This post kicks off a new series here on the Healthy Home Cleaning blog – “Use This Not That!” I’m going to be tackling a list of some of the most dangerous household cleaners and giving a rundown on everything you need to know about the harsh chemicals in them, along with information on which Norwex product will do the same job safely and efficiently. How’s that sound? Good? Good!
Today’s dangerous cleaning product I am tackling is Chemical Shower Cleaner.
This shower cleaner is designed to take the elbow grease out of cleaning your shower. Simply press a button and walk away, and the dual sprayer spins 360 degrees around your shower, leaving a penetrating cleaner on all four walls and the tub. It is designed to prevent mold and mildew while removing soap scum and leaving a “fresh, clean scent.”
What the advertisements don’t tell you is that the Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning gives this product a big fat “F” on its green cleaning scale. Chemical shower cleaners contain harmful ingredients such as sodium salts and oxygen bleach that cause “high concerns” on the developmental/endocrine/reproductive systems, and some concerns for skin irritation, allergies, asthma, and other respiratory illnesses. This is the last thing I would want sprayed on the walls of the tub I use to bathe my kids.
Aside from that, if you are simply pushing the button and walking away after a shower to let the product do its thing (without doing ANY rinsing or wiping the product off), can you imagine how much chemical build-up is accumulating on your shower walls over time? It might be killing mold and mildew, but it also sounds like it’s turning your shower into a toxic box of chemicals that are only washed away when someone takes a bath or shower. I’ll pass!
So what do I use instead?
As you may already know, the Norwex Descaler is the absolute best product I have ever found for cleaning my bathroom. I cannot say enough good things about this. I have four kids, so I’m sure you can imagine the kind of bathroom cleaning I have to do – there is nothing worse than scrub, scrub, scrubbing my tub, only to surrender with a half-clean surface and a headache to boot.
After giving up on chemicals I tried baking soda and vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and even lemon juice to try and get rid of soap scum, lime build-up, mineral deposits, and crusty stains on brass and copper fittings. They did the trick about as adequately as harsh chemical cleaners, but the process was just as tiring and time-consuming, with more build-up accumulating faster than I could keep up.
Here is a photo of my tub BEFORE the very first time I used Norwex Descaler (as you can see, it’s been a struggle to say the least):
Here is a photo of the same tub 10 minutes later AFTER spraying the Descaler, letting it sit for 5 minutes, and wiping it down with a damp Enviro Cloth:
As you can see for yourself, it does wonders. I have yet to document what it has done for the grime between my bath tiles, but the results are just as magnificent. One of my favorite parts of the Descaler is that with regular use (once a month or so) it takes significantly longer for scales to build up on surfaces, and grime becomes easier and easier to get rid of; some days I simply spray the descaler, let it sit, and rinse it off. That’s all it takes!
Norwex Descaler also has a very minimal ingredient list:
- Water,
- orange extract,
- sodium gluconate, glutamic acid, and
- glucuronic acid.
This creates a non-toxic concoction that doesn’t require a large “WARNING” or “DANGER” sign on the label. Who would want to use something with a skull and crossbones on it to clean their home, anyway? Not me!
So there you have it. Not only does Norwex Descaler replace chemical shower cleaners, but a little elbow grease in the beginning yields results that require far less cleaning over time.
What kind of cleaners have you used to clean your bathroom? I’d be more than happy to do a little research and comparison!
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You say “Sodium compounds are bad” And then list sodium gluconate as one of two active ingredients in the product you’re praising.
It’s a red flag but I don’t know much about the chemistry. I’m hoping you can elaborate.
The new and improved formula, created in 2018, is now created with Sodium Sulfonate. Sodium Sulfonate, is a Surfactant. This specific sodium ingredient is on EPA’s (Environmental Protection Agency’s) safer ingredient list, while not ALL are considered safe. While the Descaler was a safer option than most shower cleaners, it’s now an even better choice for your health and the environment!
I love the descaler and it works amazing!! I did want to mention that it does have a caution warning on the label to not get it in your eyes, skin or on clothing.
Yes; that’s true. We will always have caution labels on the cleaners because they are intended for cleaning, not for use on the boy. Thanks!
why cant you use the descaler on marble or granite? can it be used on shower doors that have been coated with something that prevents water stains or on soap stone tiles? i purchase the descaler but am afraid to use it due to the natural acids. would i use it just like any other cleaning product like scrubbing bubbles? any comments would be great?
Pam, the natural acids in the Norwex Descaler, which are responsible for “eating” away the hard water scale, can also eat the shiny finish from marble and natural stone, potentially cause discoloration of those surfaces. Directions for use for the Descaler: Spray it on your bathtub, shower, sink… whatever you’re cleaning, wait about 5-10 minutes, then use a wet Norwex Eviro Cloth or Norwex Bathroom Scrub Mitt (my personal fave for this job) to scrub away the dirt, scum, and hard water scale. Rinse with warm water!
I would like to know if Norwex descaler is safe on an acrylic tub and is it safe on brushed nickle faucets?
The Norwex Descaler is definitely safe for acrylic tubs… I have one, and I use the Descaler on it all the time. I’m going to caution you though, on using it on your brushed nickle faucets. Most often, the brushed look is achieved by a coating over the surface of the nickle or steel… the metal itself is not actually “brushed”. This coating can, and does wear off, and since the Descaler has natural acids in it, it may eat away at the brushed coating. You might want to try the Norwex Cleaning Paste as an alternative, but even with that, make sure you scrub gently, and test in an inconspicuous area before going crazy on your whole tap!
Green cleaning is the way to go. Although it’s a bit expensive than run-of-the-mill cleaning products, health benefits outweigh the cost.
So basically with the scrubbing bubble stuff you let it spray a chemical cocktail all over your shower every day, and then it dries on there, and then the next time you have a shower all of those chemicals mix with the steam and you breathe it in? That is really frightening. Does the Norwex shower cleaner actually work, because I’ve tried things like CLR and lime-away and they really don’t do a very good job.
Cheryl, it’s scary isn’t it? I think that a lot of people don’t realize how toxic it is, nor do they understand that when they use it they’re creating a chemical steam room in their shower & bath! Not only that, but I’ve read a few other reviews of the Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaning system, and not one of them said that they like it. Most people complained that the build-up from the Scrubbing Bubbles was worse than the normal, weekly accumulation of dirt and soap scum in their showers. About the Norwex Descaler, I can say from personal experience (with horribly spotted shower doors & my tub), that it works wonders for removing hard water build-up, like limescale, and also soap scum. It’s on my top 5 list for Norwex products that I love. I should also mention that if, by chance, you don’t love it, there is a 60 day, money back guarantee.