Does anyone know a good way of removing hardwater stains from glass shower doors? We recently bought this home and the shower doors don't look like they have ever been cleaned. The water in the house is hard water to begin with, so once it is cleaned I will have to keep it up regularly! Any help would be appreciated?
Joanne from CO.
We have a product here in Canada called CLR. It removes calcium, lime, and rust. It's great for this and so is Spray Nine. (02/14/2005)
By Donna Marie
After you have them cleaned, vinegar works very well for hard water spots, you can put paste wax (I use Turtle Wax--seems to do best) on the glass and the water will bead up nicely and just wipe away so the build up won't happen again. I also use the Turtle Wax on the tile walls (but NEVER the floor) of my shower. Just start with an absolutely dry surface and apply the same way you would to a car. Cuts down on the daily/wekly grunt work as the wax only has to be reapplied 2-3 times a year. cj in dallas tx (02/15/2005)
By cj
We used to live in a house with hard water. I used THE WORKS toilet cleaner. At Wal-Mart for .89. I used it on a porcelain tub, though. I don't think it would damage the shower doors, though. (02/15/2005)
By Jill
White vinegar and baking soda. Once you get it clean dry well and apply Rain -X.
(02/15/2005)
By
I had tried everything I could think of, but nothing worked until I applied baby oil (I think maybe most oils would work). I just recently tried Kaboom!, and it worked great.
Terry (02/15/2005)
By terry
Try some Lime Away and use full strength. Gently scrub it on the glass or chrome. Rinse and apply again till the lime is all gone.( wear rubber gloves) You can leave it on glass but do not leave it sit on chrome to long as it will pit it. Another good product is CLR. Both of these products can be purchased at Wal-Mart or any hardware or grocery store. Good Luck! (02/15/2005)
By Charlotte
I use Shower Power spray for hard water and soap build-up. I have asthma, and it doesn't bother my lungs to breathe it in while I clean, like some do. Works great, too. (02/15/2005)
By Renee
Mr. Clean erasers are amazing. They made cleaning the hard water buildup off my shower tiles the easiest I've ever done. I recommend them. (02/16/2005)
This is just a quick note to people who are beyond the help of simple solutions like vinegar, Magic Eraser, lemon juice Kaboom, Lime-away/CLR, Soft scrub, oven cleaner, water softener, fabric sheets, or WD-40. I tried all of these and MY spots were not coming off.
When it came down to it, my spots were NOT soap scum, but lime buildup, which is not the same thing. Because glass itself is made up of a great deal of lime, these spots had embedded themselves in the glass. Simply dissolving was not going to work, so I needed a glass polish or restorer.
After a great deal of scrubbing and buffing, Spot X lime remover worked. It is a powder that can be mixed with water and then used to polish the glass. I had to really scrub it, but the spots came off, which is more than I could say of anything else I had tried.
I included before and after pictures too, so people can see what I am talking about. (02/20/2005)
By Maria Fisher
DON'T use the Works on shower doors! It works great on the glass part, but it will turn all metal black and destroys it. I had to replace the shower handle and the drain, of an apartment I clean for. It took forever just to find the replacement parts that fit properly. (03/01/2005)
By Jody
I use the cleaner for solid glass stovetops (Cerama Bryte). It works great, but removal with paper towels is a bit of a job, but perfect results! (10/16/2005)
By Jean
For that build up in the shower. I run the hot water in out of the shower head for a few minutes until there is some hot fog on the shower (like you get on the mirror after a shower) make sure you close the door or curtain. Once that is ready spray Lime Away full strength, then use your cloth to rub it over all areas. Let stand for a few minutes (not real long don't want it to dry) then wet cloth again using hot water and rub the surface and then rinse with hot water. Works everytime. The hot water trick might work with CLR also.
(02/16/2006)
By Cristy
I put baking soda on a wet sponge. The mild abrasive scrubbing leaves a film on the glass. Then I poured white vinegar on the sponge and rinsed it off. It bubbled to a sparkly clean. The combo also did a great job on the tile and tub without strong chemical fumes. (08/20/2006)
By Bren
Try the Mr clean Magic Sponge. It works on everything! Use water and soap and scrub hard. (09/19/2006)
By Jennifer
After moving into a house where the shower doors perhaps had never been cleaned I spent a fair amount of money buying products that promised to work.
None made a dent until I went to Ace Hardware and asked for help.
They pointed out a small bottle about the size of a pill bottle with the name "Nothin's Better" It is actually a fine powder with no chemicals.
If your doors are almost obscure as mine were you might want to use some very fine steel wool dampened and sprinkled with the cleaner as a first step.
After that work on a small area a foot sq. with a soft cloth dampened and sprinkled with the cleaner. When the glass is clean it will squeak when you rub over it. It certainly is a lot of work, but the results are well worth it.
I Love the Stuff (09/24/2006)
By Jean
I've tried for 3 years to clean the ugly water stains on my shower doors (previous owner obviously never cleaned). They were so bad that you almost couldn't see out of them. I tried every combination that is reported here and nothing worked. Even went to the Ace Hardware looking for "Nothing Better" and was told that nothing could get the doors cleaned and that I should buy new doors. Another poster stated that these were actually lime deposits etched in the shower door - so I went to WalMart and got "Lime Out Extra". The trick was applying it full strength directly on the doors. The first two times I would squirt the solution on a cloth to apply it (per the directions - no good). Using rubber gloves, I applied it full strength to the door and scrubbed with a rag. Then I let it SIT! This morning I got up and using a damp rag, wiped down the doors. On my first two attempts I tried wiping down with Windex but the spots came back right back. I absolutely can't believe it - after 3 years I have clean shower doors. I can actually see a spot behind the door pull that I missed. Maybe it was because I put the stuff on 3 times but I really feel that it was because I let the stuff sit on the doors overnight. Now on to the other bathroom! Hope this works for someone else. (09/28/2006)
I can confirm the post from the person who recommended Spot-X glass restorer. I had ten years of build-up on our shower doors and over the years had tried everything mentioned here and then some - nothing made a dent. I tried Spot-X yesterday and in about 30 minutes all the shower glass looked like new again - and with no discoloration of the metal. Oh, and to you folks who are combining a recipe of chemicals, most of the combinations you are suggesting are either highly toxic, potentially explosive, or in some cases just combining chemicals that cancel out each others active ingredients. (01/21/2007)
By Chris
I used baby oil on mine and I can't believe the difference. I have tried everything, baby oil works great. WOW! (02/03/2007)
By kelly
I tried car polish and rubbed in a circular motion. Waited until it dried and then wiped off. Worked straight away and no hard scrubbing was required. Shower doors are as clean as the day they were installed. I then applied baby oil and have never had a problem again. (02/14/2007)
By Jason
Lime-Away works great. Spray it on, then wipe with a sponge. And rinse. I use Lime Away in the green bottle that you squirt/sqeeze. (02/15/2007)
By Carolina
I never knew baby oil could be so exciting! (except for massage of course) I literally got on this page ten minutes ago, went to try the baby oil on my shower door and now im back on computer with a gleaming shower door, THANK YOU! (02/24/2007)
I took the baby oil advice. After two days of scrubbing with other products - CLR, Lime Away, Oxy, Comet - nothing worked liked the baby oil. I have a semi-frosted and textured shower door and the baby oil cleaned it right up. Still cannot believe it. Try the baby oil. Note... wear rubber gloves, then wipe the baby oil off with an old towel or t-shirt. Then I let the water run for a good 5 minutes to "air" out the baby oil smell. (03/01/2007)
By Angela
I just tried the cleaner that you use for ceramic cook tops. It worked great for taking the lime deposits off the glass shower! Great idea. (03/18/2007)
By pat
I too had the same problem with the hard water spots being "etched" into the glass (even though we rinse and squeegie every time). My brother-in-law installs shower doors commercially. I called the manufacturer and they sent me a product that is totally awesome. It is called Tekon Gamma Restoration Cream. You simply put it on (a little elbow grease required), let it dry and buff it with a dry soft cloth. I then followed that with Rain X. Tekon has the repellent too, but I haven't used that. The Tekon is hard to purchase but most shower door companies are able to get it, just ask them. I swear it is awesome! (03/25/2007)
By Ruthie in Ms
After spending all day trying to clean my shower (I live in an apartment so many years of build up) I gave up and decided to search the web for suggestions. I am so glad I found this site. I have a plastic (fiberglass maybe?) shower and doors and I am guessing part of the metal is fake too. Here is what worked best for me:
Limescale: vinager and water solution
Soap scum: oil (I used vegetable oil, if only I knew this a few hours ago:)
Spots: I think mineral deposits: rubbing alcohol (still not easy to get off, but it works better than the vinager did and I feel like I am making progress.)
Hope this helps. (05/22/2007)
I have clear glass shower doors and tried the ceramic oven cleaner, but did not have the results I was hoping for. Had to scrub really hard in one spot just to get it clean. I had success with Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Cleaner by SC Johnson. Large green spray can. Just spray it on very densely and let it sit for 5 minutes or so before wiping off with a wet cloth. May have to repeat depending on how dirty they are. (06/06/2007)
It works, Bar Keepers Friend is the secret! $1.59 at WalMart. Don't waste your money on anything else. I made a paste on a nylon Scotch brite-type pad and began to scrub. It took about 3 times for my doors. Next, I'm going to try baby oil to see if it works to repell future water spots! Stay tuned... : ) (06/10/2007)
By Coo
Mix 1/4 cup of baking soda, 1/4 cup of peroxide and 1/4 cup of Dawn dish soap. This produces no fumes, only oxygen. Scrub with a Scotch brite pad and rince with water. Repeat as necessary. Got this recipe off of TV. It works very well.
Also, if you are using some of these other chemicals listed in other posts, be really careful if you have an acrylic tub (fiberglass). Most of the newer tubs on the market are acrylic. Many of the chemicals listed in other posts will damage them. Speaking from experience. (06/10/2007)
By Jason M
I know this has nothing to do with cleaning shower doors, but I thought it was interesting. My friend has glass shower doors and she puts Foam Shaving Cream on them (then wipes dry). She says it will keep your shower doors from fogging up!! (07/05/2007)
By Kaylee
I'm a poor college student moving out of my apartment and I wanted to leave the place spotless for the next tenant, which was easy until I got to the shower doors. I tried everything under the sun and nothing worked. And then I had a crazy idea. Armed with only a paper towel and a bottle of vegetable oil I went to work. It looks amazing. Completely clean, no scary smells, I don't feel like I am going to pass out and my arms didn't fall off from having to scrub too hard. Try it! (07/11/2007)
By Megan
After reading this forum, I decided to try the glass stove top cleaner on my shower doors. I just purchased a new home with the glass cooktop and had it handy. It took about 30 minutes start to finish, the doors look good as when I closed on the new home! Outstanding! I followed up with a cleaning of Windex to put a shine on them. The product I used is called Cerama Bryrte from the Home Depot. On its label, it says you can use on glass shower doors, and fiberglass tubs, so it will not scratch up your tub. No fumes either.
Cerama Bryte it is! Thanks to the folks for this idea. (07/20/2007)
By Frank
Try Bring-It-ON water spot remover. It's a paste that you wipe on, leave on for a few minutes to dissove the minerals, and wipe off. Invented by a gal that got tired of trying things that didn't work!
(09/04/2007)
By Don
I also have tried everything I can think of. I used to use Ajax cream with scour pad in my recent home and it worked. Does not work with this home. I tried CLR today and nothing. I tried commercial products just about everything of shelf. I tried vinegar, lemon juice, (separatelY and then together) I got desperate and tried baby oil. I am not sure if it just masks the white stains in the glass or has fixed it. At the moment it looks better than it was looking. It looked like foggy glass with lots and lots of white stains inside the glass. I am thinking of trying the glass stove top cleaner and oven cleaner too if not happy with the baby oil. Will keep you informed. It has cost me a lot of money over the past year trying to clean these doors. So far baby oil has it looking better than it was. Thank you for the tips. Not much fun trying out the different brands that don't work. (09/09/2007)
By karen johnston
If you save your used dryer sheets you can clean the shower door with that. It works great!! (09/12/2007)
By Crystal
I can't believe I've spent so much time and money on fancy cleaning products which didn't work - and ten minutes with some bath oil (all I could find) on a green kitchen pad and my shower doors are clean.
Thanks very much! (09/14/2007)
By Irene
I didn't have any baby oil so I tried the vegetable oil. After applying to my glass shower I wiped clean with hot soapy water. I cannot believe how clean and clear my shower is. I am thrilled with this cleaning solution. Thanks to everyone who posted such great cleaning tips. (09/17/2007)
By Lisa
I moved into a new house 6 years ago. Every time I use the shower I squeegie the whole shower enclosure then wipe it down with an old towel so there is no water to make spots. It's kind of a hassle but after 6 years my shower doors and enclosure still look like the day I moved in! (10/08/2007)
By jean
We have a euro shower door with no frame. Protective coating actually makes it harder to clean. We have a rainsoft water softener, but water spots still build up along with soap scum. Windex did nothing. Tried baby oil, just made a gewey mess. White vinegar to the rescue. Slathered it on with a small sponge, undiluted. Let a coating sit for about 10 minutes. Cleaned it off with glass cleaner. The glass looks like new. I figured vinegar would work because of how clean it gets the coffee pot. I have no patience to squeegie my shower every time, forget that. (10/12/2007)
By Kimberly
I stick by my solution. My euro shower door problem *is* mainly hard water stains. Straight white vinegar works. (10/25/2007)
By Kimberly
We just recently bought a new house and I couldn't get the soap scum to come off so I went on here and I seen the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I took the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and some cleaner from Dollar Tree Called Non Abrasive Gel Cleaner with Bleach and it took every bit of it off. The Mr. Clean Magic Eraser's are also good for glass top stoves. Good Luck (10/25/2007)
By Seay29
After removing the stubborn stains from the glass, continue to keep it clean daily by using a squeegee after each shower. This can be a small unit purchased from an auto parts store. It only takes a minute to clean the glass while still in the shower stall and the hard water stains won't have a chance to build up again. (11/21/2007)
By Tracey
Thank You for the idea of using dryer sheets on shower doors and baby oil and the RainX. I am currently in process of this and it is truly working. It is a bit of work, but I am not afraid of a little work. If I ever buy new shower doors again I will put RainX on them before ever installing them. Thank you for the awesome ideas (01/01/2008)
By Michelle
If you go to the FAQs section of the Lemi Shine website and look under "What is Lemi Shine composed of?" It reads, "Lemi Shine is an all natural product, which is composed of natural fruit acids and oils. Lemi Shine does not contain phosphates."
(01/06/2008)
By Guest
I just scrubbed my shower doors with cola (make sure it contains phosphoric acid) and a kitchen sponge. It worked amazingly well! (01/13/2008)
By Sally
Jumping for joy in Maryland. I bought a house that was only a year old and tried nearly everything to get the shower doors clean only to conclude that the hard water had actually etched the glass and that nothing could be done. I tried Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, oven cleaner, CLR, Lime Away, Kaboom, dryer sheets, Lemon Pledge, vegetable oil, vinegar, and baking soda. Finally tonight I tried the glass cooktop polish that came with our cooktop. Within a minute, the spots were 90% gone and there were no toxic fumes to deal with. I can't wait until tomorrow to finish up. Thanks for the suggestion! (01/22/2008)
By Sally
I just tried glass cooktop cleaner and had awesome results. When I applied it thick on a 5x8 surface and scrubbed with a green kitchen scrubber pad it looks brand new and glossy smooth. As I watered it down and contined to clean further it no longer worked. I will be going out and buying a large bottle to do my entire shower door. **Apply thick cream with no water** (02/07/2008)
By Samantha J.
I'm was trying to clean up some frosted glass shower doors that I purchased used. (Now I'm thinking they sold them because they couldn't clean them!) Tried the "usual" cleaners (many mentioned in previous posts) with no luck. Googled "cleaning shower doors" and landed on this site. Since I had vinegar and most likely some type of oil on hand, I decided I would a least try these suggestions.
The vinegar easily removed many of the problem areas but I still had some unsightly streaks. Couldn't find any baby oil or veg oil in my house so I tried Avon Skin so Soft. I'm amazed! They look as good as new now and even smell good too! I plan on passing this tip on to others. Thank you! (02/14/2008)
By Susie in CdA, Idaho
I heard the car product "Raindance" was good, but I read the label and it says do not use on interior surface. kb (02/23/2008)
By kb
I recently handed my daughter some Softsoap to clean the shower. I was thinking that she would use that on the tile and shower pan, but she used it on the glass as well. I was surprised and amazed to find the glass shiny and new looking (our doors are relatively new).
You can also try repeatedly using a paste made with baking soda and a little water. Coat the area that you are trying to treat with this paste, and leave it for 1/2 hour. Then use a vinegar and water mixture to clean this off. Baking soda is alkaline to bond with the soap scum, the vinegar is acid to break it up, and the water takes it away. (03/09/2008)
By Moira
Wow! I tried Baby oil, veggie oil, vinegar, ceramic stove top car cleaner, all the usual commercial products and sorry to say non worked. But I had magical results with Chemico Paste and a good ole Goldilox - none of which are recommended on this type of surface, my theory is I would rather have scratched clean doors than scummy grimy ones. I have to admit I scrubbed for 2hrs. I then wiped with damp cloth, dried with old towel and then coated with Pledge Polish to repel the water - not sure if the Pledge will work. I am so amazed that I am looking forward to attacking the glass wall when I restock! (03/10/2008)
By Jude in New Zealand
This site was so helpful! I had tried so many products, also, and none worked. From this site I tried 2 suggestions. The Mr. Clean sponge worked some, but not enough to my satisfaction. So, I tried the veggie oil on the Mr. Clean sponge and success! The veggie oil smears around until the hard water stain is gone and then you have a clean shower door. I am going to apply the veggie oil one more time for my own satisfaction, but I am happy with the difference one application has made. I have also realized that the shower mist I use was part of the issue for this shower door. I don't use it on the door anymore. (03/21/2008)
By Mary
It's obvious we all live in different areas of the country. In Florida, we have limescale, rust, etc. in addition to soap scum. I've been reading along trying to find natural ways to get rid of the limescale that's obviously clouding and spotting up my doors. I've been trying vinegar and baking soda, now I'm going to try the glass cook top cleaner and scour pads, and Magic Eraser. Yes, I've tried Limeaway and Kaboom and still can't get it off. I refuse to try CLR and harsher chemicals because of the environmental impact. I need to steer clear of chemicals from now on as much as possible because my husband has asthma. So I'm really looking hard for natural cleaners.
Remember - don't be mixing chemcials if you want to keep your lungs healthy.
If I find what really works for limescale, I'll report back. If not, good luck and bring on the new set of doors covered in baby oil! (03/26/2008)
By Florida Mom
I have an all glass shower doors. I don't try to get the water spots off every time I clean the tub, so this time I wanted all the spots off the glass. Well, it was very difficult to remove the spots. I tried everything I had in the house and everything you people mentioned on this web site and others. Well, I finally tried Professional- Strength Lime-A-Away. The trick was to keep spraying and letting it soak for a few minutes then rinse and repeat until all the spots are gone. My glass is now spotless and I will try to use an Invisible Shield Surface Protectant on them. Good Luck. (03/31/2008)
By Cheryl Kelley
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