How clean are you really getting if your tubs and showers aren't clean? It's a disgusting thought. When cleaned often, it only takes us about 10 - 15 minutes (give or take) to fully reset a shower/tub of typical size. A lot of people put off cleaning them because they're daunting, which we completely understand; but, we've found that this method is quick and fairly easy!
Step 1: Remove everything.
Step 2: Rinse the whole shower/tub thoroughly.
Step 3: Use Blue Dawn Dishsoap in a dish wand to scrub down whole surface of shower/tub. The key is to make sure the surface is wet so we recommend re-wetting any areas that may need it as you go. Don't forget the faucet handles! Use a toothbrush on those harder to reach areas if needed. The Dawn not only cleans but it gets rid of water spots on the surface as well, specifically on fiberglass.
Step 4: Rinse the Dawn away.
Step 5: Go back over tougher areas of mold/mildew with a tile brush and The Pink Stuff paste. Wet the tile brush before dipping into the paste and rinse the brush off before re-dipping. You can also use a toothbrush if there are areas that need it that may be hard to reach such as on faucet handles. Be sure to rinse away the paste. You may have to take a damp clean cloth to any areas where the paste doesn't simply rinse away with just water.
Step 6: For soap scum on fiberglass showers/tubs, we recommend using Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. It takes some elbow grease depending on how tough the soap scum is so scrub, rinse, and repeat as needed.
Step 7: For hard water stains on your faucet handles, we spray the area with cleaning vinegar and then sprinkle baking soda over it. Let this sit for a few hours and then scrub with a toothbrush. Rinse thoroughly and repeat these steps on any areas that still have some water stains on them.
Step 8: For shower heads with lots of hard water stains, we recommend tying a ziplock bag full of cleaning vinegar onto the shower head and leaving for a few hours or even over-night depending on how tough the stains are. Zip ties are the easiest way to secure the bag onto the shower head. After removing the bag of vinegar, rinse the shower head thoroughly. Take a toothbrush with Dawn and/or The Pink Stuff paste to any areas that need a little extra scrubbing if needed.
Step 9: Always wipe down shampoo bottles and anything else before putting them back in your shower/tub. This includes the tops, sides, and bottoms! We always use our multi-purpose cleaner which is hot water and powdered tide but using a clean damp cloth with just water should work unless they're really dirty.
It's very important to rinse thoroughly between each cleaner. You don't want to mix chemicals! As with anything, read product labels because some cleaners cannot be used on certain surfaces and finishes. You can always test on small hidden areas if needed. Always be careful with brushes on faucets and handles as to not scratch. When it comes to areas where there is caulking, be careful with brush scrubbing as to not remove or damage the caulking. If your caulking isn't coming clean, it more than likely needs to be replaced. We didn't include shower doors in this post because they're a whole topic to cover on their own. Questions about our method for cleaning fiberglass showers and tubs? Let us know!