Natural stone materials like slate, limestone, granite, marble, and onyx come in a wide range of colors and patterns to suit a variety of bathroom designs. Soapstone, travertine, and granite work best in showers because they are less porous compared to marble.

The hardest part about cleaning a natural stone tile shower is keeping the white, cloudy soap scum buildup under control.

It may seem like the right idea to use acidic cleaners like vinegar and ammonia to dissolve stubborn product buildup and hard water deposits. These have extreme pH's that will eventually break down any sealants, scratch stone, and eventually lead to discoloration.

Natural stone should be cleaned once a week with a pH-neutral cleaning product like Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner. The powerful cleaner dissolves tough soils and buildup without damaging your beautiful stone surfaces, and removes soap scum, body oils and greases, bath oils, soap, and shampoo oils.

On top of regular deep cleaning, you can avoid scum buildup by removing excess water after every shower. Use a rubber squeegee or microfiber towel to get rid of remaining water spots and leave the shower looking sparkling clean.

It's also important that you seal natural stone shower surfaces to prevent water, oil, and other liquids from penetrating and leaving stains. A stone sealer will not make surfaces stain-proof or waterproof; it will only provide stain or water resistance to make the surface easier to maintain. Reseal every couple of years, or whenever you notice water not beading on the surface.

Directions for Cleaning a Natural Stone Shower:

1. Mix your Simple Green solution. Mix 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner with about 2 ½ cups of water in an empty spray bottle. If your shower is light-colored stone, you could also mix 1 ½ cups of Simple Green Oxy Solve Total Outdoor Cleaner with 1 ½ cups of water.
2. Spray. Generously coat sections of the shower floor and walls with your solution.
3. Scrub. Use a soft bristle brush to address any areas covered in soap scum or hard water stains.
4. Rinse with clean water. If your shower head is detachable, turn the water on and use it to rinse the shower walls and floor. Otherwise, fill a bucket with water to rinse.
5. Dry. Once all sections are cleaned, wipe down until totally dry.
6. Polish. Use a mixture of baking soda and water to polish after you've cleaned.
1. Combine about 45 grams of baking soda with about a liter of water and mix well in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Use a clean cloth to apply the mixture to the surface.
3. Allow the paste to dry for about 5 hours, then use a microfiber cloth and warm water to rinse.
4. Dry buff with a clean microfiber or chamois cloth.

TIP: You can also use Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner to clean the grout in between your stone tiles. Click here for directions on how to do so.

TIP: For directions on how to clean glass shower doors, click here.