Out of all the rooms in your home, the bathroom boasts one of the highest number of dirty nooks and crannies. Are you sure you're cleaning them all?
Professional cleaners warn shower tracks are the one spot you're most likely to forget about and therefore need urgent attention. Embrace their cleaning tips this spring for effective sanitizing in this often-forgotten bathroom area.
Why do shower tracks need cleaning?
Like any area when it comes to cleaning a bathroom, there are a few reasons your shower tracks need regular freshening up.
Delah Gomasi, cleaning expert, and CEO of MaidForYou, explains, 'As buildup accumulates, you'll find it harder to slide the door open and shut. You'll also be dragging dirt under the glass when you slide it open, pushing gunk out of sight and into inaccessible areas.'
Additionally, leaving this area damp and dirty will lead to mold and mildew growing in the tracks, which is why neglecting to clean them is a bad habit that increases the risk of mold in your bathroom.
'Lastly, sliding the shower door over grit or hard debris will damage the edge of the glass pane over time,' adds Delah, which can lead to costly repair jobs later down the line.
When was the last time you cleaned your shower tracks?
How to clean shower tracks
Before getting started on this crucial step when cleaning a shower, you will need:
- A crevice scrubbing brush such as the SXhyf Cleaning Brush available at Amazon
- An effective cleaning product, either commercial or an eco-friendly sustainable cleaning swap you use and love, such as cleaning with vinegar
- A microfiber cloth such as the Great Value Multipurpose Microfiber Household Cleaning Cloth available at Walmart
Cleaning supplies gathered? This is Delah's standard deep cleaning method for shower tracks:
- Remove loose dirt. 'Getting rid of loose dirt makes the rest of the cleaning process much easier,' he explains, but you must wait until the shower tracks are completely dry first. Then, either using a brush or your best handheld vacuum, push dirt into one corner and scoop or suck out as much as you can. 'Even when using a vacuum cleaner, I prefer to pull out as much loose gunk as possible and then switch to the blower to remove dirt from the corners.'
- Choose a cleaning product. 'For routine cleaning, vinegar is a great option which also kills mold, but if you’re dealing with stubborn dirt and stains, opt for a heavy-duty bathroom cleaning product such as Lysol Power Foaming Cleaning Spray for Bathrooms available at Walmart, or dilute dishwashing liquid with warm water,' advises Delah.
- Scrub with a brush. Then, use a narrow, hard-bristled cleaning brush to get into the edges and corners of the tracks. 'That's where the toughest soap scum and dirt remains because they are rarely cleaned properly,' warns Delah. 'I usually pour or spray the tracks to wet the gunk completely and make sure to give the cleaning solution a few minutes to act. Thereafter, I scrub the tracks in the opposite direction of the glass to avoid pushing dirt underneath it.'
- Remove the wet gunk. Then, use paper towels, a sponge, or a cloth to remove the loosened, wet dirt.
- Rinse and dry. Finally, rinse the tracks well and soak up any excess dirty water with a cloth. 'This might need to be repeated once or twice before the shower tracks are spotless,' advises Delah. 'I finish up by drying the area as much as possible and then leave the door open until all the moisture has dried up.'
This set of two narrow cleaning brushes is perfect for reaching into corners and banishing dirt in even the tightest of gaps.
You don't need harsh cleaning chemicals to clean well, and this Method bathroom cleaner proves it, with a plant-based formula that's tough on dirt and grime yet gentle on surfaces – and the planet.
These microfiber cloths are lint-free and very absorbent, ideal for effectively removing dirty water from your shower tracks without spreading it.
How often should shower tracks be cleaned
Now you know shower tracks definitely need cleaning, but how often you will need to do so may vary.
'It really depends on how quickly dirt and grime accumulates in the tracks,' explains Delah. 'I recommend a few tips to maintain shower tracks between deep cleans to prevent buildup.'
For example, Delah suggests wiping down the tracks after you shower, which he says 'goes a long way' in keeping them clean and preventing mildew. Otherwise, clean them when there is visible dirt accumulated in the tracks, which is one of the quick things people with clean bathrooms always do.
'If you aren’t wiping them down daily or cleaning the tracks during your regular 15 minute bathroom cleaning and organizing routine, I’d advise cleaning the shower tracks once a week,' he concludes.
Giving your shower tracks a quick clean with these brushes will keep it dry and mold-free.
Meet our expert
FAQs
How often should you clean a bathroom you don't use?
While you might have perfected your routine to clean a bathroom in 30 minutes or less, bathrooms you don't actually really use at all only need cleaning approximately once a month, to remove any dust buildup and ensure there's no lurking buildup of bacteria. It's a good idea to run the water in the shower, sink, and flush toilets regularly to avoid the traps running dry and odors, or pests, making their way up and out.
Wiping down your shower tracks is only one of the things to do after every shower to make cleaning easier.
Open windows to release humidity, use a squeegee, such as the Great Value Squeegee available at Walmart, and rinse down your shower walls to make cleaning the space when the time comes a breeze.
