I have always lived in houses with a shower that is above a bathtub, with fabric shower curtains. When we moved into our current house, our main bathroom came with what is sometimes called a shower enclosure – you know, just a shower stall – with glass doors. Chris had no experience with them either, but fortunately when I mentioned it to my sister in law on the phone, she knew just what we needed to do to keep the doors soap scum free!
On her suggestion, we went to Target and bought a squeegee with a hook on a suction cup so it hangs on the shower wall. Whoever takes a shower, after they turn off the water, they take the squeegee and run it down the shower doors. It’s kept water spots and dried soap scum off the doors for 6 years!
Did you know that over time the surface of the glass door itself gets rough and even pitted from exposure to hard water (which we have), soap, and cleaning products? Minerals, scale, and soap scum get stuck in those pits (I know, ewww), which makes the glass look dirty. I still think my squeegee method is the best, especially for frameless shower doors which have even MORE glass to clean like the one in the photo at left, but there are ways to clean shower glass without scratching the glass.
If you want to use commercial cleaners, look for products that say they are safe to use on glass. For example, “Soft Scrub” brand cleanser specifically says it removes soap scum, hard water stains, and limescale, and that it is safe on glass. “Kaboom” has a specific line available just for cleaning showers.
To clean hard water stains or soap scum off of glass shower doors, try using the scrubbers called “Dobies” made by Scotch Brite, or the Brillo® Estracell® No Scratch Scrub Sponge With Wedge Edge®, found at most supermarkets. Get either one wet with some warm water, and use “elbow grease” to remove any soap scum or hard water stains.
If you are remodeling your bathroom and are thinking about installing glass shower doors, you can now get ones that are manufactured with a special process that seals the surface of the glass. Hard water, soap scum, and limescale won’t stick, and best of all, you can clean them with just a cloth or soft sponge! Contact a local glass company to see if they make those kinds of shower doors, and you can enjoy beautiful glass shower doors with minimal cleaning!
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