How to Clean a Shower That Has Turned Blue
While it is an unusual color for a shower to turn, there is a perfectly reasonable explanation. Shower tiles turn blue because of copper deposits. The blue staining is actually corroded copper washed loose from the copper piping that carries the water throughout your house. Blue staining is relatively easy to clean.
Things You Will Need
- Toilet bowl cleaner with sodium bisulfate
- Rubber gloves
- Scrub brush
- Sponge
The best way to clean up copper deposits is with a toilet bowl cleaner that contains sodium bisulfate, according to the Experimental Chemistry department at Western Oregon University. Unfortunately, the problem will keep coming back until you replace the offending pipes.
-
Apply the toilet bowl cleaner to the blue area.
-
Allow the cleaner to sit for the manufacturer-recommended amount of time, which is usually 15 minutes.
-
Scrub the blue stain away with your scrub brush.
-
Rinse the area clean by wiping with a sponge soaked in water.
-
Repeat steps one through four as necessary.
-
Towel or air dry.
Tip
If you do not have access to toilet bowl cleaner, try any strong acid such as undiluted white vinegar. It may take more soaking and scrubbing but the stain should eventually lift.
Warning
It is best to have a plumber come check out the problem as soon as possible. Excessive amounts of copper in your drinking water can be toxic. Symptoms of excessive copper consumption include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach upset and dizziness.
References
- Western Oregon University: Analyzing Copper Concentrations in Drinking Water and Removing its Accompanying Blue-Green Stain
- "The House That Cleans Itself: Creative Solutions for a Clean and Orderly House in Less Time Than You Can Imagine"; Mindy Starns Clark; 2007
Tips
- If you do not have access to toilet bowl cleaner, try any strong acid such as undiluted white vinegar. It may take more soaking and scrubbing but the stain should eventually lift.
Warnings
- It is best to have a plumber come check out the problem as soon as possible. Excessive amounts of copper in your drinking water can be toxic. Symptoms of excessive copper consumption include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach upset and dizziness.
Writer Bio
Based in Houston, Texas, Meg Butler is a professional farmer, house flipper and landscaper. When not busy learning about homes and appliances she's sharing that knowledge. Butler began blogging, editing and writing in 2000. Her work has appered in the "Houston Press" and several other publications. She has an A.A. in journalism and a B.A. in history from New York University.
Photo Credits
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
More Articles
