I love my quartz countertops just as nice a granite, but so much easier to clean up! I was so stressed out about the glass doors in my house. The DIY version in the book is going to be a little safer than store-bought, but when used occasionally, both are safe. Any tips on what to do next? We test and research all of our chemist tips for months or years, so everything is safe and effective. Yes it will. These tools act like abrasives on stone, especially when combined with elbow grease. Can I use this cleaner on my quartz kitchen countertops? It is important to use the right approach when cleaning hard water stains from natural stone or stone tiles as it could damage the surface and worsen the existing problem. My parents have a large glass shower and this is what they do. Do not attempt to buff out stains but instead, use a soft cloth for daily cleaning. I could so use this for our master shower. It has been a lifesaver around our home . Most cleaning experts recommend using a pH-neutral, stone safe cleaner. With a stone-safe grout cleaner, gently scrub to lift and clean the grime. Thanks Nancy!! When we moved into our home, the previous owners had used vinegar for years on everything, so we had to reseal our counters. Try to keep up with cleaning the stone tile with your stone cleaner as often as possible. It works wonders on ALL surfaces. Feel free to contact us with any questions you have! Steam loosens up the stone pores and makes cleaning easier, try cleaning your stone after using the shower. Exclusive recipes and tips straight to your inbox each month! I hate cleaning my shower because the tiles are so difficult to get clean. If this does not seem to deliver satisfactory results then consider calling a professional to have it honed and restored. However, this only worsens the existing problem and causes more damage to your stone tiles. When we first bought the house, I never realized the dull look the tiles had overtime was actually soap build up. You always have the BEST tips! Steam looses all the soap scum and buildup on the tiles and glass. After scouring the area, rinse using hot water. I am better with hard copy. One of our goals is to make sure we help you find the best products that work, and save you from making something dangerous to you or your surfaces. It will help this solution work much better. It will eat away overtime and also eat away any finish you have on top. Chemistry Cachet is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Thats fine! Cleaning your stone shower once a week can help reduce grime, water deposits, and mildew build-up. This is such a life changer for cleaning . Just FYI. For the glass, it works the same way. It can definitely be tricky cleaning this type of surface! Regular cleaning and care can easily mitigate the buildup caused by hard water. Apply with scrubber side of kitchen sponge, and rinse. If you have only used vinegar to clean a few times or over a short period of time, then it is okay, Your email address will not be published. Thanks for linking up to #homemattersparty. Chemist, rheumatoid arthritis warrior, wife, mom sharing chemistry secrets for cleaning, skincare, gardening, health, and more! Using this method, will make your tiles really brighten up! This also means that you need to reseal your natural stone more often to prevent hard water stains and other residues. I recommend using our 2-ingredient mold remover! Hard water is comprised of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonates that form unsightly water spots on the surface after evaporation. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. After spraying, gently scrub the area with a bristle brush, let soak for 10-15 minutes, and rinse with warm water. Magic Erasers have a special sponge formulated to remove most build ups. Todays chemist tip can be a cheap DIY or you can buy the items, either way this is how to clean shower tile the RIGHT way. This one in our post was the older one that didnt have anything like that. If you want to make things easier, use a squeegee on your stone shower after every use to remove excess water from the surface. 3 bathroom. Love that its natural Sealing is part of a recommended general maintenance routine for many stones used in showers. Use no more than every 4 months! Hi Alexis, sorry, to clarify when you said used a few times do you mean use vinegar to clean a few times, or used the shower post-vinegar clean a few times? Learn how your comment data is processed. Thanks so much for this tip! Green Fashionista, It works so good!! Ive tried everything on internet. However, this is not a guarantee that things may work out the way you want to. I use white vinegar for most of my cleaning but I dont have natural stone surfaces. In addition to this build-up, our many hygiene products can damage the stones sealant. Ten years of cig smoke buildup. All Rights Reserved. I mentioned that you must not use it on natural stone surfaces, Make Your Own Stone Cleaner from the Book, reference our ultimate DIY cleaning guide, I love using the stone/granite everything cleaner, keep one of these squeegees in the shower, 8 Super Cool Reasons to Save Coffee Grounds (You Probably Dont Know! To learn more about those pinterest cleaning myths, check out this post. Hi Alexis, I used vinegar to clean my stone bathroom tiles before learning that I shouldnt have. I NEED to get your book. The dried mineral deposits are not only a nuisance but can also lead to unhygienic conditions as they trap germs and bacteria. When rinsing the stone tiles in your shower, make sure it is dried up thoroughly to avoid new water spots from forming. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. This is something we do every few months. While, the chemicals in a magic eraser target the soap scum, you still need a nice stone cleaner to clean up the rest of the residue. I actually keep a small bottle of my DIY stone/granite cleaner. Not if used properly. When we renovated our bathroom, we splurged & put in marble but I have since learned that is is so hard to clean just because so many products cannot be used on marble. But now I know how. If you want the clear spot-less glass door this is it. Vinegar is one of the main components in this really effective bathroom cleaner. It was fine after that. If you own Chemistry Hacks for Home and Outdoors. To avoid excessive grime, follow R&Ss quick tips for stone shower cleaning, and for a limited time, receive $75 off any stone cleaning of $250 or more (including your shower!). We installed a new shower a few years after this post was written, and I went with coated shower door. It makes it not worth trying sometimes. Its so hard to keep them look & feel clean. The best tip I have for keeping up with your shower glass, is to keep up with it. Such products are too harsh on stone; their acids break down sealants and discolor surfaces. I am on a cleaning rampage these days. But you can do anything youd like with the download . This works the best out of all the methods and cleaners I have tried! We use hot-water extraction steam cleaning methods to give your stone shower an impactful deep clean. I have the hardest time cleaning tile like this. ), How to Host the Sweetest Valentines Day Party for You and Your Girlfriends Guest Post, My Favorite Aluminum-Free Deodorant With Effective Ingredients, Baseboard Cleaning Hacks That Save Time and Money, Water Resistant Tinted SPF 30 Moisturizer Thats Also Skincare. Lemon, vinegar, car wash window cleaning product, etc. And nothing worked as I hoped. Many, actually most, of our readers on Chemistry Cachet really love making their own cleaning solutions. What a Life changing moment for me! It doesnt take more than that! This is so great for all those stones like granite, marble or travertine! Thanks! It starts out subtle and just keeps building. My shower looks brand new again! Use the exact same method (You might not even need to sponge it, just the damp towel will do), but you may need to rinse it with hot water if any soap scum residue remains. I have been using a homemade solution that contains vinegar on my stone tiles for a while now, I hope Ive not done a lot of long term damage to them! It is important to choose a cleaner that is purposely designed for your stone type since there are a variety of stones that can be used in showers. Just make sure to use glass cleaner for the shower door and granite/stone cleaner for the shower tiles. So true, So glad to read about this. Plus, our team will seal your stone to make your clean last longer! Not only does this help get rid of water stains but also eliminates soap scum, mold, and other unwanted substances. Hard water residue will continue to be an issue if your water supply is primarily comprised of hard water. I always recommend to follow up with a dry cleaning towel at the end. Use a soft cloth or a non-scratch pad to rub and scour the area as it helps to even the surface. You name it. For marble/granite like surfaces, also be careful and use according to directions. I am trying this today! Always test small areas of your home before using homemade solutions. Follow on Facebook | Bloglovin | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Hometalk, Filed Under: Cleaner Tagged With: chemistry hacks, DIY, glass shower door cleaner, natural stone cleaner, shower, shower tile cleaner. Make sure your towel is damp when following up from the magic eraser! It was nice for her! Always consult a professional before use on your surfaces if you are wondering about use. Hard water residue from stone showers can be removed easily using a specialty cleaner. Youre terrific! While bleach is a standard cleaning product for most showers, it can be too harsh if excessively used on stone. You should be okaySome stone surfaces are a little hardier than others, so it doesnt effect it as fast. I printed a copy for my grandmother a few years ago at staples and they put it into a spiral. Hey Girl! This is so helpful! Thank you so much! Vinegar may seem to work great on other surfaces but is considered harsh when used on natural stone. To avoid detrimental scratches, clean tile and stone with softer sponges. Due to the porous nature of natural stone, combined with the showers humidity and sitting water, your shower can quickly start harvesting mold and mildew. Use stone-safe products, rather than vinegar or ammonia. This is the best, safest way to clean natural stone shower tiles, but will also work on other surfaces. So, what about those stone tiled showers? I think if you start cleaning with some better stuff now you will save them . Since the stains were caused by hard water, you need to rinse the surface using soft water. That is what we have in our master bathroom and it can be pretty tough to clean correctly. What Are The Best Ways to Clean High Rise Windows. The best thing you can do at this point is to call stone care professionals as they have better skills and experience in dealing with stubborn hard water stains. That is the only bad thing about those natural stones.how hard they can be to clean! Regardless of how often you clean, your stone tiles will need sealing occasionally. I hope this can help you , Amazing! The magic eraser method should be done only when soap scum is very thick. Rinse with warm water. Spray the product onto the surface and allow some time for it to break down the compounds of the residue. After scrubbing the area with the magic eraser, wipe off with a damp towel. Vinegar is highly acidic, so it does cut down on soap scum well, but cant be used on natural stones. This has to be the greatest tip ever! Chemistry Secrets for Healthy Living, Beauty, Gardening & Cleaning. Right after taking a hot shower, this works awesome! You can repeat this procedure several times until you are satisfied with the outcome. Although some homeowners consider sealing their stone, professionals deliver the best results that are long lasting. The chemical component in vinegar, bleach, and other acidic cleaners can break down sealants applied to the stone causing more damage. Using a glass cleaner or our DIY granite cleaner will get rid of the magic eraser residue, plus the rest of the soap scum. Plus these easy recipes make it super quick and easy Thanks Sally! Although many homeowners find it much easier to remove stains or etches using a brush or scrubbing pad, it usually makes the problem worse than it is. Give us a call today! It keeps soap scum away! Using wrong chemicals on calcium-based stones can cause etching and the finish on your soft stones can end up getting scratched if the scrubbing pad is too rough. This would definitely work on quartz! Will I be able to print my purchased copy? I love that you give such great info and ways to clean without a lot of harsh chemicals. We talk about this more in the ebook, but this sponge targets soap scum specifically. 1338 Grand Ave. Suite 236 Glenwood Springs, CO 81601. Again, you should only be using the magic eraser to rub over the area gently once or twice. You may be tempted to use a heartier scrubbing pad or a stronger cleaning agent for stubborn residue. Hope this helps! The only things that barely work are magic eraser and triple strength TSP. These help support this website. Hope it will come in handy for you . Ready to have a perfectly clean stone shower? Hard water stains and soap scum can be a nightmare in stone tile showers, as they make your bathroom look dingy and untidy. Copyright 2022, Chemistry Cachet. As always, LOVE your homemade and safe cleaning solutions/tips. Similar to the stone, use soft bristles, such as an old toothbrush. This makes it difficult for water-based mineral deposits such as calcium and magnesium to leave their mark. Thanks girl! This post may contain affiliate links. Probably just the DIY granite/stone cleaner from the book would be fine for thatif they get really dirty or have something hard to remove, you can use the DIY magic eraser too , This is so very cool. Next, spray your stone cleaner all over the surfaces. Nylon, microfiber, and soft brushes will help clean stone without damaging its sealant. Avoid using acidic or abrasive cleaners as they cause more damage than good. This is perfect! The stone cleaner doesnt seem to get the residue off as well, am I doing something wrong? Thanks for always posting such useful stuff. I always recommend cleaning showers right after youve taken one since it will be nice and hot, all that steam allows the scum to be loosened already. You can always try out a professional-grade stone cleaner for better results. Natural stone is the ideal shower choice and many of us already have it! While stone tile can last for a long time, it requires ongoing maintenance. With the magic eraser, rub the areas of bad soap scum. It keeps the glass nice and sparkly. The hardest part about stone tiles is how the soap scum forms a whitish, almost cloudy like residue on the the tiles. With a sponge, scrub the area. I hope you get some use out of it . This works so well on marble! It is so fun to go on a cleaning rampage and get everything back in order! If you have our ebook, the granite cleaner doubles for both. It will help the stone cleaner to work better. Increase steam cleanings effectiveness by calling the R&S experts. Alexis, I would like to purchase your e-book. Fiberglass shower surround. When youre cleaning your natural stone, dont neglect the grout. I cant believe how long it took me to discover this product. in this really effective bathroom cleaner, please use this all-purpose bathroom cleaner, Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). <3, Pamela Sequins & Sea Breezes. Dont forget to mention the $75 off ad when booking your next appointment! Using the DIY granite cleaner or store-bought stone cleaner can be used as much as everyday. Another tip is to keep one of these squeegees in the shower, and use it when you are done running the shower. If you have regular bathroom tiles, ceramic, acrylic, or anything of that nature, you can use this bathroom cleaner. Disclaimer: This post was researched and written by a chemist from a chemistry standpoint. Pinned for future reference! Yes it can, that is why you will follow up with the cleaner and damp towel. The best way to clean your stone shower is with steam. If you keep up with cleaning, you wont have to do this often at all. This is awesome, how helpfuland safe! This article gives a guide on how to clean hard water residue from a stone shower. If you only used it a few times or over a short period of time, it should be okay. I always recommend doing this only when you have a very bad soap scum residue. Oh I know! Glass shower doors: Barkeepers Friend (liquid cook-top cleaner, NOT powder form) for shower doors. Also, check out our comprehensive guide on cleaning glass shower doors for an additional method for your shower door if it is coated!! While taking a shower, I spray the door, then wipe it off when I am done with a shower. If you notice dullness or it isnt cleaning well, than you might need to reseal it. With all your great solutions, Im going to need to invest in (1) Dawn (2) spray bottles (3) vinegar (4) hydrogen peroxide!!! I get emails all the time with questions about certain homemade products and surfaces to use them on. It is advisable to use cleaners that are suited for natural stone whether you are doing the work by yourself or using a professional cleaning service. Thanks. I have tested dozens of methods over the years since we bought this house, and today I want to share with you how to clean your stone shower tiles. You can do anything you like with the PDF file after you download it Many readers print it out, and some even take it to Staples or another place to get it printed. My house just got out of control with me being busy teaching a lot. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Should I just reseal it? If you have hard water stains on another surface like acrylic, porcelain, or other bathroom surfaces, please use this all-purpose bathroom cleaner. However, spraying a one-to-one bleach-to-water mixture directly on mildew/mold will kill the bacteria almost instantly. When I talked about vinegar a couple of months ago, I mentioned that you must not use it on natural stone surfaces because it can harm surfaces like this. If you are not using this DIY granite cleaner that also doubles as a glass cleaner, please use glass cleaner for the shower door after using the magic eraser. I want to blow it up.. Boiling is the easiest and most affordable way to break the calcium and magnesium content in hard water. Vinegar does such a great job on things like ceramic or plastics! You can also keep a microfiber towel near the shower to easily soak-up and remove excess water after each use.