Guest Post by July Minor

One day our houses will clean themselves – there will either be nano-technology enabling them to self-maintain or we will construct humanoid robots to handle this tedious exercise in futility for us. The machines will carry out all sorts of annoying manual labor while we lazily sit on our behinds, watching holographic-projection TV and listening to the latest political debates while eating chips and drinking beer; until one day our advanced inventions, the biggest achievement of mankind, become self-aware and rise against their human oppressors at which point we will be forced to use smoke bombs to block up the sunlight in order to cut off their power source. 

Those events are in our far, far, (made-up) future however, and at this point we still have to handle these mundane tasks, ourselves. And if there is one thing that nobody likes doing but absolutely has to, it’s cleaning the fiberglass bathroom door. 

Welcome to the world of false promises and ultimate procrastination. Nevertheless, no matter how hard you try, you can’t escape this responsibility and will have to ultimately deal with it. Don’t worry, I am here to share your burden and give you a few tips on how to do it more effectively so you can be done with demonic punishment.

What do you need?

In order to be successful in this little missions of yours, you will of course need tools and utilities. Since the end goal is the removal of unpleasant spots, stains and naturally forming water spots from a flat, polymer fiber-based surface, abrasive materials are out of the question as they will scratch the delicate material beyond repair. The same rule holds true for the applicator, as well. 

For the cleaning product, you can use commercial brand all purpose cleaners, liquid soaps or dish detergents as long as they are non-abrasive. If you want to be eco-friendly and/or save a few bucks, you can prepare a homemade solution of water, lemon juice and baking soda. If you want to go for the homemade option, you have to make it look like a paste so you can easily apply it. Add just a teaspoon of lemon juice for a better cleaning effect but really any non-abrasive cleaner will do.

What to do?

Never apply the cleaner directly to the door. Instead, put it on the applicator and start from there. This way you are not risking causing permanent and irreversible damage to the surface you’re opting to clean. Rub gently and only after reading the manual of your product of choice (if you’ve gone commercial). 

Cleaning with the soda/lemon juice water mixture is pretty straightforward – apply on the sponge/ cloth and rub. I personally prefer a microfiber towel because it delivers excellent results but a normal sponge will do just fine. An important thing you should know is that you have to leave the cleaning product “sit” for a while after you apply it. This way it will form chemical bonds with the residue, dirt, grime, stains, water or whatever abominable spots you’re hoping to remove and will, indeed, be able to do so when you rinse.

An important safety concern is that some commercial products are highly flammable. As a smoker, I sometimes like to grab a cigarette and masterfully smoke it with one hand while cleaning with the other. However, since I don’t use commercial products, there is no danger of spontaneously bursting into flames but I would in general advice against smoking while you clean, just to be on the safe side.

After you’re done cleaning, you can also apply polish if so desired, but it’s not objectively required.

Author Bio: July Minor is passionate freelance blogger keen on topics about cleaning and home improvement. She works a s manager of http://www.topdomesticcleaners.co.uk/domestic-cleaner-west-london/ and loves her job. That is why she has so much experience to share with her readers.

Photo Credits:
Rosie The Robot from the Jetsons cartoon
Beautiful Bathroom by Nuttakit on Freedigital Photos
No Smoking Sign… Pixabay

Thanks so much, July,  for sharing your cleaning expertise!