A shower has more metal than you might think: the head and mixer, the hose, the curtain rail and rings, shelves and caddies, holders and fixing screws. Water, steam and soap every day, plus the often weak ventilation in bathrooms, mean orange streaks appear even for people who clean regularly.
Completely avoiding rust in a damp room is hard, but you can keep it to a minimum: remove water after every shower, treat problem spots in time and stop stains from spreading.
What you will need
Important: Never apply products to the shower tray, floor or tiles underfoot: they will become slippery. Apply WD-40 to a cloth rather than spraying inside the enclosure, test on a hidden area first and wipe off the excess thoroughly. Do not apply products inside the shower head or to surfaces in contact with drinking water.
Step 1
Remove water after every shower
Dryness is the simplest rust protection. After a shower, run a squeegee over the glass and walls, and shake out the curtain and spread it to dry. Open the door or run the extractor fan for 15-20 minutes.
Once a week, wipe metal parts outside the direct spray with a cloth dampened with WD-40 Multi-Use: the thin film repels water and stops rust taking hold.
Step 2
Look after the curtain rail
Keep the rail dry and clean, or rust forms where the rings rest and the curtain starts to snag. If there are already orange spots, put WD-40 on a cloth and rub the rail: it softens the deposit and helps prevent more.
For smooth-running rings, apply a thin coat of WD-40 Specialist Silicone to the rail and buff it. Test any product on a hidden area first.
Step 3
Clean the mixer, head and hose
Clean the mixer and shower head regularly with antibacterial spray and polish with microfibre. Pay special attention to the hose: moisture gets trapped in its tight coils, and that is where rust marks often appear.
Dab stains on nuts and fixings with WD-40 on a cloth, and carefully reach the hinges of the head holder and screws with the WD-40 Smart Straw. Wipe everything dry afterwards.
Step 4
Restore shelves and caddies
Remove a rusty shelf or caddy, take it out of the shower and brush off loose deposits with a soft brush. Spray it with WD-40 Multi-Use and give it a few minutes to soften the rust. Work stubborn spots with a densely bristled brush, then wipe and polish. Refit once everything is dry.
Step 5
Clear orange streaks from the walls
Use tile cleaner and a small brush such as a toothbrush to clean the grout, soap scum and water marks. Polish the tiles with a clean sponge or microfibre. Rust marks under shelves disappear along with their cause once the metal has been treated.
Tip: Place bottles so they do not stand in puddles on metal shelves, and choose caddies with drainage. Most rust forms where water sits for hours.
What next
Removing water daily and treating the metal once a month keeps a shower rust-free for years. The same approach works for heated towel rails, bathroom holders and mirror fixings.
These uses come from the experience of WD-40 users in many countries. Always follow the instructions and warnings on the product label.
More guides in «How to use».