Grimy shower tiles might be the bane of your existence, but a modest box of baking soda eliminates the mess. It won’t scrape shingles, and yet baking soda can eliminate everything from soap scum to aged specks of hair conditioner. Finish with a vinegar rinse, and you’re going to raise the glow and impair mildew development too.

Why Baking Soda Works

Baking soda has a naturally soft abrasive texture. It’s not tough like some scouring powders, and it is softer than some so-called soft liquid cleansers. Finer abrasives tend to make better contact with shingles than coarser abrasives do, since more particles touch with the surface at the same time. So once you scour using baking soda, you are making the task easier on yourself and you don’t need to contend with the unpleasant fumes of some cleansers with bleach additives.

How to Scour the Tiles

You’ll want a sponge and a box of baking soda, and that’s about it. However, in case you have a really grimy shower, you can add a touch of dish-washing fluid to cut the further film. Soak the sponge in warm water, and sprinkle baking soda on top. There is no wrong or right amount. Spray the tiles with a little water, and scour the walls from the top down. Wash the shingles using a sprayer or a clean sponge and water, and let the baking soda go down the drain.

Why White Vinegar Helps

White vinegar helps rub away any baking soda residue and tends to depart fewer streaks than some other cleaners. What is surprising is that it also will help kill mildew and stop it from coming back. The Pesticide Research Institute also warns, “Never mix vinegar with ammonia or bleach, since it forms harmful chlorine or chloramine gases.” Spray the tiles using full strength household vinegar, and then wipe down the shower to shine the shingles. If you are worried about mildew, you can also let the vinegar sit until it is dry, and re-treat the walls and buff them using a rag to get rid of any spots.

The Way Shower Drains Can Benefit

An interesting thing happens when vinegar and baking honey mix. The mixture fizzes up, and this action helps clean out household drains. It’s not quite as intense as a commercial drain cleaner, but it is beneficial. The baking soda and vinegar used to wash the shingles will not be potent enough to do much good after they get to the drain. But since you’ll have them handy, you can sprinkle baking soda into the drain and add a little vinegar, and remove a cleanser drain. Wash the drain using warm water after the mixture sits for a couple of minutes.

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