Effortless Shower Maintenance: How to keep your shower looking like new
There’s nothing like the pristine look and feel of a brand-new bathroom – and a shower nobody has used before. But bathrooms are busy places, and without careful maintenance, your sparkling new shower can quickly turn into a moldy and mildewed germ-fest.
In this blog, we will look at some of the reasons why our showers get grimy so quickly and what you can do to ensure that ‘freshly completed’ look and feel lasts as long as possible.
Why do showers get so dirty?
You go in the shower to get clean – so why does the shower end up dirty? How come all the products you use to clean your hair and body don’t automatically clean the shower? And what is all that slimy gunk that seems to appear from nowhere?
Let’s look at where the dirt comes from:Dead skin cells
When we get into the shower, we’re rinsing physical dirt, but also dead skin cells, oils, and bacteria off our bodies and onto the surfaces in the shower. These particles alone can create a layer of grime, but they’re also an excellent food source for bacteria.Shower products
Manufacturers design the shower gels and shampoos we use to wash ourselves for cosmetic purposes. You probably choose a moisturizing body wash to prevent your skin from drying out and a conditioning shampoo that prevents your hair from going frizzy – and these products contain substances besides just soap, including glycerine, silicone, and natural oils like shea butter or coconut oil. With regular use, these will develop into a greasy layer inside your shower, commonly referred to as ‘soap scum’ that doesn’t just rinse away.Mineral residues
As water evaporates from wet surfaces and fixtures, the minerals in it get left behind – and if you live in an area with hard water, with high levels of calcium carbonate, this will result in limescale – white, chalky deposits that can build up on faucets, shower heads and other water appliances in your home.Bacteria and fungi
Last but not least, the warm, damp conditions inside your shower enclosure provide the perfect conditions for organisms like bacteria and fungi to thrive. Soap products are highly alkaline, which further helps them to grow. This characteristic can lead to the development of black, brown, or reddish deposits on your shower head, the walls, the drain, or around the shower tray and caulk.
How can I prevent my shower from getting so dirty?
If you’re in the planning phases of a bathroom renovation, it’s worth considering how your shower design could help you win the war against soap scum, limescale, and mold in the future.
Easy-clean spaces
The more crevices inside your shower, the more places there’ll be for germs to set up camp – so aim for as seamless a space as possible.Segmented shower doors are trendy right now, but they can be time-consuming to clean, where a simple glass screen is easy to rinse or wipe down. Large-format tiles have fewer grout spaces, which is a classic problem area for mold to develop. Likewise, shower trays – a flush tray or walk-in shower enclosure mean there are fewer places for water to collect and bacteria to grow.
As for the shower itself, we recommend a concealed shower valve – where the wall hides the pipes and valve behind it, with only the shower head and the hand controls on the outside. Again, this makes for more straightforward cleaning with fewer nooks and crannies.
Smart shower head design
Artos designs its rainhead showers to resist the development of mold and limescale on the nozzles because of our unique rubber nozzle matrix. This design ensures that the water pressure is spread evenly across the surface of the entire shower head regardless of what angle it’s positioned at. Because of this, every nozzle is fully operational, with the same water pressure coming out of each one, acting as a self-cleaning system. The rubber nozzles are also supremely easy to clean if they become clogged.
Video: How our rubber shower head matrix works
How to clean your shower enclosure
The tiles, shower tray, and glass doors of your shower can become dirty after just a single use. Handprints, soapy smudges, and watermarks will quickly cause them to become dull. A great way to counteract this is to use a shower spray to apply after every use, with ingredients that dissolve soap scum and keep surfaces looking shiny between your regular cleaning sessions.The more often you clean your shower enclosure, the easier it will be to prevent dirt and germs from building up. You can use a grease-busting or mild abrasive cleaner to gently remove dirt, mold, and limescale from all surfaces, followed by a proprietary glass cleaner to polish the enclosure doors. You can use specific bleach products to eliminate mildew, particularly on caulk.
How to clean and maintain your shower head
Artos shower heads typically have an electroplated or PVD finish, so they should be treated like solid metal. If your shower head has a polished finish, you should be careful not to use abrasive cleaners or sponges that might scratch it. You can clean the outside of the shower head, slidebar, and shower controls using a soft cloth or sponge and a gentle detergent.
Over time, you may notice dirt, limescale, or even slime building up around the nozzles of your shower head – and if you can see it on the outside, chances are it’s gathering on the inside, too. In this instance, we recommend unscrewing the shower head from the arm to give it a thorough cleaning as follows:
Removing limescale
If you notice limescale building up, you can remove this by soaking your shower head in white vinegar and water. Mix one part vinegar to four parts water in a container that will fit your shower head, and leave it to soak for an hour. Then give it a good rinse and polish dry before refitting it. If your shower head does not detach from the arm, you can put the solution in a plastic food bag and attach it to the shower head using an elastic band or hair tie. Using a soft cloth or brush, you can also manually remove limescale from fittings with this solution.Eliminating mold and slime
If mildew or slime is the problem, perform the same process using a solution of one part bleach to four parts water and leave to soak. You may also wish to soak the flexible hose if your shower has a handheld spray, as scum building up inside can impact water flow and shower pressure.We offer a lifetime guarantee against leaks and material failure on all Artos products, giving you additional peace of mind that when you select our plumbing fixtures, your bathroom will be beautiful and durable for many years. Our experienced customer care team is available to answer any queries about choosing, maintaining, or repairing an Artos product – simply get in touch, and we’ll do our best to help.