Cleaning Glass Shower Doors
Tips On Cleaning Glass Shower Doors
Cleaning glass shower doors can be one of the simplest household tasks there is, if you do it regularly and don't let soap scum, water spots, or other stains accumulate. If that is allowed to happen, cleaning glass shower doors suddenly becomes a challenge, and an unwelcome task to say the least.
How many home have you been in, where the house is basically spotless and well kept, and only the glass shower door, and perhaps the tiles as well, are not sparkling clean, but covered with scum or a film? Of all the places in the home, it is in the bathroom and kitchen, and most decidedly the former, where these types of stains are most common. The kitchen sink and counter are usually cleaned every day, if for no other reason than from washing dishes and glasses. The bathroom on the other hand, is more apt to have a weekly cleaning at best, even though it is used every day, and the glass shower doors are often simply wiped down, or nothing is done if they are dry. Scum accumulates.
A Clever Idea - There are many different recommendations for the best way for cleaning shower doors, and most are good ones. One of the most innovative ones however, doesn't deal so much with cleaning as it does with prevention, and that is to apply rain-x to the inside of the shower door, and the outside as well if you wish. This is the product some use on their automobile windshields. It shouldn't be used on acrylic, and should not be allowed to spill on the shower floor or in the tub, but applying it with a cloth should eliminate that possibility. It is said to be effective for at least 6 months of daily shower stall use.
Try White Vinegar - As far as cleaning glass shower doors is concerned, one of the best methods, preferred by many, is to use plain old white vinegar. White vinegar does an excellent job of removing soap scum and most stains. Even white vinegar won't do the job if you've waited to long, and the stains have been allowed to etch into the glass. There's nothing to be done about that, but a periodic cleaning, weekly for example, can keep that from happening.
Commercial Cleaners - Some commercial cleaners that seem to do a good job, according to those who use them, include Chrome polish which is applied, allowed to dry , and simply washed off, Orange Glow, which also cleans the shower door metal, and Orange hand cleaner, which is non-toxic and smells great. If you're partial to citrus, and like the smell, Lemon Oil works as well, as does lemon juice. Bruce's Heavy Duty Brown is another recommendation, especially for really stubborn scum or stains. Oven cleaner usually works as well, but tends to be very caustic, and is something you don't want to be working with in a confined space. Make certain the ventilating fan is turned on, and a window open. You still may get a headache. Oven cleaner should be a last resort, the very last resort!
Admittedly, if you've just moved into an 80 year old house, and the glass shower door has apparently never been cleaned, you may have to resort to a harsh commercial cleanser. Or if things are bad enough, invest in a new shower door. The problem there is, if the shower door hasn't been cleaned in 80 years, the stall or tub may not have been either, so you probably have a project ready to be worked on. Still, try some of the above "home remedies" first. One of them might just do the job, and do it easily.