Every time you take a shower, hard water and soap scum will leave traces behind, and before you know it, your shower is anything but gleaming. With regular cleaning, however, you can get your shower doors looking as good as new, and here are some top tips for doing exactly that:
Begin by wiping the glass shower door down with a damp cloth to remove any loose dirt, dust and debris and then follow the steps below:
- Thoroughly wet the shower
- Then, make a solution of one part vinegar to three parts water, and spray it onto every glass surface to help remove mold spores and other stains
- Leave the vinegar for around 10 minutes (or longer for tougher stains) before dipping a sponge into baking soda and wiping over every surface – the baking soda is abrasive so will lift stains, while the vinegar dissolves hard water spots and soap scum
- Rinse the glass doors with water and wipe them with a clean cloth
- If any streaks or spots remain, you can use vinegar again, and remember that newspaper is great for cleaning glass without leaving streaks – although you may want to wear gloves when handling it
Removing and preventing hard water stains
Hard water staining is inevitable on most glass shower doors, and occurs when water droplets dry and leave a mineral deposit behind. Unsightly and tricky to remove, it’s best to try and prevent them from building up in the first place. This can be achieved by giving your glass shower doors a quick clean after every use, not forgetting to dry them, too. One way of encouraging other members of the household to wipe down and dry the shower doors after use, is to have a squeegee hanging conveniently in the shower. Alternatively, you could hire a regular cleaning service to come in and clean your entire bathroom top to bottom each week, or as often as required.
If you already have hard water stains on your glass shower door, you might find that vinegar alone isn’t strong enough to remove them, in which case you might want to invest in a store bought product. Just be careful to read the manufacturer’s instructions thoroughly before use.
Showers with glass doors can look stylish in a modern bathroom, but when not cleaned regularly and left to get grubby, they can quickly become an eyesore. Try to get everybody in the home onboard with at least wiping the glass door down after every use with a squeegee, even if they don’t have the time to dry it, and you should be able to keep the glass gleaming, for longer.
