Cleaning the shower is one of those chores in our house that over the years has ended up being “my job”. Mainly because the smell of most cleaners gives my wife a headache. I find the smell annoying but it doesn’t make me sick.
My wife was telling me recently about a homemade shower cleaner a co-worker of hers uses. She says that it cleared every mark from her shower glass panel. She remembered that it contained white vinegar and that you heated it up.
With those nuggets of info I went to Google looking for a “recipe” for homemade shower cleaners. What I found were several different ones. I decided to go with the easiest… and the one I knew we had everything on hand to make.
All I needed was a 1.5 cups of white vinegar, 1 tablespoon of Dawn Dish Soap, and a spray bottle to put them in.
I measured the vinegar in a 2 cup Pyrex measuring glass and microwaved it for 2 minutes. While it was heating up I added the dish soap to the spray bottle. Using a funnel helped.
Then, I slowly and carefully poured the heated vinegar into the bottle with the soap. You might want to set the bottle in your sink and pour it there. Less of a chance of burning yourself.
Next, screw the spray pump into the bottle and tighten. Then shake to mix it up. That’s it! Armed with this new concoction I set out to clean our shower.
So, how did the homemade shower cleaner work? Quite well, actually. Just as good as any “scrubbing bubbles” or “spray foam” type of cleaner I’ve used before.
How about the smell? It was really strong at first. I think that’s because I used it right away while it was still warm. Warm vinegar is something I’m used to smelling because I run it through my Keurig to clean it.
That warm vinegar smell also reminds me of dying Easter eggs because some of the dyes call for using vinegar and hot water.
Had I let the homemade cleaner cool down a bit… or sprayed it in the shower and then left for awhile I don’t think the smell would have been as strong. Even at it’s strongest it wasn’t any worse than the typical chemical smell of the average cleaner.
To clean the curtain liner I filled the tub with warm water, poured in some vinegar, and added some Dawn. I let the liner soak in that solution for a half hour or so which cleaned it up pretty well.
After cleaning the shower and liner I gave it a coat of Gel Gloss. I love this stuff. It polishes and protects the shower and makes it easier to clean the next time.
This homemade shower cleaner recipe is one I’ll definitely use again. We always have the supplies on hand to make it. Plus, it costs a lot less than chemical cleaners.
Do you have some homemade cleaning recipes or tips? Leave a comment. I’d love to hear them.
