How do I get my shower white again?

What causes shower discoloration?

There are a few common causes of shower discoloration that can make it look dingy or yellow over time:

– Hard water – Hard water contains minerals like calcium and magnesium that can build up on shower surfaces and create soap scum. This scum accumulates over time and leads to discoloration. Hard water is the #1 cause of shower discoloration.

– Mold and mildew – Wet, humid environments like showers are breeding grounds for mold and mildew. These fungi leave behind stubborn stains and discoloration on shower walls and floors. Mold and mildew could be the culprit if you notice dark spots or blackish staining.

– Age and wear – Over many years of use, the continuous exposure to moisture and cleaning chemicals can erode and stain shower grout and caulking. Older showers are more likely to look dingy due to age and wear.

– Rust – If you have metal fixtures, railings or a metal enamel shower pan, these could oxidize and rust over time leading to orange-ish staining. Rust discoloration is more common in older showers.

– Hair and body oils – The everyday use of your shower means it comes into constant contact with hair and body oils, shampoos and soaps. These can leave behind a residue that accumulates and leads to yellowish discoloration.

– Chemicals in personal care products – Ingredients like dyes and fragrances in shampoos, soaps, body washes and even hair dye can stain and discolor shower surfaces over time.

How to clean a discolored shower

To get your shower sparkling white again, you will likely need to do a deep clean scrub to remove built up gunk, stains and residue. Here are some tips:

– Clean with an abrasive cleaner – Use a powder cleanser, soft scrub with bleach, or a pumice stone to scrub away tough stains on shower walls and floors. An abrasive cleaner provides the elbow grease needed.

– Use a bleach cleaner – Opt for a cleaner containing bleach to break down and remove mold and mildew stains. Make sure to check it won’t damage your shower type.

– Replace shower heads – Remove and replace old shower heads with new ones to get rid of mineral buildup clogging nozzles. Consider installing a filtered shower head.

– Replace caulking and grout – If the caulk and grout lines have become cracked, worn down or heavily stained over the years, you may need to strip out the old and re-caulk and re-grout to make it look new again.

– Scrub with vinegar – For hard water residue, spray down the shower with undiluted white vinegar and let sit for 30 minutes before scrubbing and rinsing. The acetic acid in vinegar destroys mineral deposits.

– Use baking soda – Make a paste with baking soda and water and use it to gently scrub away stubborn yellow stains from body oils and hair products. Baking soda is a mild abrasive.

– Try oxygen bleach – An oxygen bleach cleaner works wonders on soap scum and also whitens the grout. Make sure to check it’s suitable for your shower type before using.

– Magic eraser – Use the Mr Clean Magic Eraser cleaning pads on tile or glass shower walls to easily whisk away built up grime and stains without chemicals.

Everyday tips for keeping a shower white

Here are some easy daily and weekly cleaning tips to prevent shower discoloration in the first place:

– Squeegee after each use – Wipe down the walls and doors with a squeegee or towel after showering to remove excess water and stop soap scum buildup.

– Hang up loofahs and poufs – Don’t leave wet loofahs sitting in the shower between uses as they can collect mold. Hang to dry completely.

– Regularly bleach clean – Add a weekly bleach-based shower cleaner to your routine to prevent mold and mildew growth. These come as sprays or gels that cling to surfaces.

– Use shower cleaning wipes – Keep shower cleaning wipes handy for quick wipe downs after showering to prevent soap scum buildup between deep cleans.

– Dry out the shower – Leave the shower door open after use to let the moisture fully evaporate and prevent mold growth. Consider getting a fan.

– Clean drain catchers – Remove and clean hair catcher drains regularly to prevent clogs and ensure proper water drainage.

– Install shower filter – A shower filter prevents mineral scale buildup from hard water which leads to white stains and residue.

– Replace old shower heads – Use a handheld shower head with self-cleaning nozzles or install a filtered shower head.

– Keep shower ventilated – Ensure the bathroom is equipped with a vent fan that’s used during and after showering to reduce humidity.

– Use vinegar weekly – Spray shower walls with undiluted white vinegar weekly and let sit before rinsing down. Vinegar removes soap scum and hard water stains.

How to Remove Specific Stains

Here are tips to remove some common specific stains from showers:

Hard water stains:

– Use a pumice stone to gently scrub away rust colored hard water stains.

– Apply citric acid to stains, let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse. Can also use white vinegar.

– Make a paste with baking soda and water and scrub on stains.

Mold and mildew stains:

– Spray moldy areas with hydrogen peroxide and let sit for 10 minutes before scrubbing and rinsing.

– Make a baking soda paste with water and scrub on mildew stains before rinsing.

– Use a bleach mold cleaner and let it sit on stains for a few minutes before wiping and rinsing.

Rust stains:

– Use a rust stain remover gel and let it sit before wiping and rinsing thoroughly.

– Sprinkle oxalic acid powder onto rust stains, let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse.

– Apply lemon juice or white vinegar and scrub with a stiff brush. Rinse thoroughly.

Soap scum:

– Use an abrasive cleaner or soft scrub with bleach formulated for soap scum removal.

– Spray vinegar and let sit for 15 minutes. Scrub and rinse.

– Make a paste with baking soda and water. Gently scrub on soap scum then rinse.

Conclusion

A dingy, yellowed shower can make your whole bathroom look dated and uninviting. But with some elbow grease and the right cleaning methods, you can get your shower looking sparkling white again. Using abrasive cleaners, bleach, vinegar, baking soda and replacing shower heads are all great ways to remove built up gunk, stains, mold, mildew, soap scum and hard water residue. Combine deep cleaning with daily shower maintenance to prevent future discoloration.

Stain Type	Cleaning Solutions
Hard water stains	Pumice stone, Citric acid, Vinegar, Baking soda
Mold and mildew	Hydrogen peroxide, Bleach cleaner, Baking soda
Rust stains	Rust remover gel, Oxalic acid, Lemon juice/vinegar
Soap scum	Abrasive cleaner, Vinegar, Baking soda