Glass shower doors add light and sophistication to most bathrooms as well as conserve space, but how do you keep them clean? Hard water stains on glass shower doors are a common problem that is easy to fix. You may not want to hear it, but the best way to deal with water stains is to prevent them. Hard water stains are simply mineral deposits. The minerals are in the water, and as the water evaporates, the minerals stay behind. The best cure for mineral deposits is to not let them settle in the first place. Incorporating a quick wipe down of your glass shower doors into your post-shower routine takes less than 30 seconds each day. All you need is a squeegee. There is no need to buy a fancy one because they all work the same. A quick squeegee rundown in most cases will save you the hassle of combatting hard water stains later.
Ok, but what if you already have hard water stains on your glass shower doors? Well, there are two approaches depending upon your personal philosophy about cleaning products. A heavy duty cleaner such as CLR works fast, but make sure you are well prepared to handle a cleaning product of this intensity. The bathroom should be well ventilated, and you will want to take extra precautions such as donning rubber gloves and a mask. Heavy duty cleaners also require a lot of water for rinsing, so if you are concerned about water conservation, this may not be the method for you.
Glass shower doors usually come clean with one simple ingredient. Vinegar. You can try different types of vinegar, but just like your squeegee, there is no need to go upscale. They all work about the same. Use vinegar either full strength or diluted halfway with water depending upon how tough those hard water stains are. Here are two easy methods for using vinegar:
- Using a clean spray bottle, fill the bottle with vinegar and thoroughly spray the glass shower doors. You will want to make sure the mineral deposits are well saturated. Let the vinegar sit on the doors for approximately 15-20 minutes. If the glass begins drying within that time, wipe down the glass shower doors so the vinegar is not allowed to dry. You may need to re-apply the vinegar and wipe down the doors one more time for tough stains.
- Another method is to soak paper towels in vinegar and place them on the glass for about 20 minutes. The downside of this method is that you may need to use a lot of paper towels…and you’ll still need that squeegee mentioned earlier!
Stay ahead of the game Glass shower doors are a quality investment in your bathroom, so be proactive in keeping them free of hard water stains before they become as opaque as a dingy shower curtain. A little elbow grease each day is the easiest way to keep your glass shower doors sparkling clean. Plus, you won’t be spending your whole weekend fighting the mineral deposit monster lurking in your bathroom.