Step by Step: How to Clean Shower Tile

Fighting soap scum in your shower? Here is a step by step of how to clean shower tile to keep your shower sparkling!

Shower tiles can look so pretty and clean but did you know they could be harboring harmful bacteria? Cleaning a tile shower takes a little extra elbow grease to make sure it’s germ-free. Use my step by step guide to learn how to clean your shower tile and keep the bacteria away!

Run Hot Water

To prepare the tile for cleaning, it’s best to clean after hot water has been running. Cleaning right after the shower has been used or letting the hot water run for 10 minutes will open up the tile pores and make it easier to clean.

Cleaning Solutions to Use

1:1 Vinegar and water

Mix 1 part vinegar with 1 part water in a bowl and then transfer to a spray bottle.. Spray onto the dirtiest areas of your tile and in the grout. Let it sit for 5 minutes to loosen soap scum. If the shower tiles are especially coated in soap scum, let it sit for 30 minutes or longer. Use a bristle brush or grout brush to scrub the soap scum. Finally rinse with warm water.

Baking Soda Paste

Mix 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water in a bowl until it forms a thick paste. If you prefer not to use a baking soda paste you can use a tile spray cleaner instead. Use a sponge to spread the paste onto the tiles. Spray the paste with the vinegar solution used in the previous step and then scrub with a brush. Make sure to apply pressure and clean in a circular motion. Finally, rinse with warm water. Tip: you may need to rinse your tiles 4 or 5 times to remove all the cleaning solution.

To finish off cleaning your tile shower, use a clean towel to dry the tiles. This will help prevent mold and mildew from growing.

Extra Vinegar Solution

Keep extra vinegar solution in a spray bottle in your bathroom. You can spray the vinegar solution onto the tiles 2 to 3 times a week to keep your tiles clean for longer.

Extra Tips

If you have glass doors in your shower, invest in a squeegee. Cleaning the water off your glass doors after each shower is ideal to keep them looking new. Without a squeegee, hard water stains will build up over time and become impossible to remove. 

Pay attention to the corners of your glass shower and watch for build up.

If you would rather skip the elbow grease give us a call! Our cleaners will be happy to spray, soak and clean the tiles for you.