When it comes to cleaning the bathroom, there are some sneaky spots that can evade the sponge. Things like toilets and shower screens are likely to always get a scrub, but grime and bacteria can build up in the less cleaned spots.
These hidden areas also tend to breed mould because they get damp during bathing and then the damp conditions provide the perfect environment for mould to grow. One such place is the shower seal at the bottom of the screen.
Kamila Soltynska, founder of home cleaning company Best Home Services, said: “The rubber strip at the bottom of shower doors collects water every time the shower is used, often inside the seal.
“This trapped moisture discolours the seal and encourages mould to grow. These often look yellow but should be clear and transparent.”
If your shower screen seal is looking a little worse for wear, there’s a quick and easy way to spruce it up.
Mira Showers bathroom expert Emily Robertson said: “Fill a spray bottle with a solution made up of equal parts water and white vinegar that can be sprayed on the seal and left to soak while you’re in the shower. Once it has soaked, simply rinse away the solution and any grime with it.”
If you keep up with regular maintenance of this lesser cleaned area you can make sure it’s squeaky clean and stop mould growth before it starts.
Shower heads are another often neglected area. One in nine Brits admitted that they have never cleaned theirs. Experts recommend they’re cleaned once a month but less than a third of Brits actually do this.
Kamila said: “Shower heads are probably the number one spot people don’t think about when cleaning their bathroom. The conditions are mouldy and damp all the time, so limescale and mould builds up around the nozzles, often including black mould. Because people rarely look up, it often goes unnoticed.”
When it comes to how often to clean them, Emily said: “It doesn’t need to be part of your weekly routine, but you should consider descaling your shower head monthly. You can do this using natural cleaning products like white vinegar or specialist descaling solutions. If you live in an area with hard water, you will struggle with limescale build-up, so you may find you need to clean your shower head more frequently.”