If you’re like me, cleaning bathtubs and showers is one of your most dreaded chores. But unfortunately, when you let a shower go too long in between cleanings, gunk starts to build up.
If your plastic shower floor is starting to yellow or mildew, there are several methods you can use to bring it back to life. Start by using a gentle cleaner like dish soap, water, and vinegar. You can then treat stains with a Magic Eraser or try a heavy-duty cleaner like Easy-Off or bleach.
Here are the best ways to clean a plastic shower floor.
How to Clean a Plastic Shower Floor: Step by Step
While there are many ways to clean a disgusting shower floor, a simple baseline cleaning is the best place to start.
If this method doesn’t leave your shower floor perfectly clean, you can try one of the other methods listed below.
Scrub the Floor with a Dishsoap, Water, and Vinegar Mixture
One of the best homemade shower cleaners combines dish soap, water, and vinegar to create a solution powerful enough to cut through soap scum and mildew.
To get started, grab an empty spray bottle and fill it with half water and half white distilled vinegar. Next, add a few drops of your favorite dish soap. (We like Dawn dish soap for this.)
Then follow these instructions:
- Spray the mixture on your shower floor, making sure to get the corners
- Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes
- Use a soft-bristled shower scrub brush or sponge and gently scrub the floor
- Wash away the solution with your shower head
Make sure to use small circular motions when you’re scrubbing. Doing so will help lift any stuck dirt and grime.
Dry with a Microfiber Cloth
After rinsing away the solution, go back over the shower floor with a dry microfiber cloth. The microfiber cloth will pick up left behind residue and dry the floor.
Other Methods for Cleaning a Plastic Shower Floor
If that didn’t leave your shower floor completely clean, try one of these methods. (Just make sure to thoroughly rinse the previous cleaner off the shower, so you’re not mixing chemicals.)
To make sure you read it: NEVER mix chemicals – especially ammonia and bleach. If you try multiple methods of cleaning your shower, make sure you’ve thoroughly rinsed the previous cleaner before trying something new.
Baking Soda + Vinegar
Since you can’t use super abrasive cleaners on a plastic shower, baking soda is one of the best alternatives.
Baking soda is mildly abrasive, so it will help scrub off stuck-on dirt and grime without scratching up the surface.
Here’s how to use baking soda and vinegar to clean your shower:
- Sprinkle baking soda on your shower floor liberally
- Pour white distilled vinegar over the baking soda
- While the mixture is foaming up, use your gentle scrub brush to scrub the floor
Again, scrub in small circles. If needed, you can repeat and then wash the baking soda and vinegar down the drain with your shower head.
Scrub it with a Magic Eraser
If you’ve washed the shower floor with the vinegar and dish soap mixture, it’s probably pretty clean. But you may still be dealing with some stains.
If you haven’t already, try to remove the stains with a Magic Eraser.
All you need to do is dampen the Magic Eraser and scrub the stains.
Easy-Off Oven Cleaner (The Non-Fume Kind)
If your shower floor is beyond disgusting and nothing else works, Easy-Off oven cleaner may do the trick.
You’ll want to get the kind in the blue can labeled “non-fume.” You’ll also need to spot test to ensure the cleaner doesn’t adversely affect your shower floor. To do this, spray a little Easy Off on the shower floor, and let it sit for ten minutes.
After ten minutes, come back and wipe it away with a sponge. If there’s no discoloration, you’re good to go.
You can then follow these steps:
- Lightly spray your shower floor with Easy Off
- Allow it to sit for 30 minutes
- Put on a pair of cleaning gloves and wipe the cleaner off with a sponge
- Rinse the shower floor with water
Spray the Floor with a Bleach Cleaner
Sometimes, the best shower cleaner is simply bleach. (Don’t use bleach directly after other cleaners – especially ammonia or vinegar.)
To clean your shower floor with bleach, you can purchase a bleach spray cleaner or mix up your own by adding ⅓ cup of bleach to a gallon of water.
Then spray your shower floor, allow the bleach to sit for 10-15 minutes, and scrub with a gentle scrub brush. Afterward, rinse the shower floor with water.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get stains off a plastic shower floor?
If your shower floor is free of dirt and grime but has some leftover stains, try scrubbing them with a Magic Eraser. If that doesn’t work, you can use fume-free Easy Off. To do this, spray your shower floor, allow it to sit, and wipe it away. Just make sure to do a test spot first.
How do you clean a walk-in shower floor?
If you have a walk-in shower floor, you can clean it with dish soap, vinegar, and water. Start by filling a spray bottle with half water and half vinegar. Then, add a few drops of dish soap and spray the solution on the floor. Next, scrub with a gentle brush, and then rinse the cleaner away.
This solution should be safe for all shower floors except unsealed stone or tile.
How to clean a shower floor with only baking soda?
You can clean a shower floor with a baking soda paste. Start by pouring baking soda into a small bowl, and then add just enough water until you’ve created a thick paste consistency. Then use a gentle brush to scrub the mixture on your floor. Rinse with water afterward.
Final Thoughts
If you’re dealing with a plastic shower floor that’s seen better days, in most cases, you can get it looking close to new again. It’s always best to start with a mild cleaner and work your way up to more harsh cleaners if needed.
So, get started with a water, vinegar, and dish soap mix. If that doesn’t work, add some baking soda or a Magic Eraser to the mix. If that still doesn’t work, try a stronger cleaner like bleach or Easy Off.