How do you keep a glass shower door or partition as shiny and streak-free as the day it was installed?
Answering this question thoughtfully is crucial if you want your bathroom to feel clean and welcoming. The truth is that a clouded, stained shower door can make your bathroom look old and can detract from the value of your high-end mixer shower.
Cleaning your shower door and keeping it shiny isn’t always as simple as just wiping it down. The soiled appearance of shower enclosures may be the result of a number of circumstances.
If you’re finding that keeping your shower door clean is difficult, there’s a good chance that you’re dealing with the two most common causes of dirty shower doors. Those causes are soap scum residue from shampoos, shower gels, conditioners, bars of soap, and hard water.
Hard water is water that contains a lot of minerals including chalk, lime, calcium, and magnesium, and it is commonly found in public water supplies. A quick shower door clean is next to impossible when soap scum and harsh water combine.
Water-insoluble stains streak up and down your lovely glass doors because of a reaction between soap particles and minerals in hard water.
It takes a lot less time than most people think for soap and hard water to build up on glass shower doors. Unfortunately, many individuals don’t notice this incorrect combination until the shower doors are completely ruined. These problems, if not fixed, can cause irreparable damage to your door and should not be ignored.
However, you shouldn’t think about replacing your doors just yet if you’re having a tough time getting rid of stains. Take a look at four options for getting your shower door back in top condition!
Use a Window Vac Set
Window Vacs aren’t just for cleaning windows – they clean mirrors, tiles, and liquid from any flat surface. This handy tool could be the secret to banishing scum and streaks from your shower screen door.
Sets like the Karcher WV 6 window vac come with a spray bottle with a built-in microfiber cleaning cloth. This is ideal for glass cleaning – simply fill the spray bottle with a limescale cleaner such as HG Shower Screen Protector as this will break down hard water stains, wipe down with a micro fibre cloth, and use the window vac to remove dirty excess water for a perfect, streak-free finish.
Spills and condensation can be easily cleaned up with their help. Window vacuums are engineered to remove dirt and dust from the glass without leaving any streaks. Buying one of these vacuums is beneficial because it can be used to clean multiple surfaces in the bathroom, including tiles, windows, and mirrors.
A window vac is a top option if you simply don’t want to put in the time and elbow work needed to scrub your shower door regularly.
Read Next: How to Clean Bathroom Taps With Home Remedies
Use a Chemical Spray
Tackling stubborn streaks with a chemical spray is sometimes the best option for simply getting rid of a problem. It’s very important to use a chemical spray that is specially formulated to clean shower glass.
Chemical sprays that are not formulated for glass can rob your glass door off its shine. This means that you’re stuck with a dull, matte finish that no longer reflects light beautifully. Chemical sprays are especially effective when it comes to removing limescale buildup and ultra-stubborn dirt that won’t respond to a sponge with water.
Use Natural Ingredients
In many cases, trying some natural ingredients as soon as you begin to notice streaks and stains may be enough to whip your glass door back into shape! White vinegar is an inexpensive, extremely safe option for cleaning your shower doors. Simply create a mix with one part white vinegar to three parts distilled water.
Add the mix to a spray bottle that you can use to spray your mixture directly on your glass. Allow it to sit on the glass for a few minutes before wiping off excess moisture with a cloth or paper towel.
Baking soda and water can also work nicely on a shower screen Begin by dampening your shower door. Next, add 3/4 cup baking soda on a soft cloth. Vigorously wipe the cloth with baking soda over the shower door to activate the scum-dissolving power of baking soda.
If you’re looking for a more ambitious approach to cleaning your shower door using all-natural products, combine baking soda with white vinegar to make a paste. Using 1/2 cup of each should be enough to create a beautiful paste that you can wipe all over your shower door. Allow the paste to sit for up to 15 minutes before wiping it away with a cloth.
Try WD-40
I know, sounds crazy. When we think of WD-40 we think of oil in a can that fixes squeaky door hinges and rusty bike chains – but it’s one of those surprising superstar cleaner hacks that lots of people seem to have success with when tackling stubborn dirt and glass limescale. Call it a “hack” – WD-40 is good for cleaning shower doors because it has the power to displace water.
As a result, it’s great for tackling stains created by hard water merging with soap scum. The de-griming aspect of WD-40 makes it a top pick if you’re struggling to get rid of stains left over from body washes or bath bombs.
Related: How to Clean Shower Head Nozzles
You Can Have Beautiful, Streak-Free Shower Glass Without Replacing Your Doors
These cleaning tips should help you to make strides in getting rid of streaks that have been frustrating you. Don’t forget that there are also some best practices that will enhance your efforts.
First, it’s much easier to clean a glass screen that’s been primed with heat. This is why it’s best to clean your shower door immediately after taking a hot shower. The humidity from your shower is going to loosen caked-on stains just enough to make your task much easier.
When cleaning, start cleaning the exterior corners of the door to avoid dragging dirt from the centre into the corners. This will make it much easier to do fine detailing with your cloth or sponge. It’s also important to gently dry the door using a soft cloth, microfiber towel or paper towel.
Maintenance is important to prevent hard water limescale buildup on glass screen doors. If you’ve recently installed new glass shower doors, don’t assume that they don’t need attention just because they look smooth and sparkling. Keeping up with streaks and dirt using natural cleaning solutions will help you avoid major door rehab down the road.