Why You Should Use Shaving Cream To Clean Your Bathroom
Most people only use shaving cream for its intended purpose — to help decrease friction when shaving. However, the product has several other surprisingly practical uses, including eliminating greasy stains and cleaning your bathroom. This is because shaving cream contains many ingredients that act similarly to household soap (via Apartment Therapy). Additionally, the foamy and soapy texture makes it ideal for scrubbing. To start cleaning with shaving cream, simply apply a bit onto a towel, sponge, or surface and get to work.
From helping you polish dirty tile and bathroom mirrors to removing mildew, shaving cream can ensure your bathroom remains in tip-top shape. Plus, it's great to use when you're in a pinch and don't have a traditional household cleaner nearby or just want a less harsh alternative. If you're still wondering how you can use shaving cream to clean your bathroom, we've listed a few excellent ways below.
Polish bathroom floors
Bathroom floors can get notoriously dirty. If the floor is wet and someone walks in with dirty shoes, your floor will instantly become muddy and gross. The same thing can happen if you own a dog and it has dirty paws. Urine stains and other bodily fluids can make bathrooms an even bigger hotspot for grime. While shaving cream may not be your first line of defense for cleaning your floors, it can be a great option for polishing and making them sparkle like new.
To clean your bathroom floor with shaving cream, you'll first have to sweep and remove items on the ground. Once you're done, make sure the floor is completely dry. When your floor is nice and dry, spray the shaving cream directly onto the floor, let it sit for a few minutes, scrub, rinse, and repeat if needed. For a deeper clean that can help remove heavy-duty grime-like urine stains, Wow So Clean recommends spraying vinegar before the shaving cream to disinfect the floor.
Remove smells
Your bathroom can pick up a lot of odors. After all, it's where people go to eliminate bodily waste. These smells can be worse if you live with a lot of other people, have a large family, or have several guests over. According to 21 Oak, a bathroom can also start to develop a smell due to mildew, mold, and plumbing issues. That said, if your bathroom smells funky, shaving cream may be the solution you're looking for.
To remove urine smells, simply spray some shaving cream on the toilet, making sure to get every nook and cranny, and let it sit for half an hour or more. It's also a good idea to spread shaving cream behind and around the toilet to tackle any smells that may be hiding in those areas. Then, use hot water to rinse the shaving cream off. This cleaning method also works well for odors caused by mildew.
Polish and prevent foggy bathroom mirrors
You know how dirty bathroom mirrors can get. Whether you have young children who are constantly touching the glass or a few splatters land on its surface as you brush your teeth, bathroom mirrors can never seem to stay clean. However, shaving cream can make the process of cleaning your mirrors that much easier. The best part is that shaving cream will also prevent your mirrors from fogging up, per HuffPost. This way, you can admire your reflection even if you just took a steaming hot shower.
To make your mirror shine, all you have to do is spray shaving cream on it and wipe clean with a towel. If you want to make sure your mirrors are extra clean, you can use Windex beforehand. For a DIY cleaner, try a mixture of one part water and one part vinegar and spray it on the mirror.
Clean shower doors
Your shower door can become dirty quickly, especially if you or your family showers frequently, because soap scum builds up over time. It can become even worse if you don't clean your shower all that often. However, even if you don't use your shower frequently, your doors can still accumulate dust and other debris. There are many ways to clean your shower doors, from using a DIY glass cleaner to dryer sheets. However, one of the easiest ways to clean glass shower doors is with shaving cream.
Angi recommends that you add shaving cream directly to the door, wipe it off with a clean towel, and rinse the door clean. When you apply the shaving cream to the glass door, make sure that you spread it across the entire surface. Then, let it sit for a few minutes before wiping. You can repeat this process as needed.
Polish stainless steel
There are usually many pieces of stainless steel in the bathroom, from the faucet to shower door handles. Chrome and stainless steel can both get dirty quickly due to hard water stains. However, since stainless steel and chrome fixtures are often high-touch surfaces for you and the people in your home, it's important to keep them shiny and clean. Fortunately, you can do this with shaving cream. Not only is shaving cream easy to use, but it's also less harsh than traditional household cleaners.
To polish stainless steel with shaving cream, Apartment Therapy recommends you grab a clean rag, apply the shaving cream to the stainless steel, and wipe the shaving cream off. For hard water stains, leave the shaving cream on for a few minutes before wiping. This method is also applicable to chrome fixtures. Doing so can help keep your sink, towel rack, and other metal fixtures sparkly.
Clean toilet
While there are products specifically made to clean your toilet, you may not know the dangers of using toilet bowl cleaners. According to Plumbing by Jake, cleaning your toilet with toilet bowl cleaners can cause the gaskets and rubber seals to wear out quickly, leading to expensive leaks and plumbing issues.
If you're looking for a safe alternative, shaving cream should be your go-to. Not only can it clean your toilet, but it can also eliminate potent odors because many shaving creams have added fragrances. If you're going to clean your toilet with shaving cream, test the shaving cream on an inconspicuous spot first to make sure it won't damage the bowl or outer porcelain. Then, lather the shaving cream in and around the toilet. Make sure to cover as much of the toilet bowl as you can. Once you're done, let it sit for a couple of minutes, scrub with a toilet bowl brush as you normally would, and flush. If you used the shaving cream for the outside of the toilet as well, simply wipe clean.
Remove mildew
Mold and mildew are often the result of buildup caused by body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and so forth. The bathroom is the perfect breeding ground for mildew because it's warm and often humid. If you're constantly struggling with mildew in your shower curtain or grout, shaving cream can be extremely helpful.
To remove mildew from grout, Apartment Therapy suggests you combine one part shaving cream with one part bleach. You can create this mixture in a bowl and apply it directly on grout with a measuring cup or spoon. Then, let it sit overnight. In the morning, rinse off the areas where you applied this DIY solution. To clean mildew buildup on your shower curtain, we recommend you first disinfect the curtain with a solution of equal parts water and vinegar. After you're done, you can apply shaving cream directly to your shower curtain and scrub away. Then, simply rinse the shaving cream off.
It's inexpensive and can save you money
Shaving cream is inexpensive. It can be bought at the dollar store or for a few bucks at most convenience stores. As a result, you can reduce how much you spend on traditional household cleaners that can do more harm than good. This is because household cleaners contain a lot of chemicals that can be dangerous for you and your family. The American Lung Association states that cleaning supplies can cause irritation, headaches, and even cancer. Plus, if these chemicals are inhaled, it can lead to respiratory issues. When ingested, some household products can also lead to death.
So, not only is shaving cream inexpensive, but it's also versatile and safe for you and your loved ones. While shaving cream is not typically an all-natural product, it is much safer than many of the cleaning agents out there. However, you can find shaving creams that are specially formulated with natural and sustainably sourced ingredients.