How to clean plastic panels in the bathroom

*Overview of the best according to the editors of Healthy Food Near Me. About selection criteria. This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

Hard-to-remove plaque forms on plastic panels in the bathroom, which consists of soap or shower gel components, mineral deposits from hot evaporated water and other “ingredients”. Therefore, an ordinary damp cloth for cleaning is not enough.

Wash preparation

Plastic is a stable material that easily survives chemical and even thermal effects. But you don’t need to experiment. Some models of panels can be damaged by contact with boiling water, others can react with chlorine bleach. The following products are suitable for washing, in order of decreasing compatibility with plastic:

  1. Special household chemicals for the care of plastic panels and universal cleaning products (for example, for washing dishes);

  2. Melamine sponge;

  3. Laundry soap with a fat content of 72% or more;

  4. Soda;

  5. Vinegar and alcohol;

  6. Ammonia.

This means that for cleaning, you first need to try washing the panels with just a solution of dishwashing detergent, then, if it doesn’t help, with laundry soap, then with soda, and so on. But this is in general cases. If you want to remove exactly limescale or traces of rust, then you should immediately start with vinegar.

When using special products, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. As a rule, these household chemicals are first diluted with water and then applied for simple washing. But some types of products involve application using a spray gun.

When working with soda, vinegar, alcohol and ammonia, use rubber gloves. This will help protect against skin inflammation, especially if there are open wounds on the hands – scratches, cuts, abrasions, acne. You can also wear a respirator if you wish. And if you suffer from asthma, then definitely.

Before washing, remove a layer of dust (if any) or condensed moisture from the surface by simply wiping them with a soft cloth. For example, a microfiber cloth.

Use of household chemicals

All-purpose cleaning products – such as dishwashing detergents – are the most gentle household chemicals suitable for plastic panels. It does not damage the structure of the coating. At the same time, it does not cope with all pollution, so it is more expedient to use such products for everyday cleaning, and not for “general” cleaning.

Washing is easy:

  1. Prepare a “regular” solution of dishwashing detergent – for example, 1-2 teaspoons per liter of water;

  2. Wash plastic panels with them;

  3. Wash the plastic panels again, only with clean water to get rid of excess product;

  4. Wipe dry.

It is necessary to wipe the panels dry so that moisture does not accumulate in the cracks. This will help protect against the appearance of fungi, bacteria and stubborn dirt. When washing, use a regular sponge, being careful not to apply pressure, so as not to damage the texture and structure of the panels.

Using a melamine sponge

Melamine is a porous material that has weak but effective abrasive properties. Thanks to this, it captures dirt, including very persistent ones, but at the same time does not scratch the coating of plastic panels. Melamine is simply softer than PVC or other laminating materials.

When washing with a melamine sponge, you do not need to use third-party cleaners:

  1. Cut off a small piece of eraser from the melamine sponge. Or you can use it all, but after that you need to throw it away;

  2. Lightly dampen and wring out the melamine sponge;

  3. Move it across the panels using wide, even strokes from top to bottom (or left to right, but also moving from top to bottom);

  4. Wipe dry.

The main advantage of a melamine sponge is that it can remove even such “heavy” dirt as pencil drawings or traces of cosmetics.

Use of laundry soap

Laundry soap is able to cope with most of the dirt on plastic panels. Even with those that have coloring properties.

Washing also requires rinsing and drying the panels:

  1. Grate a bar of laundry soap on a coarse grater. Use products with a high fat content – from 72%;

  2. Dissolve in 1 liter of warm water. Make sure that the pieces of soap are completely dissolved;

  3. Add 50 ml of dishwashing liquid. This will make the solution softer;

  4. Wash with this solution by dipping a mop or sponge into it;

  5. Wash the surface again, only with clean water;

  6. Wipe dry.

For stubborn stains, soap gel can be prepared. Laundry soap is rubbed on a fine grater and diluted with water to the state of a liquid slurry. Then the mixture is applied to the stain and left for 30-60 minutes. After this time, the mixture is washed off and the panels are wiped dry.

Using soda

Baking soda is used to remove spot stains. Therefore, the panels must first be washed with water or household chemicals as usual. And wipe them dry, of course.

Then you can work with individual spots:

  1. Make a thick baking soda paste. To do this, take a certain amount of powder and add warm water to it until you get the consistency of fatty sour cream;

  2. Apply the paste on the dirt and leave for 30 minutes;

  3. Rinse off the paste with plenty of water and dry the panels.

  4. Do not rub soda paste on the surface of the panels. It has an abrasive effect, due to which the surface of the material may become scratched.

Use of vinegar and alcohol

This method will help get rid of limescale on plastic panels. Vinegar simply dissolves it, thanks to which all these “mineral salts” are washed off with a slight movement of the sponge.

The procedure is quite simple:

  1. Prepare two containers. In one, pour alcohol (or just vodka) diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 1, and in the second – white table vinegar with a concentration of 6% or 9%;

  2. Dip a sponge lightly in alcohol;

  3. Then dip the sponge a little better in vinegar;

  4. Wipe the plastic panels with it;

  5. Rinse the surface with clean water several times to remove alcohol and vinegar odors;

  6. Dry it.

Use rubber gloves and a respirator when working. It is also desirable to organize good ventilation of the bathroom. Test on a small, inconspicuous area before cleaning the panels to ensure it does not damage the finish or wash out the color.

Cleaning with ammonia

Ammonia will not only remove most of the dirt, even the most stubborn and stubborn, but will also give the plastic panels a shiny look. But it must be used with caution:

  1. Prepare a solution of 20 ml of ammonia in 1 liter of water;

  2. Dip a sponge in it and wash the plastic panels;

  3. Then rinse them again, only with clean water;

  4. Wipe them dry.

Use rubber gloves and a respirator when working. Arrange for proper ventilation of the bathroom – for example, you can install a fan in it so that it blows air out of the room. Before using the method, test the mortar on a small, inconspicuous area of ​​the panels.

Washing yellowed from smoking plastic panels

If you smoked in the bathroom, then the panels may become covered with a yellow coating. In this case, you will need to use the following tools:

  1. A solution of ammonia (as recommended above);

  2. Weak chlorine bleach solution. For 10 liters of water – 50 ml of “whiteness”. The method is only suitable for white panels, the patterned coating may fade;

  3. A mixture of vinegar and vodka (as recommended above).

A melamine sponge will also work. Wipe the plastic panels with it in the same way as usual.

Attention! This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

Leave a Reply