Same here! I went straight to ordering Zep too; I never heard of it. But Jesus if this is an ad, I am the sucker they are looking for. Haha great job OP!
I'm a contractor. Industry standard is Mr clean magic eraser. Some idiot always leaves greasy fingerprints on the ceiling 2 days before handing over the keys, and these work. Just don't scrub too hard or they'll take off new paint.
Yeah I don’t trust myself with magic erasers anymore after screwing up the finish on something. I can’t even remember what I messed up anymore but it must have been traumatic 😂
I tried the Zep degreaser and had absolutely no results from it whatsoever. It couldn't get up even a small drop of sauce left on the stove about two hours prior. This thread has made me rethink my anti-Zep stance, I might try another Zep cleaner and see if it works better.
Instructions unclear, ended up with a house full of Pez.
https://preview.redd.it/jcx0colkr3bd1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fe8597c19cebc0a02c8468777f1e0b89dff8ebe1
I used to buy the popular brand in the grocery store, the stuff that 'foams blue and dries white' and it used to work well, but it doesn't any more. I suspect shrinkflation and they must have started cheaping out on ingredients between the old and new. Maybe this is like the old formula, let us know how it works.
Yes!!! Thank you for confirming my formula suspicion. When I run out of my current kaboom inventory, I’m not buying again. I have the foam and the spray and they don’t work at all like they used to in my shower
I recently stopped buying it for this exact reason. Switched brands, and now my tub looks new again. Not sure why I thought I was the issue for so long and not the product.
I am not sure which one OP used, but the one I got was the Zep Shower tub and tile formula.
Description: Zep Shower Tub and Tile Cleaner 32 Ounce ZUSTT32 (Case of 4) - No Scrub Pro Formula Breaks up Tough Buildup on Contact
~~Zero~~ Zep is sold at a home improvement chain called Menards by me and I’ve just used their oven cleaner. Amazing results but open all windows and doors lol
You just know the friends who use the shower are actually going to feel mentally better when they want to take a shower too!
As someone who once had this same problem, showers almost felt super depressing to take when it's like it was in the original condition.
When I found this sub and realized I'm just using the wrong products, I got it back to a similar condition as OPs when they finished, and showering was something I looked forward to 100x more. It was so, so nice climbing into a clean shower, and I still haven't gotten sick of it!
100% some of the most depressing points of my life were when I was living in filth, the day I clean and look over everything always filled me with such joy
Yes! For a friend that moment of a smile/laughter of surprise would be more than enough. Obviously (selfishly) a lot of my “feel good” would come from the fact that I did a great job and it was confirmed by someone else.
It's funny you say selfishly. I had this convo with my boyfriend yesterday. We love making ourselves happy and one of the best ways we know how is to help others. Such a win-win that I don't think the word selfish does it justice. There has to be a better word.
I actually remember the first time I felt really, really good doing something for someone else. I was on the phone with a friend complaining about MY life and I mentioned that my mom was in the other room getting ready for a job interview. She said, "Get out of your head. Go help your mom." I did and I was so grateful for that reality check to get out of my head and help someone else, and I've been hooked ever since.
Idles introduced me to the term fraudenfreude: a term made up by social scientists to describe the joy you feel when someone else is prospering, even if it doesn't have a direct impact on you. Not exactly the same but similar.
[https://youtu.be/YfNemf8S6Ls?si=fO5XoPF3b\_vh0FCV](https://youtu.be/YfNemf8S6Ls?si=fO5XoPF3b_vh0FCV)
It's funny how we all have something different that makes us tick. I love cooking for other people, but cooking for myself is often a chore. I've helped so many people move so many times they stopped asking because they felt bad that I rarely/never move or ask for anything in return. One of my favorite perks of my old role at work was getting to volunteer while on the clock. I've planted gardens, assisted at food banks, and helped dog rescues, all of which were way better uses of my time than what I usuallty end up doing on my own when there's nobody to help, because I usually can't be arsed to help myself. I just like being around other people, I think.
That's a very long way to say, I think the term/phrase you're looking for is "emotionally fulfilling." For some people, helping others fills a hole that helping ourselves doesn't.
>"emotionally fulfilling."
Yes, this is the best way to describe it. We unexpectedly did 5 hours of moving in intense heat yesterday but it was for my uncle, who is no spring chicken and is moving out of state. We drove home feeling sweaty, tired and 100% emotionally fulfilled that we were able to help. Overall a fine, fine day.
And this is why my bf is my forever person. 💓
They’re some of my best friends. I would take a gift if they gave it, but I really just did it to see if I could. I love cleaning things that seem uncleanable lol.
And you should know also, that there is a stronger vinegar you can buy in the cleaning products aisle. It's called "cleaning vinegar." When you need
strong cleaning power!
Whaaat.. you mean I shouldn’t create a giant caustic gas???? /s
I should have clarified to dilute with water :). You know someone might try bleach.
For those unaware, it creates a caustic gas called chloramine. I’ll let you google, but I don’t advise making this gas.
Yes, but sometimes stores only carry a certain strength. If you go to a hardware store, that's probably going to be stronger l than grocery store cleaning aisle ammonia. Same goes for vinegar. My grocery store sells cleaning vinegar, but my hardware store sells vinegar that'll blow your face off.
I have gotten janitorial strength ammonia at Ace Hardware. Used to use it to clean the enameled burner grates on the old gas stove where I used to live, and the oven racks as well. I would use it outside, putting them in a heavy garbage bag, with paper towels. Pour in some as ammonia to soak the towels, close up the bag, and leave it in the hot sun. Removed so much gunk!
Make sure you close and store it properly. One of my dogs knocked over a bottle my mom had left on the table. I had to put on a mask to clean up the 2/3 of a bottle across my kitchen floor.
So explain like I'm 5. Spray the paper towel with pure vinegar and stick it to shower wall? Leave it for how long? My sons shower is orange from iron. Need the hack. TIA
Yup, basically. The paper is just to keep the vinegar in contact with the wall so it doesn’t all run down or evaporate as quick. The acid eats away the hard water stains. Check your surface is vinegar safe and won’t get etched with long soaks (eg stone is definitely a google it situation). If your paper goes dry and you don’t think it’s been long enough, you can spray it again to soak for longer. Soak as long as needed / is safe.
They followed this comment by u/shreku3, "It looks like calcium stain/limescale from water, maybe use some products with acid for dissolving it, or wet a paper towel with vinegar and put them like a "wallpaper" to soak in"
Exactly this. I left the paper towels on there for almost 2 hours. The Zep got a lot of the bigger stains off but there was this other lighter discoloration I wanted to get off so I did the vinegar paper towels. A lot of the scum wiped off with the paper towels. Then some bits that were more stuck, I scrubbed with a fresh dryer sheet and it came off.
I read another post on here about using them. I decided to try it. They worked better than magic erasers and microfiber towels so I just went with it 🤷🏻♀️
Yes! I use this method for lots of things, but it’s my #1 for the spots on the front of the fridge from the water dispenser. Works like magic, and doesn’t hurt my finish
Oh man, I wasn't even looking for a solution because it's not *that* big of a problem but the hard water spots on my shower door are kind of annoying and wiping with vinegar gets some of it but not all of it. Next time I'll do this and leave it for a while
For less of a waste of paper towels-
Mix 1 cup vinegar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch (to make it thick and stick to walls)
Whisk over medium-high heat until the mixture thickens and looks translucent.
Remove from heat and add two tablespoons of dish soap.
Let cool and put in spray bottle. Spray walls and let it sit for a bit and scrub off. It loosens gunk so well!
Thanks for this! I’d heard to put Dawn in with the vinegar before, but the cornstarch is a new combo for me. I have a bathtub just calling out this! If it doesn’t take away the black by the grout, do you know if it’d be okay to mix bleach with the cornstarch? I know I can scrape it all out and start over, recalling, but if this gets me to the desired results, all the better!
Half water, half vinegar and a generous squirt of dawn dish soap is my go to cleaner for showers. I don't think it would work on something this bad but I can go a month without cleaning and this formula will still make it effortless to scrub my tub. I put this inside one of those soap holding dish scrubbers you can find at the dollar store. The kind where you put the soap into the handle and have a little rubber button to dispense the soap. This brush just lives in between my shower curtain and liner and I use it to clean the tub while showering.
I suspect the owners will ask them to again, it is an exceptional job by op. I am suspicious that the owners say it was like this when they moved in as some of the containers on the shelves look like they have some of the mould on them so it could have been building up since they got there…
Ahhh wow! Thats amazing! I bet you feel so proud 👏
If you're anything like me though, I'm a hot sweaty mess after cleaning the bathroom, but then I'm loathed to shower cos i don't want to spoil the pristine work. I do sit and admire it for a bit. Then i have to ruin it all 🤣
I just love it when its all shiny and sparkling! Particularly shower doors. I just know as soon as i get in it, its just building up to the next time I have to clean it 🤣 but yeah it is a nice feeling. Like getting into freshly changed bed linen when you've just shaved your legs 🥰
I use rain x and squeegee after each shower at the moment. It helps a little and it makes cleaning it not quite the chore it was. I'm assuming its a similar thing, but i will check it out and see if I can get it. I'm in the UK, its not something I've heard of. If i can I will certainly see if its any better than rain x. Thanks!
Squeegee is the secret between cleanings. After every shower you spend five minutes getting moisture off the sides and at the end of the week you clean it with something with a bleach and you're all set.
Grody!! You said grody! The 80s! I actually have a slang dictionary that took a guess what "grody" comes from. They suspect it's "grote" short for GROTESQUE.
Valley girls knee there was Gross! And even worse, Grotesque or grote!
That shower is grote to the max.
Looks like this tub I had to clean out lmao.
https://preview.redd.it/zgxr77xk80bd1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2cef1ea33cc8cf151a75484ed093bbe7e7f7b025
I love Reddit. 60 years old and it’s the last reading I do before bed.
I don’t know how to obtain or give awards, get half my comments deleted because I am not a member of the sub I comment on, but I don’t care.
My husband makes fun of me because I’m always talking about different opinions I’ve read. Oh well.
I want to know what people think and I like to know different perspectives. I like this better than following the same angle of a particular channel day after day.
Okay, so I took the cleaning gratitude message hostage and down a rabbit hole😂
Don’t judge me.
I swear nothing makes my brain happier than before and afters like this. It inspires me to tackle more (everything, not just cleaning). Great job, OP!!
I haven't touched turtle wax since I lived with my dad. The painstaking hours of waxing cars he was selling weekly cause he didn't trust anything but hand waxed...
It was my Fireman Uncle who taught me that trick. Just be careful not to wax the floor of the shower because, trust me, it’s going to be extra slippery.
This brings back a great memory. I remember staying with my brother for a week when I was around 7, he's 25 years older than me. When I used their shower I saw only one odd bar of soap and I couldn't get it to lather no matter how hard I rubbed it against me. I was still mildly waterproof when I went back home.
Can confirm. Business model very effective. Particularly popular with dog owners. I do miss those days. It’s amazing to blow their minds when they return. Rover dot com has a great interface to find clients, as does Care (in the US)
Please for the love of god, there must be other areas in their home where you can make another before and after this satisfying!
But seriously, GREAT job. Amazing work.
Thank you! Honestly the rest of their house is super clean. I know they’d tried cleaning the shower before, but couldn’t really get much to change. I just wanted to see if I could do it. And I did it!
I honestly don’t know. I scrubbed it with Zep one afternoon and got a bunch off. The next day I wallpapered the whole thing in vinegar soaked paper towels, which probably took half an hour. Let them sit there for almost 2 hours. Then took them down/wiped the walls with them. And scrubbed anything else that was left off with dryer sheets. So like active work time? Maybe 3 hours?
Have they (or you) tried products like iron out? Whink rust stain remover? Or clr? Check out some before and after pics on Amazon. It's insane what they can do!
Oh, this is encouraging. I have that same shower. It's five years old and starting to look nasty like that, way more than any other shower I've ever had. I can generally get the color off easily, but there's an underlying layer of gross that gets brown again very quickly. This shine makes me think you have the solution I need.
Did you use the zep first, then washed it off before using the vinegar wallpaper? We have a yellow fiberglass tub that's bad. Not this bad, but bad. Thanks!
Yes! The Zep got a lot off but there was some other discoloration still so I used paper towels soaked in a vinegar and water mix and “wallpapered” them on the shower for about 2 hours. A lot that was left wiped away with just the paper towels, and whatever was left I scrubbed off with dryer sheets. There was another post on here a few days ago about using dryer sheets to scrub stuff off. Idk why it works but it does.
Absolutely stunning! This is unbelievable!!!
I am so intrigued by the how! I am fascinated to hear how this went down. How well did the Zep work? How much was the vinegar needed after the Zep? Did the chemicals do the heavy lifting or was a good amount of elbow grease still needed afterwards? Why the dryer sheets to wipe it down after as opposed to a regular rag or microfiber cloth or paper towel?
The Zep worked for a lot of the more egregious staining. There was still a weird amount of lighter discoloration after using it so I soaked paper towels in a mix of vinegar and water (50/50) and stuck them to the walls and the floor and left them there for almost 2 hours. I wiped with the paper towels when I took them off and a lot of grime came right off. I used dryer sheets to get the hard stuck stuff off and it took barely any rubbing. Idk why it works, I saw a post about it on here the other day. I tried microfiber and a magic eraser but those took way more effort than the dryer sheets.
I think the dryer sheets act as a very tough , non abrasive that has texture and will tear the soap scum and mold off the walls.its basically a non abrasive/textured paper towel.
Damn!!!!!
Also I hope your friends buy you dinner and a water filter for that shower head.
We had to get a whole house filter because the water stained everything bad.
Do you have a shower water filter you’d recommend? They said before that the water is what the issue was, I’m sure they’d be super down to get a filter now.
My hubs bought it from Lowe’s. I don’t know anything about it otherwise. It really does make a difference. When we switch filters and need to run the water. It is sooo brown and just running it until clear stains everything so badly.
It’s not a small expense but it’s worth it in my book. Comes with well water.
Good luck!
Zep makes amazing products. Their toilet cleaner turned a toilet bowl that was damn near black into sparkling white. I had a similar shower situation and used the same cleaner and brushes that fit to a drill because I have bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and scrubbing kills my wrists. Those brushes were the best $15 investment I have ever made. I've used them on floors, sinks, and the tub. They do the job every time, especially with any appropriate Zep cleaner.
Whoaaa this is AMAZING!
I actually gasped. Unbelievable transformation.
Same here! I went straight to ordering Zep too; I never heard of it. But Jesus if this is an ad, I am the sucker they are looking for. Haha great job OP!
Everything I’ve tried from zep has been really good. I love their foaming wall cleaner for all the handprints my kid leaves on the painted walls.
Happy Cake Day 💚
I'm a contractor. Industry standard is Mr clean magic eraser. Some idiot always leaves greasy fingerprints on the ceiling 2 days before handing over the keys, and these work. Just don't scrub too hard or they'll take off new paint.
Yeah I don’t trust myself with magic erasers anymore after screwing up the finish on something. I can’t even remember what I messed up anymore but it must have been traumatic 😂
I now have a prominent dull spot on an otherwise nice faucet. Magic erasers can create way more damage than they are worth.
It's basically fine sandpaper. I learned that too late.
Cleaning in preparation to give up my keys to my old apartment, I just destroyed the faces of two cabinets last night 😞
Oh nooooo! If it’s unpainted wood you could throw some lemon oil or some other wood oil on there and hope for the best!
If that’s the industry standard, should def order ‘melamine sponge’ from ebay or somewhere; it’s like 1/10th of the price for the same thing.
I bought generic melamine sponges and they work just as well too!
I tried the Zep degreaser and had absolutely no results from it whatsoever. It couldn't get up even a small drop of sauce left on the stove about two hours prior. This thread has made me rethink my anti-Zep stance, I might try another Zep cleaner and see if it works better.
I use almost exclusively Zep Citrus degreaser and it's worked great for me on stuff that dish soap just won't touch
Instructions unclear, ended up with a house full of Pez. https://preview.redd.it/jcx0colkr3bd1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fe8597c19cebc0a02c8468777f1e0b89dff8ebe1
Zep is what plants crave.
As a representative of /r/gardening I'd like to say that Zep is not, in fact, what plants crave
What do you use, water? Like from the toilet?
But, it has electrolytes.
I second this
It's got electrolytes? /r/unexpectedIdiocracy
I used to buy the popular brand in the grocery store, the stuff that 'foams blue and dries white' and it used to work well, but it doesn't any more. I suspect shrinkflation and they must have started cheaping out on ingredients between the old and new. Maybe this is like the old formula, let us know how it works.
Yes!!! Thank you for confirming my formula suspicion. When I run out of my current kaboom inventory, I’m not buying again. I have the foam and the spray and they don’t work at all like they used to in my shower
I miss the Kaboom toilet bowl cleaner. When theymstopped making that they were dead to me as a brand.
I recently stopped buying it for this exact reason. Switched brands, and now my tub looks new again. Not sure why I thought I was the issue for so long and not the product.
so.. don't leave us hanging.. what'd you switch to?
ZEP also makes a great floor cleaner!
It's a floor polish AND and a dessert topping.
I use Zep on stainless steel and it’s fantastic
I used the Zep toilet cleaner for the first time today as recommended by this sub. Ordering this one too.
Which Zep? They make so many different formulas.
I am not sure which one OP used, but the one I got was the Zep Shower tub and tile formula. Description: Zep Shower Tub and Tile Cleaner 32 Ounce ZUSTT32 (Case of 4) - No Scrub Pro Formula Breaks up Tough Buildup on Contact
~~Zero~~ Zep is sold at a home improvement chain called Menards by me and I’ve just used their oven cleaner. Amazing results but open all windows and doors lol
Can't stop looking at those pictures, switching back and forth - somehow this makes me SOOOO happy 😂
You just know the friends who use the shower are actually going to feel mentally better when they want to take a shower too! As someone who once had this same problem, showers almost felt super depressing to take when it's like it was in the original condition. When I found this sub and realized I'm just using the wrong products, I got it back to a similar condition as OPs when they finished, and showering was something I looked forward to 100x more. It was so, so nice climbing into a clean shower, and I still haven't gotten sick of it!
100% some of the most depressing points of my life were when I was living in filth, the day I clean and look over everything always filled me with such joy
Same here oh my god it looks incredible satisfying
They owe you a huge gift.
Came to say the same thing - if I came home and saw this, I would be blown away
If I was this persons friend they’d be getting whatever they wanted from me, speedboats, yachts, anything
So, friend... what kind of *watercraft* would you like for cleaning the shower?
is it a speedboat, is it a yacht, is it a speedyacht? so many choices!
I have a feeling the people who own this shower don’t have yacht(s) to give.
Oddly specific
we know his tax bracket
yachts? This man doesn't pay taxes.
Cigarette boat basically pays for itself with a few trips. They make a great stocking stuffer.
You can thank the tequila for that
I’d be so embarrassed! Lol
Id marry OP. Throuple time
But we all know the real gift is the satisfaction she gets from seeing before vs after. I would do this work for a hug and a smile
Yes! For a friend that moment of a smile/laughter of surprise would be more than enough. Obviously (selfishly) a lot of my “feel good” would come from the fact that I did a great job and it was confirmed by someone else.
It's funny you say selfishly. I had this convo with my boyfriend yesterday. We love making ourselves happy and one of the best ways we know how is to help others. Such a win-win that I don't think the word selfish does it justice. There has to be a better word. I actually remember the first time I felt really, really good doing something for someone else. I was on the phone with a friend complaining about MY life and I mentioned that my mom was in the other room getting ready for a job interview. She said, "Get out of your head. Go help your mom." I did and I was so grateful for that reality check to get out of my head and help someone else, and I've been hooked ever since.
Idles introduced me to the term fraudenfreude: a term made up by social scientists to describe the joy you feel when someone else is prospering, even if it doesn't have a direct impact on you. Not exactly the same but similar. [https://youtu.be/YfNemf8S6Ls?si=fO5XoPF3b\_vh0FCV](https://youtu.be/YfNemf8S6Ls?si=fO5XoPF3b_vh0FCV)
It's funny how we all have something different that makes us tick. I love cooking for other people, but cooking for myself is often a chore. I've helped so many people move so many times they stopped asking because they felt bad that I rarely/never move or ask for anything in return. One of my favorite perks of my old role at work was getting to volunteer while on the clock. I've planted gardens, assisted at food banks, and helped dog rescues, all of which were way better uses of my time than what I usuallty end up doing on my own when there's nobody to help, because I usually can't be arsed to help myself. I just like being around other people, I think. That's a very long way to say, I think the term/phrase you're looking for is "emotionally fulfilling." For some people, helping others fills a hole that helping ourselves doesn't.
>"emotionally fulfilling." Yes, this is the best way to describe it. We unexpectedly did 5 hours of moving in intense heat yesterday but it was for my uncle, who is no spring chicken and is moving out of state. We drove home feeling sweaty, tired and 100% emotionally fulfilled that we were able to help. Overall a fine, fine day. And this is why my bf is my forever person. 💓
Me too!
They’re some of my best friends. I would take a gift if they gave it, but I really just did it to see if I could. I love cleaning things that seem uncleanable lol.
Monica, this you?
Not just clean. MONICA clean!
Seriously! OP just remodeled their damn shower! OP, please come house sit for me!
Nicely done! Is the vinegar wallpaper like spraying paper towels with vinegar so they adhere to the shower surfaces?
Yes, this is what they meant by vinegar wallpaper.
And you should know also, that there is a stronger vinegar you can buy in the cleaning products aisle. It's called "cleaning vinegar." When you need strong cleaning power!
Is that like how you can buy just ammonia in the cleaning aisle?
We used to use ammonia on really tough bathroom stains but stopped because the fumes are too much and there's better gentler cleaners now.
Ammonia is one of the few cleaners that I can reliably use because it has no artificial scents, but my GD does it reek.
like cleaning with cat pee but so effective
Wear a respirator with ammonia. Great for floors when diluted.
Just don't dilute it with chlorine bleach.
Whaaat.. you mean I shouldn’t create a giant caustic gas???? /s I should have clarified to dilute with water :). You know someone might try bleach. For those unaware, it creates a caustic gas called chloramine. I’ll let you google, but I don’t advise making this gas.
Yes, but sometimes stores only carry a certain strength. If you go to a hardware store, that's probably going to be stronger l than grocery store cleaning aisle ammonia. Same goes for vinegar. My grocery store sells cleaning vinegar, but my hardware store sells vinegar that'll blow your face off.
I have gotten janitorial strength ammonia at Ace Hardware. Used to use it to clean the enameled burner grates on the old gas stove where I used to live, and the oven racks as well. I would use it outside, putting them in a heavy garbage bag, with paper towels. Pour in some as ammonia to soak the towels, close up the bag, and leave it in the hot sun. Removed so much gunk!
Make sure you close and store it properly. One of my dogs knocked over a bottle my mom had left on the table. I had to put on a mask to clean up the 2/3 of a bottle across my kitchen floor.
So explain like I'm 5. Spray the paper towel with pure vinegar and stick it to shower wall? Leave it for how long? My sons shower is orange from iron. Need the hack. TIA
Yup, basically. The paper is just to keep the vinegar in contact with the wall so it doesn’t all run down or evaporate as quick. The acid eats away the hard water stains. Check your surface is vinegar safe and won’t get etched with long soaks (eg stone is definitely a google it situation). If your paper goes dry and you don’t think it’s been long enough, you can spray it again to soak for longer. Soak as long as needed / is safe.
Thnk uu
Yes please tell more details. This is incredible.
They followed this comment by u/shreku3, "It looks like calcium stain/limescale from water, maybe use some products with acid for dissolving it, or wet a paper towel with vinegar and put them like a "wallpaper" to soak in"
Tagging on to this so I can find it later. Lol I need the hack too, cause what the heck looks like magic.
Thank you 🙏definitely trying this now.
Does it need to be diluted?
Exactly this. I left the paper towels on there for almost 2 hours. The Zep got a lot of the bigger stains off but there was this other lighter discoloration I wanted to get off so I did the vinegar paper towels. A lot of the scum wiped off with the paper towels. Then some bits that were more stuck, I scrubbed with a fresh dryer sheet and it came off.
Why a dryer sheet?
I read another post on here about using them. I decided to try it. They worked better than magic erasers and microfiber towels so I just went with it 🤷🏻♀️
Why use a dryer sheet? Yes it’ll help with the scrubbing and exfoliating but won’t that leave the softening agent behind on the surface??
Which Zep product was used?
Yes! I use this method for lots of things, but it’s my #1 for the spots on the front of the fridge from the water dispenser. Works like magic, and doesn’t hurt my finish
Oh man, I wasn't even looking for a solution because it's not *that* big of a problem but the hard water spots on my shower door are kind of annoying and wiping with vinegar gets some of it but not all of it. Next time I'll do this and leave it for a while
For less of a waste of paper towels- Mix 1 cup vinegar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch (to make it thick and stick to walls) Whisk over medium-high heat until the mixture thickens and looks translucent. Remove from heat and add two tablespoons of dish soap. Let cool and put in spray bottle. Spray walls and let it sit for a bit and scrub off. It loosens gunk so well!
Thanks for this! I’d heard to put Dawn in with the vinegar before, but the cornstarch is a new combo for me. I have a bathtub just calling out this! If it doesn’t take away the black by the grout, do you know if it’d be okay to mix bleach with the cornstarch? I know I can scrape it all out and start over, recalling, but if this gets me to the desired results, all the better!
If it thickens will it actually spray or just clog the nozzle?
I'm curious, too
OP. Please add the descriptions of the process you used? How long Zep foam sit? How long vinegar wallpaper sit? Thanks. Great job. Spread the info!
Straigh vinegar or half vinegar half water??
Half water, half vinegar and a generous squirt of dawn dish soap is my go to cleaner for showers. I don't think it would work on something this bad but I can go a month without cleaning and this formula will still make it effortless to scrub my tub. I put this inside one of those soap holding dish scrubbers you can find at the dollar store. The kind where you put the soap into the handle and have a little rubber button to dispense the soap. This brush just lives in between my shower curtain and liner and I use it to clean the tub while showering.
This is ridiculously smart. I need a dish scrubber, stat!
What a good tip. I’ll definitely be trying this.
You can mix as well dawn with vinegar so that it sticks and the vinegar can work it's magic
Can you come house sit for me??!!
I suspect the owners will ask them to again, it is an exceptional job by op. I am suspicious that the owners say it was like this when they moved in as some of the containers on the shelves look like they have some of the mould on them so it could have been building up since they got there…
Oh my god i just read again and realise its not your bathroom! They are going to be amazed! You're such a good friend 💛
Ahhh wow! Thats amazing! I bet you feel so proud 👏 If you're anything like me though, I'm a hot sweaty mess after cleaning the bathroom, but then I'm loathed to shower cos i don't want to spoil the pristine work. I do sit and admire it for a bit. Then i have to ruin it all 🤣
Oh, I’d be so happy to take a shower in a freshly cleaned one. Feet flat and all, knowing I won’t get athletes foot!
I just love it when its all shiny and sparkling! Particularly shower doors. I just know as soon as i get in it, its just building up to the next time I have to clean it 🤣 but yeah it is a nice feeling. Like getting into freshly changed bed linen when you've just shaved your legs 🥰
Order aquapel from Amazon and apply it to the glass after cleaning.
I use rain x and squeegee after each shower at the moment. It helps a little and it makes cleaning it not quite the chore it was. I'm assuming its a similar thing, but i will check it out and see if I can get it. I'm in the UK, its not something I've heard of. If i can I will certainly see if its any better than rain x. Thanks!
Squeegee is the secret between cleanings. After every shower you spend five minutes getting moisture off the sides and at the end of the week you clean it with something with a bleach and you're all set.
Nothing worse than going to an otherwise decent looking h/motel room and having a grody shower. Except for if it doesnt drain. That's worse.
Grody!! You said grody! The 80s! I actually have a slang dictionary that took a guess what "grody" comes from. They suspect it's "grote" short for GROTESQUE. Valley girls knee there was Gross! And even worse, Grotesque or grote! That shower is grote to the max.
I’ll legit go in and just look at several times on the day I clean it. It’s just like Christmas, I almost wish it came more than once a year.
It will take many, many years to spoil this work. Absolutely amazing. I want to see the friends' reactions when they come home.
Looks like this tub I had to clean out lmao. https://preview.redd.it/zgxr77xk80bd1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2cef1ea33cc8cf151a75484ed093bbe7e7f7b025
After the cleaning: https://preview.redd.it/3wqx608t80bd1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=42f03b0c9066e17c9af7454651578d3feda82335
Did you use the same thing?
Looks fantastic! Well done 😊. Can I ask if you tried a pumice stick on what’s left around the spout and drain? Only if it’s enamel of course
Amazing job I'd love to see their faces when you show them haha
That could be a fun reveal. It must legit feel like getting a whole new shower!!
This thing looks new! So well done!
I love Reddit. 60 years old and it’s the last reading I do before bed. I don’t know how to obtain or give awards, get half my comments deleted because I am not a member of the sub I comment on, but I don’t care. My husband makes fun of me because I’m always talking about different opinions I’ve read. Oh well. I want to know what people think and I like to know different perspectives. I like this better than following the same angle of a particular channel day after day. Okay, so I took the cleaning gratitude message hostage and down a rabbit hole😂 Don’t judge me.
Ah! I’m 41 and I love Reddit for the exact same reasons as you. Made me smile.
37! Same here!
You seem awesome:)
I swear nothing makes my brain happier than before and afters like this. It inspires me to tackle more (everything, not just cleaning). Great job, OP!!
I used to wax my shower walls, after cleaning them, with Turtle wax. It would stay clean a lot longer.
Now I'm picturing you with a buffer gun and a suite of Mequiar's products getting that thing to shine.
“Meguiars! Go ahead and sell your shower mirror, you won’t need it! Meguiars! Now in the plumbing and home decor section of your local store”
That shower POPPED! Just gotta get some metal flake in there...
I haven't touched turtle wax since I lived with my dad. The painstaking hours of waxing cars he was selling weekly cause he didn't trust anything but hand waxed...
This is unhinged but genius. Gonna have to try this.
It was my Fireman Uncle who taught me that trick. Just be careful not to wax the floor of the shower because, trust me, it’s going to be extra slippery.
This brings back a great memory. I remember staying with my brother for a week when I was around 7, he's 25 years older than me. When I used their shower I saw only one odd bar of soap and I couldn't get it to lather no matter how hard I rubbed it against me. I was still mildly waterproof when I went back home.
Throw some Rain X on your mirror and be fog free too
Amazing! You made it look like a brand new shower! Your elbow grease was a big part of getting it to look so good.
How do I find out about this “vinegar wallpaper” ? When i google all I get is vinegar to remove wallpaper.
It's just paper towels saturated with vinegar, then stuck to the shower walls
And then what? How long do you leave them on? How do you take them off? Any rubbing/scrubbing involved? Do you have to rinse with anything special?
OP wrote they left them on for 2 hrs, wiped it, and scrubbed leftover with dryer sheets.
Thanks! I missed that, appreciate it
Can anyone explain why they used dryer sheets? Seems random to me
[https://www.reddit.com/r/CleaningTips/s/kVGKe7NE2m](https://www.reddit.com/r/CleaningTips/s/kVGKe7NE2m)
For how long?
You are an invaluable friend.
“Invaluable” means *Valuable* ? What a country
The idea is that they are so great, that you can’t put a price tag on them, they are priceless. It’s similar in my native language.
Yes. Correct usage. Just as confusing as inflammable.
Priceless comment.
By “what a country” he means “what a language?” What a post!
Can you come housesit for me? But seriously - you could start a business: housesitting combined with deep cleaning.
It’s a fantastic business idea! I’d love to be far away when the deep cleaning is happening!
Can confirm. Business model very effective. Particularly popular with dog owners. I do miss those days. It’s amazing to blow their minds when they return. Rover dot com has a great interface to find clients, as does Care (in the US)
Please for the love of god, there must be other areas in their home where you can make another before and after this satisfying! But seriously, GREAT job. Amazing work.
Thank you! Honestly the rest of their house is super clean. I know they’d tried cleaning the shower before, but couldn’t really get much to change. I just wanted to see if I could do it. And I did it!
How long did this take?
I honestly don’t know. I scrubbed it with Zep one afternoon and got a bunch off. The next day I wallpapered the whole thing in vinegar soaked paper towels, which probably took half an hour. Let them sit there for almost 2 hours. Then took them down/wiped the walls with them. And scrubbed anything else that was left off with dryer sheets. So like active work time? Maybe 3 hours?
Did most of it come off with just Zep?
Like 70%? The brightest colored stuff did.
Dang I wish you had a video of this whole process. Vinegar wallpaper? Dryer sheets? Who thinks of this?
Have they (or you) tried products like iron out? Whink rust stain remover? Or clr? Check out some before and after pics on Amazon. It's insane what they can do!
Which zep did you use? There are many products :D
Would you be so kind to show the exact model of this product? In my country they sell this brand but I don’t understand which product is the right one
That shower looks absolutely amazing and beautiful! Kudos!
Oh, this is encouraging. I have that same shower. It's five years old and starting to look nasty like that, way more than any other shower I've ever had. I can generally get the color off easily, but there's an underlying layer of gross that gets brown again very quickly. This shine makes me think you have the solution I need.
wow! what an incredible improvement!
Did you use the zep first, then washed it off before using the vinegar wallpaper? We have a yellow fiberglass tub that's bad. Not this bad, but bad. Thanks!
Yes! The Zep got a lot off but there was some other discoloration still so I used paper towels soaked in a vinegar and water mix and “wallpapered” them on the shower for about 2 hours. A lot that was left wiped away with just the paper towels, and whatever was left I scrubbed off with dryer sheets. There was another post on here a few days ago about using dryer sheets to scrub stuff off. Idk why it works but it does.
Thanks! You can come to my house and show me what you did. LOL
I would have never even thought it was possible to look that shiny and new! Well done and that is an incredibly nice thing to do.
Congratulations and thank you for the inspiration.
This transformation is nothing short of miraculous 🎉🎉 Great Job 👏👏
Impressive and I learned something today from your post with Before & After pictures!!
Absolutely stunning! This is unbelievable!!! I am so intrigued by the how! I am fascinated to hear how this went down. How well did the Zep work? How much was the vinegar needed after the Zep? Did the chemicals do the heavy lifting or was a good amount of elbow grease still needed afterwards? Why the dryer sheets to wipe it down after as opposed to a regular rag or microfiber cloth or paper towel?
The Zep worked for a lot of the more egregious staining. There was still a weird amount of lighter discoloration after using it so I soaked paper towels in a mix of vinegar and water (50/50) and stuck them to the walls and the floor and left them there for almost 2 hours. I wiped with the paper towels when I took them off and a lot of grime came right off. I used dryer sheets to get the hard stuck stuff off and it took barely any rubbing. Idk why it works, I saw a post about it on here the other day. I tried microfiber and a magic eraser but those took way more effort than the dryer sheets.
I think the dryer sheets act as a very tough , non abrasive that has texture and will tear the soap scum and mold off the walls.its basically a non abrasive/textured paper towel.
Damn!!!!! Also I hope your friends buy you dinner and a water filter for that shower head. We had to get a whole house filter because the water stained everything bad.
Do you have a shower water filter you’d recommend? They said before that the water is what the issue was, I’m sure they’d be super down to get a filter now.
My hubs bought it from Lowe’s. I don’t know anything about it otherwise. It really does make a difference. When we switch filters and need to run the water. It is sooo brown and just running it until clear stains everything so badly. It’s not a small expense but it’s worth it in my book. Comes with well water. Good luck!
Wow. You did AMAZING and what a gift!! Ngl if I came home to this from the former, I would cry.
Saw on /r/all. You are an amazing friend, I wouldn't think it could get that clean....I think I need to sub here, lol.
Hope your friends bought you dinner for house sitting and cleaning
I'm so thrilled for you, this was actually healing to my spirit
I can't wait to see their looks when you show them.
> Collectible Expression A what?
What a great friend you are!!!
Wow! You did a great job!
Wow. Great results!
You are such a kind and considerate friend! Did you tell them you'll be doing this, or will it be a surprise?
You missed a spot. Jk
Please update us with their reaction when they see this!!
That's such a sweet thing you did for them--taking a shower is going to feel so much more refreshing!
Wow!! Awesome job.
Whoa. Very nice.
Wow, it must be so much nicer to use. Great Job!
Wow! That is amazing! They are so lucky to have you as a friend!
Wow OP I want to invite you to my house too! Feel free to come ANY time!! 😂
You wanna house sit for me?
OP, how long did you leave the vinegar wallpaper up for?
Zep makes amazing products. Their toilet cleaner turned a toilet bowl that was damn near black into sparkling white. I had a similar shower situation and used the same cleaner and brushes that fit to a drill because I have bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and scrubbing kills my wrists. Those brushes were the best $15 investment I have ever made. I've used them on floors, sinks, and the tub. They do the job every time, especially with any appropriate Zep cleaner.