by Kaitlyn Hamilton

Created on: February 13, 2010

Cleaning the shower and tub does not have to be a painful experience.  It also does not require the use of harsh chemicals.  Besides, the chemical cleaners I've tried mostly just leave strong smells and do little if anything at all for the dirt, grime, and stains.  Soap scum is probably the most difficult of all stains to remove, unless you have the right tools. 

If, like most, you have a textured floor in your tub, then you know that dirt, soap scum, and general nastiness likes to hide in the little grooves and crevices.  The plastic scrubbing sponges only scrub the very surface of the textured tub and bristle brushes never seem to get all of the stains even with a half hour of scrubbing. 

To get a clean, sanitized, and sparkling tub you need a few basic supplies.

* A Mr. Clean Magic Eraser

* A concentrated dish detergent, such as Joy or Dawn (The generics rarely work as well, so get the good stuff!)

* Rubber gloves (optional)

The first thing you want to do when cleaning your shower and tub is to get the water good and hot.  Pull the stopper so the water will stay in the tub.  Fill the tub with enough water that the most shallow area has at least one inch of water.  Next, pour a half cup of the concentrated dish detergent into the hot water and swish it around until all the water is nice and bubbly. 

Next, while the bottom of the tub is soaking, you want to apply some of the detergent onto a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and simply spread a thin layer of the detergent to the entire surface of the shower walls and the sides of the tub.  Leave it alone for about 20 minutes for the dish detergent to loosen any soil or tough stains. 

Rinse the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser in clean, warm water and squeeze most of the water out.  Next, spray down the walls of the shower and the sides of the tub with plain, warm water.  Leave the soapy water in the tub to continue loosening the grime. 

Use the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to wipe away the loosened soil and soap scum starting at the top of the shower walls and working your way to the bottom.  Rinse the Magic Eraser often as you wipe away the dirt and gently scrub at any tough stains. 

After the walls and upper part of the tub have been cleaned, let the water out of the tub.  Rinse the shower walls, again from top to bottom and rinse the tub well. 

Use the Magic Eraser to gently scrub away any remaining soil or stains from the bottom of the tub.  Don't forget to use the sponge to wipe the shower head, faucet, and any other metal hardware or safety hand rails in your shower area. 

I learned the hard way that using all the harsh chemicals and "professional" bathroom cleaners was a waste of time and energy.  They just don't do the job.  If you have never used a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser on your shower or tub before then you are in for a very pleasant surprise.  Those ugly stains that you thought were there forever will be gone in an instant. 

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