First, the bad news. Hard water and soapy buildup allowed to accumulate on glass shower surfaces can cause etching and permanently damage the glass. If glass shower doors have a cloudy look, this may be the culprit. Cleaning will eliminate buildup, b
Looking for a housekeeper near you? Before you hire someone to clean your home, it’s important to know how to properly maintain certain areas, such as your glass shower doors. Hard water and soap buildup can cause damage, but regular cleaning can prevent this issue and keep your home looking its best.
Shower doors film
Clean them with vinegar, baking soda, and salt. Stubborn mineral buildup on glass shower doors is no competition for a few common household ingredients—white vinegar, baking soda, and salt. Spray vinegar on the door and let it sit for a few minutes. Next, create a mixture of equal amounts of baking soda and salt. Use a damp sponge to rub this paste over the door; then rinse well. It will remove any soap scum, hard water stains, and other debris.
Dry the glass door after each shower. After every shower, take a few minutes to dry the glass with a soft cloth or rubber squeegee. This not only helps keep your glass looking great but also helps prevent future buildup from forming on your shower doors
Shower doors buildup
Use a microfiber cloth. To prevent soap scum and hard water deposits from finding their way onto glass shower doors, use a damp microfiber cloth after each shower to wipe the doors down. This simple technique will help preserve the appearance of your shower door and keep it sparkling clean with minimal effort.
Apply a barrier. To make cleaning shower doors even easier, consider applying an anti-static coating such as Rain‑X that creates an invisible barrier between the glass and water droplets. This will help minimize soap scum and hard water stains by repelling both off the surface before they have a chance to settle in.
Make Your Own Daily Shower Spray
Mix together a half-cup of hydrogen peroxide, a half-cup of rubbing alcohol (a natural degreaser), 1 teaspoon liquid dish soap, and 1 tablespoon dishwasher rinse aid in a 32-ounce spray bottle. Use an opaque (dark) bottle, such as the one peroxide that comes in. Exposure to light breaks down hydrogen peroxide.
Next, fill the bottle with water and, after capping, rock the bottle gently back and forth to combine the ingredients without making them foam up. When you finish your shower, lightly wipe it down with a microfiber cloth. When done, lightly mist the shower with the spray.
Long-Term Solutions
Once you’ve achieved a clean, sparkly surface, there are a few things you can do to make it last longer. One of the best things you can do is to apply a sealant or grout sealer. This helps prevent dirt and grime from settling into difficult-to-reach places.
Besides this, regularly dry your shower off after each use, and clean it every week with a mild cleanser.
The big idea here is that hard water and soap scum won’t build up if they can’t stick to the surface. Several products are designed to wick water away from surfaces, and they now make Rain-X for shower doors. You can pick this up at any hardware store or on Amazon.
Spray the product on clean glass (Use care to avoid tile, metal and the shower floor) and reapply every three to four weeks. After treating this, you may even be able to skip the squeegee.
Ban the Bar Soap
Finally, if you want to significantly reduce the amount of soap scum on glass without eliminating showers, ban the bar soap.
Almost all bar soaps contain talc, which produces the buildup. Consider switching to a non-talc-containing soap (such as Dove or natural soap), or opt for liquid soap instead. The lack of talc in these soaps should significantly reduce your soap scum issues.
If you have already treated the glass and changed to liquid soap but still have problems, you may need to go over the shower door with an acetone-based cleaner, such as Goo Gone, which will remove any remaining deposits. Do this once every four weeks to ensure that the soap scum doesn’t build up again.
Finally, if you continue to have problems, consider hiring a professional house cleaner. They will have the right tools and experience to eliminate soap scum without damaging your shower door.
Hiring a professional house cleaner is an investment that will save you time, money and effort. Plus it’s a guarantee that your shower door will be clean and sparkling all year round!
If this is not an option for you, speak to experienced professionals in the hardware store about other products or methods that might help with removing soap scum from glass surfaces.
Good luck! And remember that preventing soap scum buildup is much easier than removing it after the fact. Keep up with regular maintenance, and you’ll never have to worry about it again.
