Make Your Shower Look Brand New Again

One of the most rewarding parts of cleaning, and a personal obsession of mine, is to get a shower screen that has been stained with hard water deposits for years, sparkling and looking brand new. In our years of cleaning, we accept cleaned thousands of shower screens. Some already fairly clean, some opaque with buildup. But how to clean a shower screen seems to be more of an fine art than a science, and a quick look effectually the internet seems to confirm this.

At that place are hundreds of methods of getting hard water and calcium deposits off a shower screen although no ii people agree on the best style to practice it. Anyone asking how to get their shower screen make clean, volition get a flurry of very confident and enthusiastic answers from people with the methods that have worked for them, to which the OP usually responds, "Tried that! No love." And then for the person wondering how to clean a shower screen, they take to troll through pages of responses on forums to find a solution that might work. We have combined the most effective methods into one handy resources, to assistance yous solve the dilemma of how to make clean a shower screen.

Things y'all should know start up...

Stage I & Stage II Corrosion

Why is at that place no agreement on the best fashion to make clean a shower screen? Well firstly lets look at what the deposits are that brand your otherwise beautiful translucent shower screen dull and cloudy. "Difficult h2o" is what causes the staining. Hard water refers to the density of vitamins and minerals in your h2o supply, usually calcium and magnesium carbonates. Harder water has a greater density of minerals than softer water. If your surface area has difficult water, then these minerals volition buildup on your shower screen. Your shower screen can also become grimey through a buildup of soap scum. Buildup of minerals on your glass is known as Stage I corrosion. It creates a cloudy appearance but doesn't actually crusade damage to the glass, so it can be removed from the surface of the glass.

Every bit long every bit the Ph stays relatively low, or acidic (beneath ix on the Ph calibration) the deposits will remain on the surface of the glass. If the glass becomes too alkaline, hydrogen ions in the water loosen silicon ions in the glass, creating pits in the surface of the drinking glass. Sodium and calcium ions in the water then bond to the surface of the glass. When the minerals beginning to eat away and damage the glass leaving etching, it is known as Phase 2 corrosion and is far more difficult to remove. Soap scum is alkaline and facilitates this reaction. There are some things that you tin can do about stage 2 corrosion that may exist effective depending on how far the harm has progressed. We will discuss them later in the article.

Because there's no way to diagnose how far the damage has progressed without first trying to remove the buildup, nosotros propose you experiment for yourself. Our cleaning method is always to start with our mildest cleaning products and escalate only every bit needed. If any of the acidic or physical chafe methods piece of work, and so yous're dealing with stage I corrosion, and that tin can be removed. Merely it may require some elbow grease and repeated attempts depending on how bad the buildup is. If none of your best efforts brand whatsoever difference so chances are that you're dealing with etching in your glass, and you may accept to buff the scratches out or ultimately replace your shower screen depending on the extent of the damage.

Before you offset, we recommend taking a photo of the glass to compare how effective each technique is. Or you lot can work in a small department then rinse and dry out off and compare it with the residuum of the drinking glass.

Stage I Corrosion tips

Vinegar

If the buildup isn't too bad, some people merits success with a balmy acid such as vinegar. Acids disintegrate the build-up without damaging the glass and merely rinse off. The thickness of the buildup makes a big departure in how easy it is to remove, and using a physical abrasive may help to at least take off some of the build-up earlier re-budgeted it with an acrid like vinegar.

Scraper Blade

As far equally physical abrasives become, yous take a few options, ever being very careful of class to not scratch the glass. One of my favourite and nigh underrated cleaning tools is a scraper blade, the kind used by window cleaners and painters to scrape surfaces clean. You have to ensure information technology'south a new, clean bract, hold the blade straight and employ even pressure. Always use a scraper blade on wet glass to reduce the risk of scratching. Hold the scraper at 90 degrees to the glass and scrape in one direction, not back and forth. Do a small section, rinse off and check if it'south worked and hasn't damaged the glass earlier tackling a larger area.

Cleaning Paste

Some other potentially successful physical annoying is a cleaning paste such equally Gumption, Jif, Enjo Marble paste or our very ain Eco Friendly Animal Friendly Marble Paste from the Pristine Cleaning shop. "But won't that scratch my glass?" I hear you wring your hands and cry. You would exist surprised. Shower screens are fabricated of toughened drinking glass and very hardy. Too, cleaning pastes are a very fine abrasive so your shower screen should be rubber. However nosotros always recommend testing whatever cleaning product on an inconspicuous surface area showtime to ensure it is safe for the surface you're using it on. Apply cleaning paste with a cloth and firm pressure level. You may be able to feel the buildup and you may too be able to experience it smoothing out. Woohoo! What a great feeling that is!
If that is another disappointment, fear non, nosotros're only kickoff to reach into our bag of tricks.

0000 Steel Wool

The next step is 0000 (quadruple 0) form steel wool. This is a very fine grade of steel wool that is designed for use on glass without scratching. Use on wet drinking glass or in conjuction with a cleaning paste. Once again, exam on an inconspicuous area start.
This will likely crave a scrap of elbow grease and dedication. Give it a good go before rinsing off and seeing if information technology's fabricated a difference. 0000 steel wool is available from the Pristine Cleaning store.

Magic Erasers

Magic Erasers are another choice and they are as well available from the Pristine Cleaning shop. Again they work equally an abrasive, utilise wet and rub against the shower screen. In that location's no run a risk of these scratching glass.

Dryer Sheets

Dryer Sheets are another weird play a trick on that tin piece of work very well. Living in Australia, I just heard nigh dryer sheets when looking into how to make clean a shower screen. They're squares of material that accept been infused with fabric softener yous add to a dryer load to reduce static and soften your apparel. Just moisten the dryer sheet or the shower screen and rub confronting the shower screen.
You can as well use fabric softener direct. Utilise the cloth softener, and leave for an 60 minutes or two then wipe off with a cloth.

If you lot've institute that whatever of these methods accept worked even a little scrap, great! Go along trying. Rinse and repeat and you may exist able to reduce the build-up incrementally. Rotate amidst the methods that you retrieve might piece of work. Go back to the scraper or practise a bit more scrubbing. Or you may be satisfied with some improvement and leave it at that. If y'all don't like to be defeated by inanimate objects, we still have a couple tricks up our sleeves.

Here'due south where we showtime to bring out the big guns. With our eco-friendly ethos, we avert using heavy duty commercial cleaners and are well aware of the hazards of using them. We even wrote an commodity about it here. But if you lot're okay with them and are fully committed to getting your shower screen clean, open all the windows and doors for the best possible airflow, wear gloves, a mask and turn the fan on. If you have natural rock tiles DON'T get whatsoever of these products on them as they volition eat away the cease. Lay a towel down.

Calcium Lime and Rust Stain Remover

Nosotros've already used vinegar, which works every bit a mild acid. but there are stronger acids out there. CLR is ane of them. Apply liberally to affected areas, leave for an 60 minutes or then and then re-approach with a scraper blade or annoying. Reapply as needed

Zep Calcium Lime and Rust Stain remover is a more powerful version. You can find it online here. This is a heavy duty acid. it is unlikely to damage the drinking glass but it volition strip the chrome or aluminium on the shower screen trim. So be conscientious, and don't get it on your skin. Here's a video of it in action.

Oven Cleaner

Finally you tin try oven cleaner. The non-caustic foaming type is the easiest to avert animate in. As always test on an inconspicuous spot and avoid getting whatever on the aluminium trim as it may damage it. Follow the instructions on the tin can and wipe off with a cloth. In that location are some other cleaning products that might piece of work, only they are also probable to damage your shower screen, so nosotros don't recommend them.

Phase Ii Corrosion tips

There! We've tried everything that is probable to work on a mineral buildup (Stage I Corrosion). If you've so far had no success, and so your problem is non a mineral buildup, only an etching on the glass. Difficult to fix, but nosotros're not going to give up on you even so! We'll reach into our bag of tricks like Felix the Cat and pull out a few more options that might help, depending on the extent of the damage. The depth of the etching is the important point hither because yous will literally be sanding or buffing back to the bottom of the scratches.
Disclaimer: The following methods involve buffing the shower screen glass in some way and some involve the apply of power tools. You may wish to exit this to professionals. There are many companies that offer this service, simply if you make up one's mind to exercise information technology yourself please inform yourself thoroughly of any risks and use the appropriate condom equipment. Y'all may decide that you'll have to supercede your shower screen anyway and attempting to repair the damage yourself is a cheaper option than replacing your shower screen. Go on with circumspection and use discretion.

Metallic Polish

1 pick is to polish out carving using Metallic polish. Silvo and Autosol are expert, although any metal polishing paste should piece of work equally long equally the particles aren't too fibroid. Apply the cream with a wet fabric to a pocket-sized, camouflaged area at showtime until you're sure that it'due south working. If the etching isn't likewise bad, the glass should come up as new. If the glass is padly pitted then the calcium volition be deposited within the cracks and it volition be very difficult to remove. You tin can as well utilize a headlight restorer kit, bachelor from whatsoever automotive store.

Electric Buffer

Yous tin can purchase an electric buffer with a chemical compound from your local automotive shop. Attach to an electric drill and follow the instructions to buff the glass back to it's original status.

Super Fine Sandpaper

Another pick is, you can polish the etching out of the glass. A super fine course sandpaper can be constructive in this. 5000 to 7000 dust sandpaper can smooth the glass, removing any scratches and carving. Proceed with circumspection. Commencement in an camouflaged spot and check that you're not damaging the glass before doing a larger expanse. This may cause a baloney in the advent of the drinking glass if done unevenly.

Oil

If it is badly pitted, some oils will seamlessly fill up the cracks, admitting temporarily. You lot tin can try WD40 or essential oils such equally goanna oil. The oil will demand reapplication to keep up appearances.
If none of these methods piece of work for you, then your shower screen is also deeply damaged to exist repaired and if you tin can't alive with the land of your shower screen every bit it is, the only option is to replace your shower screen.

An Ounce of Prevention ...

Squeegee

Mineral buildup on your shower screen can exist avoided completely if you lot don't give the h2o or lather scum a risk to eolith on the glass in the first place. The best way is to have a squeegee in your shower, IKEA sell them for $1.99. Utilise it to dry off the glass after every shower. It will accept less than 10 seconds and will go along your shower screen in pristine condition. And so give your shower screen a good scrub when you clean your shower.

Stay abroad from bar lather

Bar soap is more likely to leave soap scum deposits than liquid soap.  We suggest you lot switch to liquid body wash as it will leave less of a deposit of soap scum on your shower glass and avert creating such an alkali metal surroundings in which hard water deposits begin to bind to the drinking glass.

Water Repellant

A water repellant such as Rain-X will keep water from settling on your shower screen so that difficult water deposits won't get a chance to build up on your shower screen. This volition need to exist reapplied periodically.

And then in that location it is, everything we know most how to clean your shower screen. If whatever of these methods accept helped yous, let the states know your procedure in the comments below. Best of luck getting your shower screen make clean and happy cleaning!

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Source: https://pristinecleaning.com.au/how-to-clean-a-shower-screen/

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