What should I use to remove limescale from the shower?

A daily morning and evening shower is not only a hygiene duty, but often a pleasant moment of relaxation under a stream of hot water. Unfortunately, water hardness is often quite high, which significantly contributes to limescale deposits forming on various parts of the shower. Unsightly streaks appear and build up, making them difficult to remove. How do you remove limescale from the shower so you can use it with pure pleasure? Which products should you use to make cleaning quick and easy? Below we explain, step by step, how to clean your shower – read on!

How do you remove limescale from a shower screen?

The shower enclosure shields the rest of the bathroom from water during your shower. It acts as a barrier, while also being the element most exposed to limescale build-up. Water droplets often dry on it, leaving unsightly streaks that are hard to remove. What should you use to remove limescale from a shower enclosure? There are several options.

The first point is to get the right cloth. When cleaning the shower screen, avoid sponges with a hard scouring layer, as they can scratch the enclosure. A better choice is a soft microfibre cloth or a rubber squeegee.

You will, of course, also need suitable cleaning agents. A method worth trying is to use products found in every kitchen: vinegar, bicarbonate of soda and lemon. A 1:1 mixture of vinegar and water works brilliantly for removing limescale from a shower screen – simply spray the glass with the solution, wait 10 minutes, then rinse and wipe dry. If you don’t like the smell of vinegar, you can use a mixture of water with citric acid or lemon juice in the same way. This solution will have a similar effect while leaving a pleasant scent.

Unfortunately, some dirt won’t yield to home remedies. In such cases, specialist cleaning products are the more sensible choice. Just remember to choose ones without abrasive granules that could scratch the enclosure. Cleaners with a sealant are a good option, as they will not only clean the glass but also protect its hydrophobic coating.

How do you clean a shower tray?

A shower is not just the enclosure, but also the tray with a waste trap, which channels the water into the drain. This means the shower tray is also very often covered in limescale. How do you clean it?

For the shower tray, it’s also worth using a soft microfibre cloth – especially if you have a lacquered model that could easily get scratched. You can use vinegar or citric acid here too, but an even more convenient solution may be a homemade paste made from bicarbonate of soda. Mix 3 tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda with 1 tablespoon of water to make a thick paste, spread it over the tray, leave it for about an hour, then rinse thoroughly. And you’re done!

Cleaning the shower tray waste trap

The waste trap, i.e. the drain that carries away the water collecting in the tray, is also prone to limescale deposits. This isn’t the only issue that can hinder proper drainage, though. It very often becomes clogged, for example with hair or larger debris that we wash off ourselves. Combined with built-up limescale, these become a serious problem.

How do you clean the trap in a shower tray? First, clear the plug of any trapped hair and other debris. This is usually very simple and can be done by hand (or with a little help, e.g. using a toothpick). The next step is to remove limescale from the trap. As with the screen and the tray, you can try home methods or reach for a specialist product. The key is to thoroughly remove any limescale that has built up on it.

Once you know how to clean the shower and get rid of the limescale, it’s time to act! Remember that sticking to a cleaning routine and rinsing the shower after every use to remove soap residue will spare you from heavy scrubbing. Keep up with regular cleaning and it will be much quicker and more effective.