fact, giving your bathroom surfaces a wipe down every day is one of the things people with clean bathrooms always do.
‘Rinse walls with your handheld shower head. This will work most effectively if you’ve invested in a high-pressure shower head. Use the highest pressure setting and spray the shower walls after every shower to loosen and rinse any accumulated hair, dust and soap,’ says Tatyana Dimitrova from Fantastic Services.
‘Squeeze the shower after showering. The key to a clean shower is to make sure it stays dry. Mildew and mould grow in damp environments, so wiping water off the shower walls will help prevent them from spreading. Luckily, instead of spending hours scrubbing grime and water deposits, you can take 30 seconds to wipe down the shower with a squeegee after you’ve sprayed the walls.’
Addis Comfigrip Shower and Window Squeegee
Use a squeegee to remove any streaks from your screen door and tiles after showering.
3. Tackle soap scum
Soap scum is an inevitable task that needs tackling in your shower, but keeping on top of it whilst in the shower ensures it doesn’t become unmanageable.
‘Before hopping in, spray the inside of the shower door with a mix of water and a drop of washing-up liquid. Let it sit while you wash. Then, with just a quick wipe using an old flannel afterwards, you’ll notice a big reduction in soap scum,’ Henrique Conceicao, Area Manager at Total Clean, recommends.
‘Keep on top of this regularly, and you’ll never need a heavy-duty clean. It’s a small habit that keeps the shower looking fresh.’
4. Clean your grouting
Using your shower time to clean grout in tiles may seem a little controversial. But while you’re waiting to rinse out your hair products, cleaning experts say this is the perfect time to tackle dirty grout.
‘When you’re in the shower, make the most of the time by giving the tiles and showerhead a quick clean. A toothbrush with a paste made from baking soda (£4.44 at Amazon) and vinegar (£2.50 at Amazon) is perfect for tackling grout, cutting through mould, and leaving those shiny lines behind. The warm water loosens the dirt, so the job becomes a breeze. Rinse everything off with the showerhead, and you’ve saved both time and effort,’ says Henrique.
5. Unclog the drain
Cleaning a shower drain is one of the least popular cleaning jobs – but it is vital to prevent blockages and bad smells.
‘Your shower drain can easily become clogged with an unappealing combination of hair, soap scum and dirt. Not only can this make it harder for water to drain, but it can also give off an unpleasant odour too,’ says Kerry Hale, cleaning expert at leading shower brand Mira Showers.
‘Depending on how serious the blockage is, you may be able to shift it by pouring hot water down the hole or using a plunger, though you may need to use an unravelled wire coat hanger to help pull out larger clumps of hair. The more regularly you clear the drain, the easier the task will be.’
Scoop hair or soap scum out before it goes down the plug hole every time you use the shower to avoid it becoming a big cleaning job later down the line. To make this task easier you can invest in a drain protector which will catch any hair during your shower so it can be easily disposed of when you get out.
OXO Shower Drain Protector
A drain protector stops hair and soap scum from getting into your drain and causing blockages. Simply, remove the hair and rinse after every shower.
Will you be joining the 75% of people who like to clean in the shower? Or, are you more inclined towards using the shower as a chance to relax?
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