How to clean shower enclosures: short practical guide for comprehensive cleaning

If having a shower is a moment of pleasure and a quick way of staying clean and fresh, the same can’t be said about cleaning the shower enclosure if you don’t take the right steps. Faced with limescale, soap scum and water stains, cleaning the shower can often seem like an uphill battle, but if you follow a few simple tips you’ll find you can keep your shower enclosure looking pristine and in tip-top condition at all times.

In this article we will explain various effective hacks for keeping your shower enclosure perfectly clean. So, are you ready to find out how you can make cleaning the bathroom quick, easy and even enjoyable?

Cleaning the shower enclosure: every component counts

Taking a shower is a daily wellness ritual and this is why we should give our bathroom the attention it deserves, both in terms of its design, making it practical and comfortable, but also as regards its cleanliness and upkeep.

To keep your shower enclosure thoroughly clean you have to take care of every single component: the glass elements, the tray, the walls and profiles, the seals, the showerhead and the shower trim.

Cleaning every single component is essential for ensuring your shower remains attractive, functional and, most importantly, hygienic over time. In the following sections we will take a look at the steps involved in cleaning the various components of the shower enclosure, sharing some useful practical tips with you.

How to clean the shower tray and drain

Let’s start at the bottom and therefore with the shower tray, which also includes cleaning the drain.

As it is in direct contact with your body, keeping the shower tray clean is fundamental, first and foremost in order to ensure that the surfaces are hygienic.

With the build up of soap residues, limescale and scum, the shower tray can become fertile ground for the proliferation of mould, bacteria and fungi. Keeping the surface clean therefore prevents the formation of these harmful substances and ensures the bathroom is a healthier and a safer environment. Soap scum, for example, can make the surface of the shower tray slippery and increase the risk of falling over. Regular cleaning therefore also improves the safety of your shower enclosure.

First of all, when cleaning the surface it is important to take specific measures according to the material of the shower tray. As well as limescale stains, you should also pay close attention to the chemical products that you use as some detergents could damage the shower tray, especially if it is made from ceramic, resin or composite materials.

How best to remove the stains, limescale and scum that accumulate on the surface of the shower tray? A few tips:

• use lukewarm water and delicate detergents, wiping them off with a soft cloth or damp sponge;
• rinse the surface well and always dry with a soft cloth to avoid the formation of limescale stains or residues.

Tips for stubborn stains:

• if the limescale is hard to remove you can try using a more “aggressive” limescale remover, applying it to the surface of the shower tray with a soft sponge and rinsing off thoroughly afterwards.
• For stubborn stains like limescale, on materials like Tekor use white vinegar or lemon, applying it with a soft-bristled brush that does not scratch the surface. Then rinse and dry thoroughly.
• For resistant scum or silicone stains on Laminam surfaces, use an abrasive sponge (like the ones you use to wash the dishes) and scrub with limescale remover. If the stains persist, you can try using products like vinegar.

To clean the shower drain it is important to regularly check the filter. This is the first step for removing dirt like hair and soap residues that build up on the surface. In the case of stubborn grime you can try using an unblocker to help clear clogged drains, but remember to avoid contact with the surface of the shower tray when applying the product in order to prevent any potential damage.

Alternatively, for particularly dirty drains you can opt for a mix of vinegar and bicarbonate of soda, a useful solution that descales without damaging the materials. Specifically: pour 60 g of bicarbonate of soda and 150 ml of vinegar down the drain.

Cover with a damp microfibre cloth and leave for 5 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. A simple and effective DIY solution.

How to clean shower glass and walls

The glass of the shower enclosure can be a real nightmare to clean.

Stains, soap scum and above all limescale can leave an unattractive and downright annoying matt patina on your clear glass surfaces.

Rule number one for preventing limescale on glass is to stop the drops of water from drying. Limescale forms when water evaporates, leaving those irritating white stains. It is therefore good practice to wipe the glass and the walls of the enclosure with a squeegee or a microfibre cloth after every shower in order to dry the surfaces.

Although this advice may seem obvious it shouldn’t be taken for granted: how often, in our rush or just out of laziness, do we forget or simply put it off till next time? It will take a couple of minutes each time you have a shower but will save you the stress of having to clean for hours further down the line!

For a deeper clean that eliminates more stubborn residues, once a week you can also use a specific window cleaner or, if you prefer, another DIY solution made of water and white vinegar. Spray it on the glass, leave for a few minutes, rinse with lukewarm water and then dry with a soft cloth. The result? Gleaming glass panels.

Another effective remedy is to dilute a drop of neutral soap or washing up liquid with grease removing formula in water.

On the market you can also find specific professional cleaning kits for windows that help keep the glass of your shower enclosure shiny for longer, like the protective treatment that Arcom makes available to its customers.

The kit we use makes the glass panels of the shower enclosure resistant to corrosion and oxidation, helping to maintain their clear, sharp finish over time.

The treatment is applied to all types of glass and creates a non-stick effect: water, humidity and limescale deposits simply wash away without leaving any traces. All that’s left to do is wipe the glass with a squeegee or a microfibre cloth to keep everything looking clean and stain-free.

The treatment lasts about 5 years on average but thanks to the repair kit you can prolong its effects in time. These shower glass treatments with a water-repellent function are also an excellent solution for those that are pushed for time, helping to speed up the cleaning process.

Cleaning profiles, seals, handles and hinges

When it comes to cleaning the shower enclosure, we often focus on the glass panels or the walls, forgetting about the numerous key functional components of every shower, such as the profiles, the seals, the handles and the hinges. Yet these parts also accumulate grime, limescale and humidity, reducing the lifespan of the enclosure and compromising its functionality. Hard to reach, they can be often be tricky to clean.

For seals and profiles in particular, being structural components of the shower enclosure it is important to avoid damaging them. These parts play a key role in guaranteeing the watertightness and overall functionality of the shower enclosure and so it is absolutely essential that you carry out all cleaning operations with the utmost delicacy, using suitable tools.

A microfibre cloth is perfect for removing dust, residues and mould without scratching or compromising the different parts. For harder to reach areas, you can use a soft bristle toothbrush which will help you eliminate scum without having to apply too much pressure. After every shower, it is just as important to dry the seals with a dry cloth: water residues can aid the formation of mould or, in time, contribute to the deterioration of the materials.

Made from plastic or silicone, seals can be cleaned with neutral soap or washing up liquid diluted in water or, alternatively, by using alcohol, which has disinfectant and cleansing properties.

To facilitate the cleaning of trickier parts, some Arcom sliding shower models, for example, are fitted with a door release mechanism. This system makes it possible to quickly and easily unhook the glass panels from their runners and to reach the parts of the door covered by the aluminium profile. As well as allowing you to thoroughly clean every corner of the shower enclosure, this feature also makes the regular maintenance of its components quicker and more straightforward.

The biggest enemy of handles and hinges is undoubtedly – and once again – limescale: as these are usually made of metal, they have a tendency to become dull. To keep them shiny, we recommend using a microfibre cloth (which is delicate) with a little multipurpose detergent or, alternatively, diluted vinegar, an excellent descaler as well as a low-cost solution. Obviously, the first thing to do is to double check what the components are made of and to follow the specific indications of the manufacturer. The use of abrasive sponges that might damage and scratch the finishes is certainly to be avoided. If the hinges start to squeak or no longer guarantee the smooth movement of the doors, you can try using specific lubricants for metals.

Taps

Shower taps are particularly susceptible to the formation of limescale. Once again, the first thing to do is to immediately dry any drops of water.

Abrasive sponges or products containing bleach, which might scratch or ruin the surface, are to be avoided at all costs. A soft cloth is always the best choice and for more stubborn stains we once again suggest the careful application of a limescale remover.

As for showerheads or hand showers, if you notice that the water doesn’t come out smoothly it is time to think about cleaning them. You will need to check the state of the nozzles as these may be blocked with limescale. As well as limescale treatments with vinegar-based detergents or solutions, for the delicate removal of residues you can use a toothbrush or other type of brush (a nail brush for example) as long as it has soft bristles that do not scratch or damage the nozzles..

Conclusions

As you will have read in the article, to keep your shower enclosure in perfect condition all you need to do is follow a few simple tips and turn these into everyday habits. First of all, always dry the glass and the surfaces after showering to avoid the formation of limescale and stains, preferably using soft cloths and squeegees to remove excess water from the glass.

This also goes for shower enclosure walls not made from glass such as, for example, plastic or tiled walls, which will require even closer attention to avoid the proliferation of mould on the grouting.

Once a week it is good practice to perform a deeper clean, using descalers found on the market or DIY solutions to remove limescale residues from every component of the shower.

Don’t forget to look after the components of the shower enclosure, the taps and the showerhead: once again, the tools of the trade to use are soft or microfibre cloths. After cleaning the shower enclosure, if you notice that limescale tends to form rapidly and persists, it is worth finding out how hard your water is and evaluating the acquisition of a water softener: in areas of hard water, this will help you keep your taps and showerheads free of limescale while, more generally, helping to prolong the lives of common electrical appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers. A straightforward measure to help you reduce the damage caused by limescale.

For more practical tips on cleaning and looking after Arcom shower enclosures, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. If, on the other hand, you are looking for ideas for furnishing your home bathroom check out the articles in our blog.