What’s the best way to clean glass shower doors? How should you keep them clean? There are plenty of commercial products currently on the market that claim to get the job done. Unfortunately, many have varied track records of success. In the end, you most likely spend a lot of time and effort on a task that leaves you with streaks and hazy surfaces.
So here is how to clean glass shower doors and prevent scum from building up – again.
Know the Enemy: What is Soap Scum?
Soap scum has a waxy consistency. It includes soap particles. However, there is more to it. Soap scum also features minerals from hard water and calcium stearate. Some of the chemicals react with one another to create a water-insoluble filmy appearance on the glass shower door. No matter how frequently you wipe it down with a moist rag, the film remains in place.
How to Prevent Soap Scum from Forming in the First Place
Did you have a new shower door installed? You can take steps to prevent the buildup of soap scum in the first place. As you know, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. A simple squeegee from Amazon can work wonders.
Use it every time you finish taking a shower, and remove every last drop of water from the shower door. Is it time-consuming? Yes. However, it prevents soap scum from forming on the glass in the first place, which makes it well worth the extra couple of minutes you spend on the activity.
Too Late: Only a Deep Clean Will Do
You skimped on the squeegee. Maybe your guests didn’t use it while staying with you. As a result, you now have a glass shower door with copious spots and smears of soap scum. You know from experience that the spray cleaner the grocery store sells does not work well. Moreover, you are in a home remedy kind of mood. There are some DIY concoctions that anecdotal evidence suggests work well.
- Baking soda scrub. Baking soda is the duct tape of the cleaning world. It tackles nearly all tasks. Mix it with lukewarm water to make a paste. Sponge this paste onto the glass. Let it sit for a little and then sponge it off with lukewarm water.
- Add vinegar. Let’s say that the baking soda paste only offered moderate success. There is a way to up the ante. Prepare the paste as we previously discussed. However, when it comes to rinsing, spray it with vinegar. Use white distilled vinegar with an acidity of at least six percent. The fizzing you see destroys the cell membranes of the soap scum. Next, rinse with water as usual.
- Bring on the salt. The soap scum has been on that door for months. Every day, a little more gets added. Is there still hope for a DIY approach? The answer is yes. Start with the vinegar spray this time. Let it sit for a little while. Next, mix baking soda and salt. Now, use water to create a paste. Smear it on the vinegary surface with a damp sponge. Rinse and repeat (if necessary).
Commit to the Clean!
Now that you know how to clean glass shower doors and prevent scum, commit to the preventative maintenance. Not only is it quick and effective, but it also cuts down considerably on the time you spend cleaning. Most importantly, tackle any signs of soap scum as soon as you notice them. Small splatters are easier to clean than a glass shower door with a filmy scum presence that reaches from top to bottom
