Advice on Cleaning Shower Doors

WD-40!!! Works like a charm. With that much build up, you may have to do a few treatments. What I love the most about WD-40 is that once you clean the doors with it, they stay clean. Go to the WD-40 website for more information. The stuff is a miracle, works on all sorts of stuff. Really cool!!!

SOS Soap Pads will work and won't scratch the glass. You will need to scrub a little but it will come off.

Mr. Clean magic erasers are great for soap scum on glass shower doors. You will need to follow up with Windex once the scum is cleaned off. Good luck!

since my friends call me 'maaatha daaahling', i feel compelled to respond...lol...in my spare bathroom the shower is a fiberglass surround and the soap scum was so thick in there and it had turned brown from dirt. gross! i had tried, scrubbing bubbles, tilex (had to take the kids out of the house so they wouldn't asphyxiate), soft scrub, comet, and the works. (i think that's all) several of those products made a little difference, but not shiny and sprarkling like i wanted, and it didn't take the hard water stains away. last weekend i was at wal-mart browsing down the cleaning aisle, and i saw, on the bottom shelf might i add, arm and hammer with oxy in a yellow bottle, spray cleaner. it was $1.97!! so i bought it, came home, and sprayed my shower down. it is foaming so i left it sit for a while. much to my surprise, when i went back to check, there was BROWN GOO running down into the tub, thick, i couldn't believe it! something finally worked!! i grabbed my magic eraser, but i don't think i really needed it, it's just what i normally use. there were only a couple small areas that i had to treat more than once and i think it was because i let it sit to long and dry. this product is incredible and there were very little if any fumes, i have since used it on every possible surface including the toilets and my front glass door. i would like to tackle the windows, but it's too hot outside right now. i think it will get the years of water spots off the outside of my windows so i'm going to try it in the fall. i didn't mean to go on and on, but you have to try this product!! i have told everyone that will listen, it will make your life easier! i promise!

p.s. i am confessing to the fact that i had also tried oven cleaner, yes, easy off, on my shower prior to finding the arm and hammer :-) 'it's a good thing'....lol....best of luck.

KRC7 Bathroom Cleaner Restorer

Here's yet ONE more Hint from Helouise! We got this product from our cleaning lady to use on other areas of the house....Because, When we hired this cleaning lady to come once a week to help out we could NOT believe it. We thought we had purchased a new shower! I had her give me a sample to use on my husbands work sink in the basement that has been NEVER clean since we owned the house. Rust and yellowed completely, like plastic gets after a long time, and much like those old sinks in grimey mechanic places... Much like Im sure you were talking about.

I simply rubbed it on there and coated the entire sink ...NO SCRUBBING, I kid you not! I applied the stuff with the green scrubby side of an SOS sponge but that was it, Not true scrubbing, just appying it. I Let is soak or rather "set" on there for the morning while cleaning other things, but did not let the product dry on there... and when I came back to the project...I seriously just took a paper towel to test an area, thinking I would need to reapply, but it came out clean, white and I just could not believe my eyes... Sooo I did the entire sink this way ...

I WIPED IT OFF WITH A PAPER TOWEL ! CLEAN as IF IT WERE A NEW SINK. Came off like warm butter. I could NOT believe it.... DId NOT even use any water to clean it . I rinsed after I had it all off for any potential residue, but that was it.

Works on everything and anything, I have never seen anything like it. Now having said this, she did warn not to let it dry on there, not sure why, just what she said, and we never have. Sooo since we too have glass and plastic textured shower doors in my home I know it works on both, because this is what we use. Everyday upkeep we just use vinegar and water , per her suggestion as well.

This is not available online for purchase, or that I could find. We found it through a plumbing supply place here in town.

KRC7 Bathroom Cleaner Restorer
THIS is our little MIRACLE CLEANER !

Have you tried a Magic Eraser and windex. I have found that those handy little things can do alot. It may take some elbow grease tho. They work great with Kool aid stains on countertops too. You maywant to try them with baking soda if the windex doesn't work on the shower door! Good luck

As simple as it sounds, we use Scrubbing Bubbles with the yellow cap. It is awesome. I was very skeptical as I did not think of it as a glass cleaner. But there was so much scum on our shower door that I tried it. It worked so well, that I will not use anything else on our doors. They look brand new. A lot of the other responses have you scrubbing and using "elbow grease". With Scrubbing Bubbles, I literally sprayed it on and left it for a couple of minutes. Then came back and wiped it clean. You will see the difference before you wipe it. And your hands barely touch the chemicals at all!
Good Luck!

I have not tried it myself, but I have a wonderful book called "Clean your Clothes with Cheez Whiz" that gives solutions to everyday cleaning problems. It say to use "Skin So Soft" Hand & Body lotion to clean soap scum from showers and also lime deposits from all fixtures, shower doors and tile.

J. S.

Try using liquid Cascade in a spray bottle. Depending on the size of the spray bottle add about 1/3 liquid Cascade the add warm water to disolve the Cascade, filling the bottle just about full. Shake well the spray. Let sit for several minutes. Make sure that the shower is dry when doing this, the results are better. Spray from the bottom up. I use this on my glass shower doors, bathtubs, and toilets.

Hi - I hate soap scum!! I read through a lot of the requests, but not sure any one mentioned the bleaching method I use....to start off, I would try mixing vinegar with baking soda, so it will losen up the scum and be mildly abrasive (and you can add lemon juice to add some more acidity and smells good)....if that doesn't work, then I would try the bleach - just spray some on the doors and leave it there overnight....in the morning it should be loosened up - then it only takes a spray at night to keep it up....

Hi,

One last word, I didn't see this posting before. We also have glass shower doors that I was discourged with. I tried many things and finally came up with something that works like MAGIC!

Baking soda and white vinegar. I had tried this in several ways before, but what melted the scum and deposits off easily was more like a paste. LOTS of baking soda and a little vinegar. It's increadible.

Good luck.

BOUNCE fabric sheets....they saved our shower doors! You'll need quite a few and probably several cleanings.

K.,

With long (loooong term) build up I'm not sure this will work up...but it's worth a try and much more hand friendly than the products you're using. :-)

Dryer sheets. I know that probably sounds crazy and I was skeptical at first too when my friend suggested it...but it works great! I have only tried Bounce because that's what I use for my laundry, but probably any brand would work. I put two together and clean it while I'm in the shower and just scrub it good from top to bottom, changing out the sheets as they get to soaked and soapy to work with. Rinse it well and the water just beads up and you can see if you've missed any spots and you have a chance to go over them with another sheet...before you enjoy and nice shower in your clean shower. :-)

Once I started this I only have to do it occassionaly...it really seems to repel the soap scum, which I love anything that helps cut my cleaning time down! I hope this helps.

K.

It Work's is the name of the product of use. You can buy it at Walmart, Kroger.

I did not read through all the posts - sorry if this is a repeat.

This is going to sound goofy - but I would try toothpaste and a scrub brush. (test the scrub brush in a small area to make sure it does not scratch.)

We have well water and even with a water softener our tub, sinks and toilet turn orange. I have cleaned with almost every cleaner out there. The only one I found to be helpful was BAM lime and grime remover. It is in a purple bottle.

I read about toothpaste and I thought I would try it. It worked like magic! No chemical fumes. I put the same amount of elbow grease in as I would a chemical cleaner.

You could put a coat of toothpaste on the glass, let it sit a while and then try to scrub the glass.

I get toothpaste for cleaning from the dollar store. (I don't like to use it for brushing our teeth because of the China scare not too long ago at dollar stores)

Good luck.

M.

I know i am late for this.

Soap scum is mostly build up of oil and grease from our bodies mixed with the products we use to clean our bodies, which sometimes contain oil and grease of some sort. I have been using Dawn Dishsoap on my bathroom shower for over a year. It cuts right through all that grease and oil and cleans without much scrubbing. With the condition your shower is in it may take some elbow grease to get it all but give it a try. Also Dawn works wonders on just about any laundry stain you can think of.

I know this may sound weird but I was in the same situation 3 years ago. My hubby got a brillo pad and went to town. Now it all did not come off on day one...but after a couple times of doing the ritual once a week it is great looking now. And you may need someone who can put alot of elbow grease into the scrubbing. Now we just use Scrub Free with Oxy to keep up the shine.

Have you tried Goo Gone? It seems to work on everything else. I picked up a floor model changing table and used it on the large sticky place and then noticed it took off all of the rest of the marks that the regular cleaner had left behind! I was shocked! It looked brand new! Now I try it when nothing else works, and it never fails to amaze me. I've used it to remove stickers, so it works on glass. Worth a shot if nothing else!

Good Luck! D.

I know this may sound strange, but try powdered Tide with Bleach. We have very hard water that leaves a film on everything. I've tried every over the counter cleaner I could find and some things I had to order. None of them worked. It will take a little elbow grease along with the tide. I recommend getting a scouring pad with a handle. Good luck!
J.

Hello,
You can take a look at a natural website, www.melaleuca.com, which sales great products for cleaning. Specifically the tub and tile and the sol-u-mel products work great.

A.
____@____.com

Hi! I prefer to call wrinkles on my face, laugh lines, but on your hands??? Anyway, it might be that what the object you are using to scrub with might be the problem. If you are not familiar with Flylady.net, check it out. I now own 3 Rubba Scrubbas & use them for everything, 1 for dishes, veggies.
One for the cat brush. The other is general everywhere cleaning. The price was right at $5 each. I don't have glass shower doors, but I've read other testimonials by people who use this tool to clean the gunk out of the rails.
As she says, 'soap is soap'. This tool is gentle and the handle is easy to hold when you're using elbow grease. I know you're concerned & I would be too. I'd try it before your last resort - getting new shower doors! She has lots of other helpful hints as well. Way more fun than Martha, Martha, Martha...
D.

I use a paste of baking soda (with water) and the magic eraser-that seems to work the best.

Try 20 Mule Team Borax. I use it to clean my black porclean sink. It works well taking the hard water build up around the faucet fixtures and shines it up.

MURPHY'S OIL!!!! my mom uses it and the showe doors look new all the time!

I had soap scum on my shower door and finally just used either windex or 409 but the magic came from a tool called the Rubba Scruba that you can order from flylady.net. That little rubber brush took the soap scum right off. I was amazed because my door was never clean before. I don't know if yours if worse than mine if it will work but they aren't that expensive and it worked great for me.

You've gotten a ton of great ideas -- would only add a caution that many are with products that are not that eco friendly or include products that can submit awful fumes and toxins. Baking soda and vinegar being an exception, for instance.
If you have not checked out the Melaleuca products, I highly, highly recommend them -- very strong and effective without the dangerous stuff. check out www.saferforyourhome.com and www.atoxicbrew.com (I think it is a CDC site) I have a 2.5 year old and a 13.5 year old and purged that toxic mess from my home and there is a definite reduction in stuffy noses etc.

S. K
____@____.com

My mom swears by Eliminate - she has been trying to find some for me (the area behind the shampoo holder was bad - the rest was completely clean). Who'da'thunk?! :) Anyway, if that doesn't work, have you tried just regular shampoo or bath soap with a puff (those things you buy for a dollar for washing yourself) just an area at a time while you are showering? Good luck and let us know how it goes!!

Have you tried vinegar or baking soda.

If you have a way to air it out with the door close
you may want to try ammonia.

This is drastic and one would have to be extra careful,
make sure to use gloves and goggles, caustic soda.
Before using it make sure you go on line to check safety measures. This can burn holes in your skin!!!

If is really secure, and it is on the inside, and be willing to make a mess you can rent for water pressure machine. Some
have containers to mix chemicals.

I love reading these follow up responses. We took the doors off and put them on saw horses in the yard (bright light) to apply the solvent. We used CLR but I would try some others.

I don't think anyone mentioned prevention except that WD40 and some of the others did leave a bit of a film.

What we found is that a shower head filter works wonders to keep your hair beautiful and the shower doors and walls clean. We used a Home Depot brand once and then an Ecoquest brand a few other times. It is a MLM company that makes ozone machines and ionizers. (All the beauty salons and restaurants use them now)

K.
I have a maid service (T.'s Maid Service) and the very best product I have found is called HOLY COW it works great on the hard water spots here in Arizona
You can get it at Bed Bath and Beyond and I think I just saw it at Lowes
Awesome stuff !!!!!

Try something that has a fine abrasive as a last resort- Comet, Bar Keeper's Friend, etc. Then put a coat of car wax on to help repel soap scum. Also, using a squeegee (spelling?) after each shower does help to some extent. We have hard water and the buildup on our shower door is terrible!

Good luck,
J.

My husband tells me that you can try vinegar mixed with ammonia in a spray bottle. Spray and let set. then wash off with a sponge with a scrubber on it. 1/2 & 1/2 vinegar and ammonia. He says try a small area first to see if it will work. He says the ammonia should peel it and the vinegar should clean it.

"Tub and Tile" from Melaleuca works great for not only soap scum, but for hard water buildup and other bathroom gunk. Although, when I am out of that stuff, shampoo works pretty well too for soap scum.

I didnt' get through all of these. Sorry if this is a repeat. But, if you ever get the doors clean, apply rain-x, like you would use on a car windshield to prevent further build-up. I haven't tried it yet. I too have to clean my doors first, but a friend's mom swore by it. Thanks for asking this question!

I use a combination of the Magic Eraser and Lime-away. I hate cleaning my shower doors and this only takes a couple of minutes with normal build up.

I've never had build-up as bad as what you've described, but I've had some success with using a clarifying shampoo from Walmart and using dryer sheets. Right now we have clear shower liners up and I keep them clean looking by wiping them down with wet used dryer sheets at the end of my shower. I use a cup to pour water over the liners to rinse off the liners. It seems to be doing a good job. I like clean unfrosted shower walls and doors so I can have lots of light and can also see the tree outside through the high window in our bathroom.

For prevention, I've followed a suggestion from a prior Mamagsource question about using Rain-X, a car windshield product; I also have tried car wax/polish on both the shower doors and the counters. It seems to work well.

I love Mamasource!
A.

I use warm water with dawn dish detergent. Just get a good scrubbing brush and wipe down with a dry towel after your done and it should work, does for me.

I have the same problem with my shower stall the soap scum & hardwater build up is terrible. This is what I use and it works great. Try 2 oz of Tub & Tile with 1 capful of Sol-U-Mel in a 24 oz bottle. Fill with water and spray on the shower stall or for extra-challenging mix 1 capful of Sol-U-Mel and 4 oz of Tub & Tile. Than to keep your shower clean use No Work Daily Shower Cleaner daily 15-second spray. Its dual action breaks up soap scum and hard water deposits. These products are Melaleuca which is all natural so you have no fums or toxics and safe around pets I know because I use these products. I am a grandmother of 6 for more information go on www.saferisbetter.com/yourwellness.
M.
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Try foam shaving cream.

I use distilled vinegar to clean the soap scum off our shower doors and the complete area around the tub. Works very well for me. Have you tried baking soda? Take a wet cloth and add the baking soda to the cloth and scrub. If you need something stronger maybe WORKS will take it off. It's sad that anyone let it get that bad. I use the distilled vinegar, rinse and follow with baby oil so it never gets bad and is easy to clean. Have you tried Fantastic cleaner?

This sounds weird and damaging - but I used it on a rent house bath tub that had a ton of dried soap scum. After trying everything- i finally used a hunk of sand paper from the garage. Its the kind thats a real fine grit and it looks like a thin white sponge. I dont remember what its supposed to be used for- but its not paper like regular sand paper. BUT...... the trick is.... MAKE SURE THE DOORS AND TUB IS DRY. It will rub it right off. Use no cleaner. Everything DRY. After rubbing off the scum- u can just rinse or wipe down with any cleaner real quick. Then I actually would try the wax type stuff to prevent more. Good luck.
J.

I don't know how I missed this one this past summer. You got a lot of responses, so I'm not going to read thru them, and I hope I'm not repeating what someone has already said.
Do you have a water softner? With that much build up that doesn't come off, it sounds like hard water build up. Have your water tested, if you can afford it, buy a softner if you need one. If it's not in your budget, try this to remove the hard water build up...make a paste out of Borax and lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon. Put it on the lemon and use it as a scrubber. This works so well, I was amazed at how pretty the tile and tub looked after I was done.

I once had the same problem until my Boss's cleaning lady told me to use Bon Ami (can be found at the 99 cent store), with white vinegar. Make a paste with these two products on to a quarter sheet on the lightest scrubbing paper (found in paint stores), scrub the shower doors, rinse and spray them with OrangeGlo furniture oil. I did this and my landlady thought I had bought new doors. They were frosted with a clear design.

Welcome to darn glass shower doors!

If they are really bad, you can use a razor blade to scape them -- inch by inch. That's how I do the floors of my shower. Although it seems like it would take a long time, acutally goes pretty fast.

I use a squeezie after every shower which cuts down immensely on the soap scum so that when I do clean them -- with Kaboom -- it's not so hard. Heloise suggests using body wash as it has softening agents .... I also use a scrungey (? spelling) to scrub with as its soft and won't scratch the doors.

I wonder if CLR would work 'cause what you're trying to get rid of is the lime deposits?

Please be careful mixing stuff -- I don't remember what exactly, but it combines ammonia with something --

All of this could be avoided if you, and I, had frosted shower doors!

Good luck,
M.

Mr. Clean magic erasers!!!!!!!

Magic Eraser. It may take a while and you will probably have to use more than one if they are as dirty as you say and you will have to use some elbow grease but I promise you they will clean it.

I have not found anything that a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser won't clean. They've come out with a heavier duty Magic Eraser now too and there are generic ones. But the name brand is the best. It might take a couple of them from the sound of things. Haven't tried it on anything gooey but there are other products for that. But be very careful that you don't let your 6 yo get old of it. It does have bleach in it and some kids have put it on their faces. Hope this helps.

LEMONS. Cut one in half and scrub the shower with the open face. Use as many as necessary. It's a bit messy to start with seeds and lemon bits left behind, but obviously those will go away once you rinse and wipe. This really works. My brother had done it for a science experiment. Try it!

Try some WD-40.......its wonderful!!! Just spray it on leave it for a bit and then use a mildly abraisve scrubbing pad to rub it around. Rinse with hot water. It will look wonderful and will repel soap scum to!!!

How about using Easy Off? I used it on my tub walls in an apt, that I moved into that had horrible scum and it came right off. The apt manager was the one that recommended it. You'd probably want to use the fume free since you're in the bathroom. Good Luck!!

Have you tried Scrubbing Bubbles? One of my pals turned me on to it and it's great. For really tough jobs I would loosen and try to remove some of the gunk with Clorox and water (1 part Clorox to 1 part water - it's great for getting rid of mold if you didn't know). Then spray on Scrubbing Bubbles and hopefully clean the glass. Hope
"something" works!

HI--I know I am late to this discussion but I have a warning for you. If you decide to try the oven cleaner method, Make sure to completely shield the metal that holds in the glass. I took that hint and when I wiped off the foam, the metal was stripped! It had been that bronze/brown color and was now splattered with aluminum colored spots!! I was able to salvage the situation with some metallic paint from Michael's. It comes in a small bottle in the fancy paint finish department and worked great. The metal looks like new. By the way, the glass did not look any better.

I too tried every remedy out there with virtually no big improvement. It seems the problem is not really soap scum, but an etching of the glass from mineral deposits. My best success came from Lime Away. Come in a spray bottle at grocery store.

Good luck! Best advice is if you ever get it clean, squeegee it every time you shower!

are you sure it not a coating on the door so you can't see through it cause all of those things you have tried should have taken it off it may be a coating so its harder to see through it good luck

Hi K.,

It is probably lime deposits. Have you tried Lime Away or some other lime removal product? Give it a try.

I know you've had so many responses. BUT, here is another! Oven cleaner!!! My husband works as a metal fabricator building paintless dent removal tools. And the metal dust makes my shower black in places. And I had tried EVERYTHING to get it off. This is the ONLY thing that worked. Just spray it on and let it set for 30 min. to an hour then take a scrub brush and scrub it off. It is amazing!!!!!

Hello K.,

Actually I live way down in the middle of the country of Mexico. I have plastic shower doors that will inevidably become coated with soap scum which needs to be cleaned almost daily. Yukky...I noticed days ago in Wal Mart, a product called The Sultan or Sultan. It is a harsh product but really cleans well, the entire sink, toilet, tub, shower and doors! You just can't use it on the faucets because it is an acid product. BE SURE TO WEAR GLOVES!!!! Give it a try on the glass doors. You've got nothing to lose if it fails as the product is not expensive and can used in the bathroom to clean as stated above.

good luck with that. changing the doors is no fun at all. And by the way, wrinkles on the hands instead of the face or any other body parts is a darn good thing! They sell hand lotions and creams to rid us of those small wrinkles. lol...

D.

Have you tried a can of Scrub n bubbles? I swear by it, and I love the smell too!

i think i just read something about WD-40 working...wouldn't hurt to try, huh?

CLR or LimeAway. Be careful, though, because they can etch or pit the surface of the glass and then it will be harder to keep clean.

We have had the same problem - hard water build up is what it is most likely - in our two year old home. My husband was fanatical about trying to get it clean and googled for hours online. We tried all the usual things as well and nothing worked. Then I bought Pledge Orange with orange oil. I spray it on once a week or so and just let it sit and drip down. I can't say that it has completely cleared it up, but the amount is much less now, so I think over time, it will really help. Also, I use a squeegie thing everytime after I shower - he does not!

Good luck.

The magic eraser works for me!

mr clean magic eraser works great, buy a couple and scrub it down!

If you have not yet tried greased lightening, which you can purchase at most grocery stores or the Dollar General stores or Family Dollar stores. Spray on thick and rub with something scratchy,let sit for a few minutes. Rinse, sometimes you may have to repeat. If this doesn't do the trick try laundry soap wipe on and scrub. rinse. sometimes the jproblem is it was never ever and i mean ever cleaned so it somewhat sits in to the glass. Good luck!

If you have the time and energy try a pumice stone. If it is wet and you don't heavily bear down on the glass it will remove the build-up. Of course you have to keep the stone good and wet it just requires some time and a little gentleness.
B.

I found real recently that toilet bowl cleaner fromt he dollar store works well. I sprayed it on walked away for a few minutes came back and wiped them down. WOW. It worked. I also suggest you use the scrubbing bubbles after each shower. Hope this works for you as well.

I know you have gotten a lot of response lately but there is one thing I did not see mentioned. If you want to try one more thing or have not found the others to work, let me know. My mom's group friend told me about a cleaner that you use on swimming pools. She said it is amazing with no scrubbing. I can get the name of it for you as I need it myself.
Hope you have a great day.

Have you tried Lime Away?

I know you used it. CLR is what you need to get. DId you use it pure strength or dilute it? That is what I use on mine. I put it in a spray bottle. I am shocked it had not worked . It is very strong stuff.

Hi K.,

I use a product called "No Works" what it does it transforms the water droplets in your shower into poten micro cleanrs, pulling soap scum and water minerals off shower surfaces and down the drain. It just sprays on the wet surfaces of the shower or tub and after you useit it keeps the surface treated and sparkling all day. I would be glad to send you a bottle if you like to try.

Pam

I know your request was months ago and I suspect that your shower door probably sparkles now. My two cents includes the fact that I agree that vinegar and baking soda are good choices. However, I have recently discovered Seventh Generation Natural Tub and Tile Cleaner. It worked great on a pretty gruesome build up of scum with no serious scrubbing.

I have used Seventh Generation products for years and appreciate their non-toxic, biodegradable, no fumes efforts. Their motto is: "In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations," from The Great Law of The Iroquois Confederacy.

I purchase their products at HEB, Whole Foods, and via a mail order company called Gaiam. You can get more information at www.seventhgeneration.com

Hi, I can't stand glass shower doors. Way too hard to clean. That's why I get rid of them. You can do it yourself, though it's a job! Then put up a tension rod, white cotton curtain (or whatever) and liner. From then on you can simply toss the liner & occasionally the curtain in the washing machine. (i used to chuck the liners, but i'm trying to be more environmentally aware these days!)

Good luck!

K.
http://www.pepperjellyfarm.com

Try the fabric sheets for the clothes. You might need alot of them but it does work.
N.

what ever you use to get the glass clean, i mean if it hasn't been damaged beyound repair already then nothings going to work, you have to make sure you use something to protect them between showers or you'll be right back where you started.that stuff you can get at any walgreens, walmart,or dollar store. good luck