Hard water spots are exactly that, hard water that has accumulated on a glass shower door, making it look dirty, grungy, and grimy. No one wants their new shower door to look dirty, even though it's not, due to the build-up of hard water. It is easier to prevent hard water from accumulating than it is to constantly have to clean and try to remove it. Here are a few ways to clean your glass, remove the hard water, and return your shower door to look like it's brand new again.
What Causes Hard Water Buildup
Hard water, also known as limescale, is when a high number of minerals found in your water, leave a chalky residue behind on shower doors and walls. When the water evaporates the minerals (limescale), remain behind clinging to any available surface, that appears hard, and crusty and can change color from white to green.
It is best to clean and remove hard water regularly, instead of letting them build up and become a nightmare. The longer you go between cleanings, the more build-up occurs, making it harder to remove. The more often you clean your shower, the less build-up you’ll have to remove each time.
Cleaning Materials
If you try to clean hard water spots off with regular glass cleaner, you’ll soon discover that it won’t come off, you’re going to need something stronger. Luckily, you can use some pantry staples such as vinegar and baking soda to safely and effectively remove any hard water buildup from your shower door. In addition to your vinegar or baking soda, you’ll also need:
How to Clean Hardwater off Glass
Now that you have all of the necessary cleaning supplies assembled, you are ready to begin cleaning. Start by warming up your vinegar until it is nice and hot. With your vinegar heated up, you are officially ready to begin!
Wearing rubber gloves, begin to dip your paper towels into the hot vinegar and place them on your shower door glass. The acidic nature of the vinegar will penetrate the mineral deposits, and begin to loosen them. Let the vinegar-soaked paper towels sit on the glass for 30 to 60 mins, before removing them. While waiting, continue to wet the paper towels, by spraying them with vinegar from a spray bottle.
Once the 30-60 mins have elapsed, you can then remove the vinegar-soaked paper towels, take a damp rag or sponge and sprinkle it with a generous amount of baking soda. Using your baking soda rag or sponge, wipe down the door gently, avoiding any vigorous scrubbing.
At this point, you are now ready to rinse off any residual vinegar or baking soda, using distilled water. If you have any spots that remain behind, repeat the baking soda scrub until they are gone. At this point, your glass should be shiny and clear! Dry the glass with a microfiber towel.
How to Prevent Future Build Up
The best way to prevent hard water and limescale from building up on your shower door is to wipe it down after every time the shower is used. Because hard water results from water accumulating on the glass, evaporating and leaving minerals behind, wiping down the glass before the water can evaporate, will eliminate the problem. The best way to wipe down the glass is by using a small squeegee after showering to ensure that all the water is removed from the surface of the glass.
