How to Combat Hard Water on Your Glass Shower Enclosure
A great benefit of glass shower enclosures is they are non-porous, so they are more resistant to mildew compared to curtains. However, if you have hard water in your home, your enclosures can build up with water spots and soap scum.
Hard water has a higher content of minerals like magnesium and calcium compared to soft water. If you don’t have a water softener, here are a couple of ways to combat the effects of hard water on your glass shower enclosure.
Clean Your Glass Doors CorrectlyWhen you are done showering, the glass enclosure may be left with condensation. As these water droplets evaporate, the mineral residue is left behind, leaving you with unsightly water spots.
Besides water spots, hard water can leave behind soap scum. The minerals in hard water do not react well with soap; instead of lathering up, the ions form an insoluble substance. When soap scum isn’t cleaned, it can leave gray, white, or even orange streaks. It can also build up in your tile grout and corrode metal framework around your glass.
One idea to fight this build up and soap scum is to buy an eco-friendly glass cleaner and a small squeegee. After you finish in the shower, quickly spritz this product and squeegee the glass doors. Taking a minute or two after each shower to do this can cut down on your deep cleaning time and remove most of the water spots.
For deeper cleans, you can make some solutions and use rags to wipe down the glass. Make an equal-part vinegar and water solution. Put this solution in a spray bottle and add several drops of dish soap (one that doesn’t create suds). Spray this solution on soap scum and let it sit for a minute. Then use rags and an old toothbrush to scrub the enclosure and remove the soap scum.
You can make another cleaning solution with vinegar and baking soda. This solution makes more of a paste that you can apply in areas near the glass like grout or metal framework. Let it set for about 15 minutes and then wipe it with a rag. Rinse the area and let it dry.
Disguise the Hard Water Residue With Frosted GlassIf you don’t want to squeegee the glass enclosure every time you shower, you may want to disguise the problem until you can do a deeper clean. A good way to hide hard water is with frosted glass. Frosted glass panes are semi-translucent, so you will still get the benefit of good lighting in your showers; but because the glass has a texture, you won’t see water spots inside the enclosure as easily.
If you are planning on redoing your glass shower enclosure, you can contact at us at Central Glass Company. We can customize your glass to reduce the appearance of hard water droplets.
Glass companies sandblast the glass panels, which erodes the surface and gives it that frosted look. A glass company can also make frosted glass with acid etching, which consists of using caustic or abrasive chemicals to create the frosted look.
Some homeowners opt for a uniform look, but you can customize the frosted panels even further. Frosted glass can be designed with stencils, such as interlocking chevrons, floral patterns, or ornamental paisley. You could also choose to have the installation company etch only a portion of the glass.
Don’t let hard water ruin the aesthetics of your beautiful shower enclosures. Stay on top of cleaning by doing small things each day and consider frosted glass to disguise water spots on interior shower doors.