How to care for your shower stall & tub enclosure.

At Connoisseur we have been cleaning and restoring shower walls, floors, glass and fixtures for two decades. Over the years we’ve learned what works and what can make a real mess out of your investment

Here are some helpful tips to keep your stall or enclosure looking great for years.

If you live in an area with hard water, by all means have a water softening system installed in you home.  Hard water deposits on your tile, stone, fiberglass and glass will all be greatly reduced, and you’ll be able to cut down on shampoo and soap. Soft water makes all of your cleaning agents much more effective, so less becomes more.

Ditch the white bar soap! Nothing causes more problems than the likes of Dove, Dial, Irish Spring types of bar soap. Not only do they cause a build up of soap scum on your walls, glass, fixtures and floors, the tallow (lard) in the ingredients also creates an endless buffet for hungry mold. Switch to Glycerin or Olive Oil bar soap or any of the many liquid soaps that do not contain tallow.

Do not use harsh cleaning agents such as bleach, vinegar or ammonia for maintenance. Neutral pH floor cleaners work great on normal soiling conditions found in showers and baths and don’t leave residues or deplete stone and grout sealers. Many “Tub and Tile” cleaning products are highly acidic and cause serious damage to sensitive alkaline based stone and grout. A neutral cleaner and a couple of scrub brushes along with moderate elbow grease will go a long way in keeping your shower or bath looking great!

After bathing, do all you can to get everything dry as soon as possible. Lingering water on the shower floor can cause issues such as efflorescence, hard water deposits, mold, mildew and stained grout. Open windows if possible, use fans and if your floor does not drain 100% use a thick towel to absorb standing water. Leave the shower door or curtain open after use as well.

Store your shampoos, conditioners and soaps in a tray that will contain drips and leaks.

Use a silicone squeegee on glass and flat surfaces to prevent water spotting.

Keep an eye out for cracks in your grout and failing caulking and get issues repaired right away! If water is allowed to travel behind tile floors and walls, all sorts of horrible things can happen. Make it a point to put on your reading glasses or bring in a magnifying glass and do a through inspection a few times a year, ESPECIALLY if you live in earthquake country.

For dealing with soap scums and hard water deposits on acid sensitive stone such as Marble, Limestone or Travertine use a specialty product like this

To restore or maintain glass and metal trim and fixtures, try this amazing product along with some 0000 steel wool.

And lastly, install the type of shower head that has a hose attached to it. This design makes cleaning and rinsing walls and hard to reach places a breeze!