How to Restore a Cement Shower Stall

Regular white vinegar can be used to restore the natural look of your cement shower stall.

Cement shower stalls are common in many homes, as they are fairly affordable to build and easy for most homeowners to maintain; they are durable and require little more than routine cleaning. However, as cement shower stalls get older, their finish will start to look dull and dingy simply because of regular use. There is a natural way to clean and restore the original look of your cement shower stall, though, that doesn’t require the use of potentially dangerous chemicals.

Things You'll Need

• White vinegar
• Large container or bucket
• Heavy bristled cleaning brush
• Lime removal product, if necessary

Instructions

1. Combine even parts water and white vinegar in a clean, large container or bucket, and stir the mixture or shake the container to fully combine them.

2. Rinse the cement shower with warm water from the showerhead, and vigorously scrub the shower all over with a heavy bristled cleaning brush to get rid of any easy-to-remove dirt or debris.

3. Scrub the cement shower stall, starting from the top left corner, with the water and white vinegar mixture, using the bristled brush. After completing a small area, rinse the shower with clean water from the showerhead.

4. Continue scrubbing the cement shower in small sections, working from the top to the bottom, rinsing the walls with clean water occasionally. Allow the shower to fully dry, approximately three to four hours or more in some cases.

5. Repeat the process one more time for heavily soiled cement, always rinsing the cement shower walls as you go.

Tips & Warnings

• If your cement shower stall has a large amount of lime buildup, you can use a commercially available lime removal product before using the vinegar treatment to brighten and restore the surface of the cement shower stall walls.

• You can clean your shower regularly with an even mixture of white vinegar and water to keep the natural color of the cement and keep it from looking dull. By cleaning the shower regularly, you won’t have to repeat the process more than once at a time.

References

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Cleaning Concrete Surfaces
• Vinegartips.com: Cleaning