How to Clean Shower Tiles Without Scrubbing (5 Methods!)

If you have shower tiles, then you know cleaning them can be a difficult task, especially if you have to scrub for hours.

Having trouble with your joints or advancing age could make you hate scrubbing. Sometimes scrub cleaning makes you so tired, that you are left with fatigue that can last for quite a few days.

I know how exhausting scrubbing shower tiles can be since I’ve done that a few times myself until I discovered other ways to clean without scrubbing, which I’ll be sharing in this article.

The methods I will show are very practical and the materials are easy to get. They are both for shower wall tiles and shower floor tiles.

Let’s get to it.

How to Clean Shower Tiles Without Scrubbing (5 Methods)

For tiles to maintain their shine, they need to be cleaned on a frequent basis.

METHOD 1: Cleaning Shower Tiles with Baking Soda

Baking soda is a household material that is quite easy to get. It is not just used here but in many other cleaning tasks. It works perfectly, leaving no stain and the result is a shiny bathroom with sparkling tiles. There are 4 ways of using baking soda to clean shower tiles.

Option A: Baking Soda & Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide works very well in removing stubborn grout and tile stains.

YOU’LL NEED

Protective gear: Safety glasses, mask, and gloves
Baking soda
Hydrogen peroxide
Spray bottle

STEPS

1- Wear your safety glasses and gloves.
2- Mix one cup of baking soda with one cup of hydrogen peroxide.
3- Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and shake it well.
4- Spray the solution on the tiles and leave it to sit for about two hours.
5- Wash the tiles with clean warm water.

Make sure to wear protective gear to avoid inhalation, and contact with the eyes and skin. ⁽¹⁾

Option B: Baking Soda & Vinegar

YOU’LL NEED

Baking soda
Vinegar
Spray bottle
Old cloth

STEPS

1- Pour a quarter cup of vinegar into a spray bottle.

2- Add a cup of baking soda.

3- Pour some hot water and mix thoroughly.

4- Spray this solution on your tiles and leave it for 2 hours.

5- Wipe with an old cloth.

6- Rinse the tiles with warm water.

Option C: Baking Soda & Bleach

Bleach should be used as the last resort as it contains chemicals that could cause damage to your tiles. Also wear protective gear to cover your eyes, hands, and nose to avoid contact with bleach, otherwise, it could affect your body adversely.

YOU’LL NEED

Baking soda (3/4 cup)
Bleach (1/4 cup)
Toothbrush
Warm water

STEPS

1- Mix baking soda and bleach together to make a paste.

2- Use an old toothbrush to apply the paste to the tiles and the grout lines.

3- Then allow it to dry for 10 minutes.

4- Wash the paste off your tiles with clean water.

Your tiles will be all clean again.

Option D: Using Only Baking Soda

This method is effective if the shower tiles don’t have a lot of dirt and stubborn grime. Do this at least two times a week. It helps maintain the shine in your tiles.

I don’t recommend this method if you are cleaning your tiles after a long time.

YOU’LL NEED

Baking soda
Water
Cloth

STEPS

1- Spread baking soda on your wet shower tiles, leave it for 10 minutes.
2- Rinse it off with water.

Method: 2 Cleaning With Borax & Hydrogen Peroxide

Borax is a household cleaner that appears white and powdery. It is very useful in cleaning shower tiles as it thoroughly removes the accumulated dirt and returns shine to the tiles.

YOU’LL NEED

Borax
Clean cloth/Rag
Hydrogen Peroxide
Warm water

STEPS

1- Get borax and spread it on your wet tiles. Leave it for about 4 to 5 hours.

2- Wipe it with a cloth or clean rag.

3- Spread hydrogen peroxide on the tiles for about 2 hours. Leave the spot for 2 hours to avoid inhaling hydrogen peroxide.

4- Rinse with warm water.

Method: 3 Cleaning with Vinegar

Dish soap and vinegar do not react adversely and are completely safe to use with one another.

YOU’LL NEED

White vinegar (1/2 cup)
Liquid soap (1/2 cup)
Spray bottle
Water

STEPS

1- Mix vinegar with dish-washing soap.

2- Heat the mixture in a microwave until is reasonably hot.

3- Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and shake.

4- Spray generous amounts on your shower tiles and allow the solution to sit for 5 minutes.

5- Rinse the tiles with clean warm water.

Method: 4 Cleaning Shower Tiles with Chlorine Bleach

Chlorine bleach not only gets your shower tiles clean but also kills germs on the tiles. But it should be used as the last resort as it could affect your body adversely. Always wear protective gear to cover the eyes, hands, and nose to avoid contact with bleach.

YOU’LL NEED

Chlorine bleach (3/4 cup)
Water (1 Gallon)
Spray bottle

STEPS

1- Mix 3/4 cup of chlorine bleach with a gallon of water.
2- Pour it into a spray bottle and spray your tiles evenly.
3- Leave it for about 20 minutes and rinse it with clean water.

METHOD: 5 Cleaning Shower Tiles With Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is acidic in nature just like vinegar, that is why it is perfect for getting rid of stains and dirt on tiles and grout lines. Lemons are also cheap and easy to get.

YOU’LL NEED

Lemon juice
Warm water
Spray bottle

STEPS

1- Pour lemon juice into a spray bottle.

2- Spray it on the dirty areas and stubborn spots generously and leave it to sit for 5 minutes.

3- Rinse the shower tiles with warm water.

4- Repeat the process until the tiles are completely clean.

What Is the Best Cleaner for Shower Tiles?

Homemade

The best homemade cleaner for shower tiles is baking soda.

1- Baking soda has an abrasive nature that makes dirt particles on tiles loosen up fast.

2- Unlike vinegar which can cause damage to marble and granite tiles, baking soda is All-tile friendly and easy to use.

3- It also doesn’t pollute indoor air.

Bleach works well but it is toxic and can be harmful to health. You also need to open the bathroom windows while using bleach in order to breathe safe air.

Commercial

Usually, store-bought cleaners are more effective than simple homemade solutions as they are specially built for this purpose. Look for the one that can also remove mold. Also, there are products in the market that can eliminate odors.

How to Clean Ceramic Tile Shower Walls?

Ceramic tiles are the most common tiles found in most homes because they do not retain dust residue and they are quite easy to clean.

They can also be cleaned without scrubbing. They are also very durable and do not get damaged easily so the methods I explained will work just fine.

1- Just pour the material or ingredients of your choice into a spray bottle and spray your shower wall tiles.
2- Rinse after a few minutes.

NOTE: Vinegar is bad for some tiles but does no damage to ceramic tiles but try to keep it off the grout. If you have laminate shower walls, then vinegar can work just fine.

Ammonia or bleach-based cleaners may not be good choices for your ceramic tiles.

How to Clean Porcelain Shower Tiles?

Porcelain shower tiles, just like ceramic tiles, are easy to clean. They are stain- and scratch-resistant and do not easily accumulate grime.

To remove a difficult stain, you can clean your porcelain shower tiles with vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, etc., and follow the steps explained above.

An alternate would be to use a magic eraser on porcelain tiles as it is safe for these types of walls and effective in cleaning them.

1- Always rinse your porcelain shower tiles after using the shower or bathing, to remove leftover soap scum and prevent mold.

2- Clean all spills immediately with some soap and water so that the tiles or grout won’t be discolored.

Tips

1- Don’t use vinegar on granite and marble tiles.
2- If you must use bleach, don’t let it stay too long on your tiles so they won’t get discolored.

Conclusion

Shower tiles beautify the bathroom, but to keep them in good condition, they have to be cleaned properly. This doesn’t have to be by scrubbing, fortunately

I am certain that you are now equipped with the knowledge of cleaning your shower tiles without scrubbing and can’t wait to try at least one of the methods.

Whether it’s your floor tile or wall tile you want to clean, these methods are applicable in both cases.

Cheers!