The only reason we
don't have soap scum on our tummies and mold between our toes is because we
rinse and dry our skin with every shower. If we didn't and treated our skin as
we treat our showers, we would have a bad skin epidemic on our hands! Well, maybe not an epidemic but we would
definitely be itchier humans.
3 miraculous things happen when we rinse and dry our showers
after each use:
1. Hard water deposit build up is minimized
2. Soap scum build up is minimized as is mold
food
3. Less moisture means less mold, mold thrives
in moist areas!
My husband was just telling me about a conversation
he had earlier this week. Our client was
wondering if you could in fact clean a shower with mild cleaners- neutral
pH. The answer to that depends on when
you clean. If you rinse and dry after
each shower, then you can use the very mildest of products because nothing has
set up. Think about your kitchen dinner
dishes and a meal of eggs, pasta or oatmeal.
If you rinse as soon as you are done eating, the process is quick and
easy. If these foods sit up over night,
we all know they can turn into concrete!
Soap scum is like concrete on steroids!
In cleaning, most
damage is done by using too aggressive of cleaners or scratching pads (green
pad). Not only do we damage our
beautiful showers by what we use to clean, we also damage ourselves. The cleaners we usually buy to clean our
showers tend to be dangerous to our lungs, skins and eyes, they are often
acidic, high alkaline or very reactive like bleach.
Did you know an acidic
cleaner will eat away most grout joints and damage many natural stones? Did you know mixing acids and bleaches cause
caustic gasses? Did you know showers
tend to have poor ventilation but most cleaners want you to use in a well
ventilated area!
The secret to being
healthy, having a beautiful shower, minimizing your family's chemical exposure
and keeping your shower in great shape is easier than you think.
5 tips for the incredibly effective daily
maintenance of a shower!
1.
Before
you turn on your shower - turn on your exhaust fan!
Let your exhaust
fan run a full 60 minutes after your shower
This step
removes the humidity from your shower that can lead to mold
Keeping the
relative humidity down in the NW also pays big dividends for healthy homes.
2. After showering
Rinse the
walls, door and shower pan with water
Hand held
shower heads are perfect for this step
This step
removes the soap and personal care products you used from your shower
3. After showering
Dry off your
showers with either a towel or squeegee.
If you only
squeegee, you will be re-depositing the soap down the walls, into the grout
joint and onto your shower pan- creating a surprisingly thick build up of soap
scum.
I personally like to
dry with a towel as it gets the details better and I can dry fixtures off at
the same time.
4. Open up shower doors
or curtains to let air flow.
If you close up your shower tight, this will
greatly delay your drying- if not stop it completely.
5. Use the mildest
means possible to clean!
And when you clean
your shower: use mild cleaners! A good choice is a neutral stone and tile
cleaner. Another product which works
wonderfully is dish washing liquid. Dish washing liquid usually has a neutral pH
and is already a product you have on stock. (Make sure to dilute or you will have bubbles galore!)
Also, use a
microfiber, wash mitt or wash cloth and rub your shower to break the surface
tension- releasing the soil/soap from the walls.
In our family the rule
of thumb is: Last one in dries the shower.
This daily process takes minimal time and effort but pays huge-
gigantic- enormous benefits in the long run!
You will have a squeaky clean shower.
Your shower will last much longer and look better. You will not need to use or even buy those
harsh shower cleaners and on cleaning day- cleaning your shower is a snap!
If you need help getting
your shower back to clean, feel free to call on us. We specialize in cleaning natural stone, tile
and grout. With our 23 plus years of
cleaning experience we can get your shower back to beautiful!
As always, wishing you and your family a healthy and happy home!
Denise Frakes
Co- Owner of Blue Sky Service: Stone and Tile Care
Certified Healthy home specialist
Residue free and green cleaning specialist
