There is not a single thing more frustrating than seeing your recently purchased frameless glass shower doors with tiny white spots all over it. Wondering from where they appeared?
We have your answer-they are hard water stains. What does this mean?
Hard water is the type of water which contains higher amounts of dissolved minerals such as magnesium and calcium. So yes, you are almost every day taking a bath, and while the water drops will evaporate and disappear, these minerals will stay behind on your glass. Not only they are visible to the eye and give that
In addition to the water stains, you`ve also allowed some soap residues to build up complicating the cleaning process even further. The soap scum plus the hard water stains, and some mildew which is a type of fungal hyphae that grows in warm and damp places such as the edges of your shower door. This type of mildew can be quite dangerous especially for people that suffer from allergies. Although the soap and the mildew are easier to remove, the question remains:
How to remove the hard water stains?
Before we dive deep into the story of how to remove these stains, we must advise you that the best way to avoid it all is proper and constant maintenance.
Extra Coating
First things first, you should definitely consider purchasing glass with an appropriate additional coating. The extra layer applied to the glass will protect it from hard water stains and soap. Make sure you have all the information when you go after your frameless glass shower doors and be prepared from the start that if you do choose a glass without special coating, you will have to clean it more often.
Leaving the door open
As weird as it sounds, this tip might be just the thing you need if you want to prevent the appearance of mold and mildew in your bath. After your shower, simply leave the door open. This will allow the warm air to circulate and the water to quickly evaporate. Other than this, don’t forget to turn the vent on in your bath if you have one.
Using Squeegee daily
Next thing you should definitely consider is using the squeegee. First time hearing about this tool? It is a long-handle windshield-wiper-like tool with a flat rubber surface. Nevertheless, if your door has a top coat or not, cleaning it with this tool should become a daily practice of every single person in your household. Maintaining the glass clean after every shower, will literally prevent the stains from forming. Slide down remaining water drops and leave the glass almost dry. Once you do this, take some time to apply daily shower cleaners. These type of misting daily cleaners can be found in every local store.
How to Make your Own Daily Shower Spray
No need to be a DIY expert in order to create this simple daily cleaner. You will only need a few basic ingredients. Mix up 1 tablespoon liquid dish soap, 1 tablespoon of dishwasher rinse product, half-cup of rubbing alcohol, and just as much hydrogen peroxide. Put all of the ingredients in plastic spray bottle and gently rock it back and forth without making them foam up.
Water plus Vinegar
This is a super affordable solution that can be made from supplies you already own and in your own home. Not only it is inexpensive, but it is also environmentally friendly. Mix one part of white vinegar with three parts of water and place this mixture in a spray bottle. You can add more vinegar if the stains you intend on cleaning are much more visible and more robust to remove. Just spray it onto the frameless glass shower doors and leave it for at least five minutes (the more you leave it, the more effective it is). Next step is rinsing off the solution with warm water and wipe the glass with a regular or paper towel. Make sure you always use non-abrasive materials and solutions when cleaning your glass. You don`t want to end up scratching your glass for good.
A Natural Alternative
Besides the combination of water and vinegar, another mixture that many experts swear by is baking soda plus water. Start with a half-a-cup of baking soda and slowly add water to create this dense paste. As we previously mentioned, use NON-abrasive sponge to apply this paste on and gently scrub the frameless glass shower doors with it. Remove the paste with the water-vinegar solution we`ve already described. This thick paste is appropriate for water stains that are hard to clean.
Commercial Cleaners
If these two natural solutions, tips, and tricks don’t seem to do the job for you, you can always turn back to the commercial glass cleaners. Make a trip to your local grocery store where you will be able to find plenty of high-performance cleaning products. However, don’t forget to purchase the one that is non-abrasive with a pH of seven to eight. Once you get home, carefully read the instructions of how to apply the product, how long to leave it on the frameless glass shower doors, and how to protect yourself. Yes, it is vital to have a sparkly glass shower doors that looks like brand new, but it is more important to protect yourself. Consider purchasing gloves and face mask too.
Long-term Solution
Besides our helpful tips and our homemade mixtures and solutions, we must mention that once you achieve the clean surface of your glass, there are quite a few things that you can do to keep it that way for a longer period.
Once you are done with cleaning, you can apply a certain product that is designed on purpose to wick water away from surfaces. Do small research, and in an instant, you will find such a product that can be used as a top coat on your frameless glass shower doors. If you want to avoid the soap scum on your glass, then you should definitely consider banning the Bar soap in your home. Choose to switch to a much more natural alternative that contains no talc that produces the buildup of soap.
Conclusion
Now you do know all the small and big tricks on how to maintain your frameless glass shower doors as sparkly as a new one. However, we suggest to do not wait up for the hard water stains and soap scum to build up because over time it can become abrasive and damage your glass. Instead, choose to maintain your glass on a daily basis. This way you can entirely avoid the “I need to spend an entire day” to clean my shower glass door.