The Biggest Reason People Are Ditching Framed Shower Doors

Framed shower doors offer many benefits, which is one of the reasons they have become such a staple in the bathroom. With their metal tracks and seals, they keep water leaks to a minimum while also offering enough durability to hold up against daily wear and tear. However, these very same structural benefits are also the culprit behind one of the biggest downsides of a framed shower: how easily grime can build up, making cleaning a hassle.

Take a look at your framed shower door. Whether you have a hinged or a sliding door, chances are, there are a lot of mechanisms involved in providing an entrance to your self-care escape. Metal rails, rubber or silicone seals, caulking — these features provide many of the things you love about your shower, such as water containment or a smooth-opening door, but they can also make cleaning difficult. As a result, when it comes time to pick the perfect shower door, many people may choose to ditch framed shower doors.

If you're in the process of picking your shower door, knowing both the pros and the cons about your picks is an important place to start. While framed shower doors do have their advantages, understanding more about the potential downside of cleaning challenges can help you decide if this is the right choice for you — especially if you're struggling to decide between a framed and a frameless glass shower door.

When your goal is to deep clean your bathroom and keep it clean, your shower is one spot you won't want to neglect. After all, with so much usage of water and personal hygiene products, showers can easily become prime real estate for microbes and grime. When your shower door has a frame, your weekly cleaning routine often involves more than scrubbing walls and doors. You'll also need to address the nooks and crannies of the frame itself.

The first hygiene problem area with framed shower doors is the metal track. In most showers, these run along the bottom and top of your shower. Moisture and soap scum from your bath products can build up here. If left unclean, this can lead to damage to the tracks. Cleaning this area can also be a challenge due to the small crevices, requiring more elbow grease on your part.

And the caulking and seals, while handy for preventing leaks and reducing the need to dry your floors after every shower, are a magnet for microbes, including unwanted mold and mildew. Just like with the metal track, these spots can be notoriously difficult to keep clean due to poor accessibility.