Think Twice Before Using Dishwasher Tablets To Clean Your Shower

Cleaning your bathroom can sometimes be a test of will and strength, especially if you have stubborn stains that just refuse to disappear. You can try scrubbing all day long to no avail. The toilet is one thing, but shower splotches are especially difficult because of the grout and grooves in the tiles. The frustration alone is what drives some people to mix and match cleaning products that have no business being mixed together or to resort to unconventional means entirely. In your quest to rid your bathroom space of unsightly messes, you will want to think twice before cleaning your shower using dishwasher tablets because of how abrasive they are.

Showers are known for being wet spots in the house, and as such are prone to stains from various sources such as hard water, grout, mildew, and soap scum. When left over time, the minerals from these substances can lodge themselves within the tiles and become resistant to most treatments. Some people have started using dishwasher tablets to get rid of this gunk because of how tough the tablets are. As tempting as it may be, refrain from doing this because the tablets can easily compromise the integrity of your shower tiles, not to mention that they're also not very effective.

Dishwasher tablets are specially-formulated hard tablets that contain enzymes, alkaline agents, and sodium percarbonate. They are used to dissolve food molecules such as fats and oils, hard water, and starch. Dishwasher tablets aren't the best cleaning agents for your shower because they aren't designed to tackle insoluble mineral salts like scum consisting of limescale and magnesium compounds. Further, the sodium components of the dishwasher tablet make the product unfit to get rid of soap scum and shower lines. Instead, the tablet itself would only end up dissolving and wearing down without giving you the results you're craving for. 

Another reason why a dishwasher tablet is virtually ineffective in the shower is because it requires an insane amount of physical energy. The tablets are tiny and hard, so scrubbing them across the surface of your whole shower just doesn't make any logical sense. Your best bet is using a cleaning solution that contains ingredients that can break down hard minerals, and a vinegar solution can do the trick. Just mix equal parts water and vinegar and add 1 tablespoon of dish detergent. Cover the shower scum with this mixture and let it sit for about 20 minutes before washing it off with hot water.