How to Clean Your Shower Without Making it Way Harder than it Needs to Be

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Cleaning, in general, isn't my favorite thing to do.

Cleaning the bathroom is my least favorite chore. 

But cleaning the shower is the most annoying task of all. The shower is a prime breeding ground for mildew, soap scum, and hair. Not only did cleaning the shower previously gross me out, it usually took forever to clean. All those nooks and crannies presented a challenge to my perfectionist self, and I can spend 30 minutes alone scrubbing just the inside!

Which is why I normally pass the task onto Joseph.

But when he was gone on a 10-day missions trip, I was left with the dreaded chore. So I did what I always do: I tried to find the path of least resistance.

What could I do to make cleaning the shower easier, faster, and not so gag-worthy?

How to Clean Your Shower Easier and Faster

After a little research and good old-fashioned elbow grease, I discovered these two tips on how to streamline the shower-cleaning process–plus the only four products you need to beat the grime.

1. Keep a bucket of cleaning supplies directly inside your shower.

I learned this brilliant trick from Clean Mama, and believe me, this changes everything!

Just think about it, one of the frustrations of cleaning is not having the supplies right there. You have to reach under the counter, go grab a roll of paper towels or a rag from the kitchen or pantry, or use a product from the bathroom across the house because you keep forgetting to buy an extra bottle at Target.

But with all your supplies right at your fingertips, you have less of an excuse to let the shower go one more week.

It took me forever to find a bucket with holes in the bottom to let the water pass through, but I found this aqua-colored one for less than a buck at Walmart. It's technically a utensil holder! Another option is to buy a bucket you like, then drill holes in the bottom yourself.

Make sure you also have a:

• Scrub Brush {1}
• Bottle of The Best Bathroom Cleaner Ever, which is AMAZING stuff! {3}
• Grout/Tile Brush if you have a frame around your shower {4}

2. Clean the shower while you're in the shower

This is another neat trick that makes a ton of sense, especially if you have a walk-in shower. It might feel a little weird at first, but since you're already in there, why not? You'll keep your clothes from getting wet and save extra time!

Step 1: Before I get in the shower, I grab a piece of toilet paper and get ALL the hair out of the shower. I shed worse than a dog, so this is a necessary step! My friend, Rachelle, alerted me to a hair-catcher, which keeps all that hair from clogging your drain.

The domed version is best for tubs where the drain is located out of the way. However, I have a drain right in the middle of my shower and was afraid I might trip. I experimented with a flatter version, but the disk is too easy to budge and doesn't stay in place, so I'm still on the hunt. I'll update this post once I find a winner for walk-in showers!

Step 2: Once I get in the shower, I spray everything down with my favorite bathroom cleaner.

Step 3: Then while I'm letting conditioner soak into my hair, I'll scrub and rinse the cleaner from the walls and floor. If you don't have a shower head that detaches from the wall, keep a small cup in your cleaning bucket to fill up with water.

Step 4: Once a month, I'll scrub the metal track around our shower to get rid of build-up inside.

If you want to go a step further and deep clean your shower head, the easiest way is to detach it from the wall and soak in a container of white vinegar overnight. I tried the bag-over-the-shower technique that's all over Pinterest and made a huge mess! I don't recommend it. 🙂

After the shower head soaks, scrub any remaining spots with Bar Keepers Friend to make your shower head shine.

Because Bar Keepers Friend contains harsher chemicals than a natural cleaner like vinegar, I recommend keeping the powder away from any shower head holes so you don't accidentally get it on your skin.

Overall, I clean the shower about every other week. Rather than dreading it like I did before, I now see it as an excuse to take an extra long shower!

Why I Don't Use Daily Shower Sprays or Squeegees

I've come across a lot of posts that recommend the use of a daily shower spray or squeegee to keep soap scum from building up, and you might be wondering why I don't mention that here.

My reasoning is the water drains really well in my shower, and I just don't see that much of a difference with shower squeegees or daily shower sprays. This bathroom cleaner powers through soap scum in seconds, so I avoid the extra expense of another spray.

Besides, when you hate cleaning the shower, why do more work when you don't have to? 🙂

Now I want to know…do you hate cleaning the shower as much as I do? Or do you have any additional shower cleaning tricks I should know about?

Let's continue this conversation in the comments!

Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Rest assured, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Read my full disclosure policy here.