How To Clean Calcium Buildup On Shower Glass

Ane of the most rewarding parts of cleaning, and a personal obsession of mine, is to get a shower screen that has been stained with hard water deposits for years, sparkling and looking brand new. In our years of cleaning, we have cleaned thousands of shower screens. Some already fairly clean, some opaque with buildup. But how to clean a shower screen seems to be more than of an art than a science, and a quick look around the internet seems to ostend this.

There are hundreds of methods of getting hard water and calcium deposits off a shower screen although no two people agree on the best manner to practice it. Anyone asking how to go their shower screen clean, will get a flurry of very confident and enthusiastic answers from people with the methods that have worked for them, to which the OP usually responds, "Tried that! No love." So for the person wondering how to clean a shower screen, they have to troll through pages of responses on forums to observe a solution that might work. We accept combined the nigh constructive methods into one handy resource, to assist you lot solve the dilemma of how to clean a shower screen.

Things you should know start up...

Stage I & Stage 2 Corrosion

Why is there no agreement on the best mode to clean a shower screen? Well firstly lets look at what the deposits are that brand your otherwise beautiful translucent shower screen boring and cloudy. "Difficult water" is what causes the staining. Hard h2o refers to the density of vitamins and minerals in your water supply, ordinarily calcium and magnesium carbonates. Harder water has a greater density of minerals than softer h2o. If your area has hard water, then these minerals volition buildup on your shower screen. Your shower screen can also become grimey through a buildup of soap scum. Buildup of minerals on your drinking glass is known as Phase I corrosion. Information technology creates a cloudy advent just doesn't actually cause damage to the glass, so it can be removed from the surface of the glass.

As long as the Ph stays relatively low, or acidic (below ix on the Ph calibration) the deposits will remain on the surface of the drinking glass. If the drinking glass becomes also alkaline, hydrogen ions in the water loosen silicon ions in the glass, creating pits in the surface of the glass. Sodium and calcium ions in the water then bond to the surface of the glass. When the minerals first to eat away and impairment the glass leaving carving, it is known as Stage Two corrosion and is far more than hard to remove. Soap scum is alkaline and facilitates this reaction. There are some things that y'all can exercise about stage Two corrosion that may be effective depending on how far the damage has progressed. We will hash out them afterwards in the article.

Considering there'south no manner to diagnose how far the damage has progressed without first trying to remove the buildup, nosotros suggest you lot experiment for yourself. Our cleaning method is always to starting time with our mildest cleaning products and escalate simply every bit needed. If any of the acidic or physical abrasion methods work, then y'all're dealing with stage I corrosion, and that can be removed. Simply it may require some elbow grease and repeated attempts depending on how bad the buildup is. If none of your best efforts make any difference and then chances are that you're dealing with carving in your glass, and yous may have to buff the scratches out or ultimately replace your shower screen depending on the extent of the damage.

Before you kickoff, we recommend taking a photograph of the drinking glass to compare how effective each technique is. Or you can work in a small department so rinse and dry out off and compare it with the rest of the drinking glass.

Phase I Corrosion tips

Vinegar

If the buildup isn't likewise bad, some people claim success with a mild acid such as vinegar. Acids atomize the build-up without damaging the drinking glass and but rinse off. The thickness of the buildup makes a big difference in how easy it is to remove, and using a physical annoying may help to at least take off some of the build-up before re-approaching it with an acid like vinegar.

Scraper Blade

As far equally physical abrasives become, you lot take a few options, always being very conscientious of grade to not scratch the drinking glass. One of my favourite and well-nigh underrated cleaning tools is a scraper bract, the kind used past window cleaners and painters to scrape surfaces clean. You take to ensure it'southward a new, clean blade, hold the blade straight and apply even pressure level. Always use a scraper blade on wet glass to reduce the run a risk of scratching. Hold the scraper at 90 degrees to the glass and scrape in ane direction, not dorsum and forth. Do a small department, rinse off and check if it'southward worked and hasn't damaged the drinking glass before tackling a larger area.

Cleaning Paste

Some other potentially successful physical annoying is a cleaning paste such as Gumption, Jif, Enjo Marble paste or our very own Eco Friendly Animal Friendly Marble Paste from the Pristine Cleaning shop. "Merely won't that scratch my glass?" I hear you wring your hands and weep. You would be surprised. Shower screens are made of toughened glass and very hardy. Besides, cleaning pastes are a very fine abrasive so your shower screen should be safe. Notwithstanding we ever recommend testing any cleaning product on an inconspicuous area first to ensure information technology is rubber for the surface you lot're using it on. Apply cleaning paste with a textile and firm pressure level. You may exist able to experience the buildup and you may besides be able to experience it smoothing out. Woohoo! What a great feeling that is!
If that is another thwarting, fear not, we're simply beginning to reach into our bag of tricks.

0000 Steel Wool

The side by side stride is 0000 (quadruple 0) class steel wool. This is a very fine grade of steel wool that is designed for use on glass without scratching. Use on wet glass or in conjuction with a cleaning paste. Again, test on an inconspicuous area first.
This will likely require a bit of elbow grease and dedication. Requite it a expert go before rinsing off and seeing if information technology'south fabricated a difference. 0000 steel wool is available from the Pristine Cleaning store.

Magic Erasers

Magic Erasers are another option and they are also available from the Pristine Cleaning store. Again they work as an abrasive, utilise wet and rub against the shower screen. There's no risk of these scratching drinking glass.

Dryer Sheets

Dryer Sheets are another weird flim-flam that can work very well. Living in Commonwealth of australia, I simply heard about dryer sheets when looking into how to clean a shower screen. They're squares of fabric that take been infused with textile softener you add together to a dryer load to reduce static and soften your wearing apparel. But moisten the dryer canvas or the shower screen and rub against the shower screen.
You can as well use fabric softener directly. Utilize the fabric softener, and leave for an hr or ii and so wipe off with a cloth.

If you've found that any of these methods have worked even a little bit, great! Keep trying. Rinse and repeat and you may be able to reduce the build-up incrementally. Rotate amid the methods that yous think might work. Become back to the scraper or do a bit more scrubbing. Or y'all may be satisfied with some comeback and leave it at that. If you lot don't like to exist defeated by inanimate objects, nosotros even so accept a couple tricks upwards our sleeves.

Hither's where nosotros beginning to bring out the large guns. With our eco-friendly ethos, we avoid using heavy duty commercial cleaners and are well aware of the hazards of using them. We even wrote an article about it here. Merely if you're okay with them and are fully committed to getting your shower screen clean, open upwardly all the windows and doors for the best possible airflow, article of clothing gloves, a mask and turn the fan on. If you take natural rock tiles DON'T get any of these products on them every bit they will consume away the finish. Lay a towel down.

Calcium Lime and Rust Stain Remover

Nosotros've already used vinegar, which works as a mild acid. but there are stronger acids out there. CLR is one of them. Utilise liberally to affected areas, leave for an hr or and so and and so re-arroyo with a scraper bract or abrasive. Reapply as needed

Zep Calcium Lime and Rust Stain remover is a more powerful version. Y'all can find it online here. This is a heavy duty acid. it is unlikely to damage the glass but it will strip the chrome or aluminium on the shower screen trim. So be careful, and don't get it on your pare. Here'due south a video of it in action.

Oven Cleaner

Finally you lot can try oven cleaner. The not-caustic foaming type is the easiest to avoid breathing in. As ever test on an camouflaged spot and avoid getting whatsoever on the aluminium trim every bit information technology may damage it. Follow the instructions on the tin can and wipe off with a cloth. There are another cleaning products that might work, but they are as well likely to impairment your shower screen, then we don't recommend them.

Stage II Corrosion tips

There! We've tried everything that is probable to work on a mineral buildup (Stage I Corrosion). If you've so far had no success, then your problem is not a mineral buildup, but an etching on the glass. Difficult to ready, but we're not going to surrender on you withal! We'll achieve into our pocketbook of tricks like Felix the Cat and pull out a few more options that might help, depending on the extent of the damage. The depth of the etching is the important betoken hither because you will literally be sanding or buffing back to the bottom of the scratches.
Disclaimer: The following methods involve buffing the shower screen glass in some way and some involve the apply of power tools. You may wish to get out this to professionals. There are many companies that offer this service, merely if yous make up one's mind to do it yourself please inform yourself thoroughly of any risks and apply the appropriate safety equipment. You may decide that yous'll have to replace your shower screen anyway and attempting to repair the harm yourself is a cheaper selection than replacing your shower screen. Proceed with caution and use discretion.

Metallic Polish

One option is to shine out etching using Metallic polish. Silvo and Autosol are good, although any metal polishing paste should piece of work as long equally the particles aren't also fibroid. Apply the cream with a wet material to a pocket-sized, camouflaged area at first until you're sure that information technology's working. If the etching isn't too bad, the glass should come up as new. If the glass is padly pitted and then the calcium will be deposited inside the cracks and it will be very difficult to remove. Yous tin can also utilize a headlight restorer kit, bachelor from whatever automotive store.

Electric Buffer

You can purchase an electric buffer with a chemical compound from your local automotive shop. Attach to an electric drill and follow the instructions to buff the glass back to information technology's original condition.

Super Fine Sandpaper

Another pick is, yous can polish the carving out of the glass. A super fine class sandpaper can exist effective in this. 5000 to 7000 grit sandpaper can smoothen the drinking glass, removing any scratches and etching. Proceed with circumspection. Start in an inconspicuous spot and bank check that you lot're non dissentious the drinking glass before doing a larger area. This may cause a distortion in the appearance of the drinking glass if done unevenly.

Oil

If it is badly pitted, some oils volition seamlessly make full the cracks, albeit temporarily. You can try WD40 or essential oils such equally goanna oil. The oil will demand reapplication to go on up appearances.
If none of these methods work for you, then your shower screen is too deeply damaged to exist repaired and if you can't live with the land of your shower screen as information technology is, the only option is to supercede your shower screen.

An Ounce of Prevention ...

Duster

Mineral buildup on your shower screen can exist avoided completely if yous don't give the water or soap scum a chance to deposit on the glass in the starting time identify. The best way is to have a squeegee in your shower, IKEA sell them for $1.99. Apply it to dry off the glass later on every shower. It will accept less than 10 seconds and will go on your shower screen in pristine condition. Then give your shower screen a good scrub when you clean your shower.

Stay away from bar soap

Bar soap is more likely to go out soap scum deposits than liquid lather.  Nosotros suggest you switch to liquid trunk launder as it will leave less of a deposit of lather scum on your shower glass and avoid creating such an alkaline metal surround in which hard water deposits brainstorm to bind to the drinking glass.

H2o Repellant

A water repellant such as Pelting-Ten will go on water from settling on your shower screen and then that hard water deposits won't go a chance to build up on your shower screen. This will need to exist reapplied periodically.

So in that location it is, everything we know nearly how to clean your shower screen. If any of these methods have helped you, let us know your process in the comments below. All-time of luck getting your shower screen clean and happy cleaning!

Source: https://pristinecleaning.com.au/how-to-clean-a-shower-screen/

Posted by: greenbergbaccoulesty.blogspot.com

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