Cleaning Ingredients You Should Stop Using On Glass Shower Doors

Even if you righteously squeegee the glass door clean to prevent mold and grime in the shower, you will eventually need to give the enclosure a thorough cleaning for a spot-free finish. Unsightly soap film and scum can build up over time, dulling the appearance of the glass, while water spots will make the glass look dirty. If you aren't careful, though, some cleaners and cleaning methods could also work against you and your shower, damaging the glass and making it impossible for it to ever look brand new again. Gritty, abrasive cleansers like Comet may etch the glass or cause tinted glass to lose color. Abrasive pads leave minute scratches in the glass that you might not see until they fill with dirt. At the same time, even soft materials like paper towels can leave lackluster results and add to your cleaning routine.

Keep in mind that it's not just the glass that is affected by the cleaner you choose. Grout, silicone seals, and metal frames are also exposed to the chemicals in cleaning products and may wear down even if the glass doesn't. Don't use products containing harsh ingredients like acetone, bleach, lye, or aggressive solvents on your glass shower doors. The DIY hydrogen peroxide-based cleaner you use to disinfect household surfaces can also corrode metal parts of the door. Check the ingredients list of commercial glass cleaners for these chemicals before you use them on the glass door. Glass shower doors also often have a protective coating meant to resist hard water deposits and soap residue. Manufacturers may suggest safe cleaners to use in their product info sheets, but generally, you should stick to gentle solutions like distilled white vinegar.

Using the wrong cleaning method can also do damage to your shower glass, as stiff brushes, Magic Erasers, and scratchy cleaning pads could leave permanent blemishes. All shower doors in the U.S. are required to be made from safety glass, so it's highly unlikely you'll break the glass if you use too much elbow grease, but you might scratch it. Surprisingly, even using paper towels is a major mistake to avoid when cleaning glass shower doors. They won't harm the glass, but they will leave lint behind, so a squeegee or a microfiber cloth is your best choice for drying and polishing the surface.

Using a DIY product with safe cleaning ingredients saves you money and lessens the likelihood you'll damage the shower glass. While the glass itself will often withstand many chemicals, cleaners with ammonia and other normally glass-safe ingredients may still damage the protective coating. For a safer way to clean your glass shower doors, you can remove soap scum in a flash by filling a spray bottle with white vinegar and water (one cup of each) and a couple drops of mild dish soap. Shake it up, spray the solution on the glass, wait 10 to 15 minutes, and wipe with a non-abrasive sponge. Rinse the glass with fresh water, and dry with a microfiber cloth. For an alternative approach, making a paste of baking soda and water and then spreading it on the glass is also effective. Apply it to the door, let it sit for 10 to 20 minutes, and then rinse and dry the glass. If there are tough stains, spray a little warm vinegar on the paste to clear it away.