What is always ironic about something like a shower, something that is used to clean yourself is that they in themselves also get dirty. This is especially the case when it comes to the tiles that you have on your shower walls. Those tiles go yellow, reddish-orange, and even brown over time, and it certainly doesn’t look very nice. They can even smell bad too.
With that being said, scrubbing your shower tiles is not always exactly the best method of choice. Therefore, what we are here to discuss today is how to clean your shower tiles without scrubbing them.
Can You (and Why Should You) Clean Shower Tiles Without Scrubbing?
OK, so the first thing that we do want to clarify here is that it is indeed totally possible to clean your shower tiles without scrubbing them with any kind of abrasive scrubbing tool. Sure, using an abrasive scrubber does make life easier when it comes to removing stuck-on debris, but with that being said, you shouldn’t really have stuck-on debris on your shower tiles.
What you have on your shower tiles are water stains, hard water stains, and mineral buildups. Although scrubbing them off is an option, scrubbing alone won’t get them off 100% anyway, and moreover, it’s not a good idea because you will end up damaging those tiles.
Whether you have ceramic, porcelain, or clay tiles, scrubbing them with any kind of abrasive sponge or cleaning utensil will scratch off the top layer or the coating on top. Once the coating on top has been removed, the tiles themselves become much more susceptible to both physical damage and water penetration.
Moreover, scratched tiles just don’t look very nice. On that same note, as soon as tiles have scratches in them, they become much more susceptible to picking up dirt and debris, and they also become more susceptible to bacteria growth. Bacteria can get into those small crevices and hang on for dear life. The bottom line here is that in no way, shape, or form should you use anything even remotely abrasive to scrub those tiles.
9 Best Ways to Clean Shower Tiles Without Scrubbing
OK, so you can’t scrub your tiles because you will end up damaging them, but with that being said, it is of course possible to clean those shower tiles without scrubbing. In fact, there are various ways of doing so, and right now we’re going to cover all of the best ones.
1. Using Hot Water and a Cloth
If your shower tiles are only moderately or minimally dirty, then using some hot water and a soft cloth such as a microfiber towel might be enough to do the trick. However, this is really only going to work for very minimal staining, as it just won’t be powerful enough to remove actual stuck-on stains.
et, this is the easiest solution to go with, and it is the first thing that you should try because all you have to do is to run some hot water, soak a towel, and then try to rub the tiles clean.
2. Using Vinegar
If the first method was not enough to remove the stains from your shower tiles, what you can also try doing is soaking the stained areas with vinegar. Vinegar is of course a great natural cleaner that has the ability to kill bacteria, mold, and all sorts of odors. It also functions as a decent stain remover.
Soak the area in vinegar, leave it for an hour, and then rinse it away. If it doesn’t work, you can repeat the process or just move on to the next method.
3. Using Baking Soda and Vinegar
In case you didn’t know, when you mix baking soda and vinegar together, there is a certain chemical reaction that is created. Not only is vinegar by itself a great cleaner, but when that chemical reaction occurs between it and baking soda, it creates a whole lot of oxygen that has the ability to remove stains without any scrubbing.
What you need to do here is to wet the tiles so that the baking soda can stick when you go to throw it on there. Apply the baking soda to the wet tiles and then use a spray bottle to spray the baking soda with vinegar. You may need to repeat this process two or three times for it to work. You should then be able to rinse the titles clean with some hot water.
4. Using Vinegar and Dishwashing Liquid
Dishwashing liquid often contains many substances or chemicals that are designed for removing grease and stains, therefore making it a good option for this purpose. As we have established by now, vinegar is also a great cleaner.
What you want to do here is to fill a spray bottle with one part vinegar and one part dishwashing liquid. Spray down the tiles, let the solution sit for an hour, and then rinse it away. You can always repeat this process if it doesn’t work the first time, or move on to the next method.
5. Using Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda
If you need something that is a bit more powerful than either vinegar or dishwashing liquid, something you can try using is hydrogen peroxide. Make a mixture out of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda so you get a relatively thick slurry.
Take that thick slurry and spread it all over the stained tiles. Let this sit for 30 to 60 minutes and then rinse it away. The stains and debris should rinse away with it. This is something that you can try repeating a second time, although it can be a bit messy, so you may as well just move on to the next method.
6. Using Hydrogen Peroxide and Borax
If hydrogen peroxide is still not enough to do the trick, then what you can try doing is using a combination of hydrogen peroxide and Borax. Borax is of course an extremely strong cleaner.
What you want to do here is to take that Borax and spread it over the tiles. Let it sit for at least five hours. Now take some hydrogen peroxide and pour it over those same tiles without first removing the Borax. You can now use some warm or hot water to rinse everything away. This solution should be more than powerful enough to do the trick.
7. Using Bleach (with Baking Soda)
Bleach is never one of our first recommendations because it’s poisonous both to people and the environment. But with that being said, it is of course an excellent cleaner disinfectant and stain remover. Therefore you can always try spraying some bleach on the tiles, letting it sit for a while, and then rinsing it all.
If this does not work, you can always try making a thick slurry out of bleach and baking soda. Apply the slurry of bleach and baking soda to the affected area, let it sit for about an hour, and then rinse it away.
8. Using Oxygen Bleach
Oxygen bleach, such as Oxyclean, is a great thing to use not only for laundry but also for bathroom tiles. This is like a special mixture of bleach and various compounds that create a strong chemical reaction when mixed with water.
It ends up creating a whole lot of oxygen, and as you might know, oxygen has great cleaning abilities. Take a few tablespoons of oxygen bleach, mix it with some water, and then apply it to the tiles. Let it sit for a little while and then rinse it away.
9. Using Scrubbing Bubbles, CLR, or Other Such Products
Of course, there are also many harsh chemical cleaning products out there that are designed for this exact job. There are also strong cleaners that aren’t overly chemically harsh. There are tons of options to go with here, so the choice is yours. When it comes down to it, any bathroom tile cleaner should do the job just fine, whether it be CLR, Scrubbing Bubbles, or anything in between.
Summary
Now that you know how to clean shower tiles without damaging them, you can keep your shower sparkly clean without having to worry about scratching the life out of those tiles.