Keep your shower doors clean with these simple tricks.
Excellent addition to a modern bathroom is glass shower doors that elevate elegance while keeping things feeling fresh. Rather than a billowing shower curtain, a glass shower door is sophisticated and timeless. But only if it stays clean!
A glass shower door magnetizes streaks, soap scum, mildew, and hard water mineral deposits. Because it’s impossible to hide anything, it’s essential to keep your glass door clean and clear. With a shower door, not only do you need to take care of the glass, but also the tracks. This will ensure that the door slides smoothly and quietly at all times.
Clean Your Shower Regularly
Water spots will appear every time you take a shower, and mold and mildew will have the opportunity to grow. Because your shower is a damp environment, keeping it free of grime will help hinder any bacterial growth.
Squeegee Power
The simplest way to keep your shower door streak-free is to purchase a shower squeegee. This can be hung on a suction cup hook next to the door for easy access. Then, when you are finished with your shower, wipe down your doors to keep hard-water deposits from building up. It also makes it easier to do deep cleaning later.
If you live with others, wipe down the shower doors every night after the last person has used the shower. This is also an opportune time to clean the shower floor, as the warm water has loosened things up. A magic eraser sponge is perfect for this task, as it does a great job without needing the help of cleaning products or toxic chemicals.
Air Circulation
Leave the shower door open to help with the air circulation when you are finished taking a shower. If the door stays shut, the moisture stays in, which creates a breeding ground for mold and mildew. With the door open, you allow the air to move throughout the space and quickly dry it out. If you do not have a ventilation fan in your bathroom, leave the window open for a few minutes after your shower. The fresh air will do wonders not only for the shower but also at keeping streaks from forming on the walls due to the moisture.
Deep Cleaning
Every once in a while, you will need to do a deeper cleaning. This isn’t a massive project, but having the right tools will help.
Spray Bottle
Baking Soda
Distilled White Vinegar
Dish Detergent
Sponge
Toothbrush
Microfiber cloth
An excellent DIY shower-door cleaner can be made by mixing distilled white vinegar and an equal amount of grease-cutting dish detergent into a spray bottle. Spray the front and back of the doors along with the walls and floor of your shower. Let it sit for 30 minutes, and then scrub with a sponge before rinsing it off. You can dry the shower door afterward with a microfiber cloth to remove any water spots. For hard-to-reach areas, you can use a toothbrush dipped in vinegar.
Note: The vinegar and dish soap method works well for cleaning, but if your shower has natural stone, the acidic vinegar could damage it. In that case, mix baking soda with dish detergent to create a fine paste. Next, use a non-scratch sponge to clean your shower door and rinse with warm water. The gentle abrasiveness of the baking soda will cut through any grime while eliminating the possibility of damaging your stone.
Using Lemon to Clean Your Shower Door
Another trick that involves baking soda is using a lemon to create a natural sudsy cleaner with a built-in sponge.
Cut a lemon in half and then push the cut side into a plate of baking soda. You will notice a sudsy foam cleaning away all the grime as you rub this on the door. The acid in the lemon reacts with the baking soda the same way vinegar does, but you also have a built-in sponge! For a delicious smelling after-treatment, rub your glass door with lemon oil, which will repel water and keep it from spotting after a shower.
Cleaning the Shower Door Tracks
If you don’t clean the shower door tracks for a while, you will notice that they do not slide easily and may start making squealing noises. This is because the shower tracks are a prime location for mold and mildew buildup, as water will pool in that area and stay there. Soap scum will also build up here, which can gunk up the wheels.
To clean your shower door tracks:
Grab an old toothbrush and some baking soda, and work your way around the metal frame. You can also use a paint scraper or razor blade to help remove any buildup where the glass meets the metal.
Hold the blade at a 45-degree angle to keep it from scratching the glass.
When you are finished, rinse the tracks with a detachable showerhead or a cup of warm water to reduce overflow spills.
Make Your Daily Shower Spray
A daily shower spray will go a long way in keeping your shower door clean and extending the need for deep cleaning. To make your cleaner, combine 1 cup of water, ½ cup of vinegar, a few drops of dish soap, and some essential oil. Fill a small spray bottle with this mixture, and you’re ready to go. You can leave this bottle in the shower and use it to spray down the door and walls after you squeegee them. This will create a coat that repels water and makes the bathroom smell wonderful. *If you have a stone shower, omit the vinegar.
Taking care of a shower is an easy task as long as you do it daily. Wipe your shower door down with a squeegee after each shower and do a deep cleaning when you notice buildup. Your bathroom will look sleek, modern, and inviting with these daily routines.
