If your shower has glass doors, you’ve undoubtedly noticed that white film is accumulating on the surface of your shining shower glass doors. This white or gray layer on your almost spotless bathroom is called soap scum.
It covers the surfaces around shower curtains, bathtubs, shower doors, tiling, and sinks. This soap scum can be difficult to remove, especially if left for an extended period. Hence, you must clean it regularly to keep it from making the bathroom seem filthy.
Let’s discover some useful tips on how to clean soap scum off glass shower doors.
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Ways to Remove Soap Scum Off Glass Shower Door
Soap scum, also known as lime soap, is a mixture of soap and minerals (calcium stearate and magnesium stearate) found in the water.
You can clean and remove soap scum from glass shower doors and prevent soap scum buildup to keep your bathroom squeaky clean.
Things to Prepare!
First, we need to prepare the things we will need in cleaning soap scum off glass. It includes the following:
- Commercial Cleaner
- Magic Eraser
- Vinegar
- Ammonia
- Baking Soda
- Daily Shower Cleaner
- Body Wash
1. Clean Soap Scum with a Commercial Cleaner
Make sure that you choose a cleaner with alcohol in it to avoid ugly stripes from occurring on your glass door. Also, the glass cleaner should be non-toxic to avoid possible allergies and skin damage.
You can effortlessly clean your shower door by spraying a commercial glass cleaner for shower over the affected area. Then, you can wipe it off using a white cloth.
2. Opt for a Magic Cleaning Eraser
If you prefer not to use chemicals in cleaning your shower area, you can opt for a magic cleaning eraser. After soaking the eraser in a small amount of warm water, you can begin scrubbing it directly on the stained area in a circular motion.
You can have a better result when cleaning after a shower since the warm wate will loosen up the soap scum and make the magic eraser more effective.
Using this product might not be the most effective way to clean years of soap scum, but it is the quickest method.
3. Clean with Warm Vinegar
You can go to your kitchen to grab the white vinegar to clean soap scum off shower door. Vinegar makes a great cleaner and disinfectant since it’s made from acetic acid.
It is a great option not only because it is very useful but because it is inexpensive and readily available.
- Take vinegar and heat it in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
- Next, take a sponge and dip it in the heated substance
- then scrub it onto the glass and let it sit for about five minutes before rinsing with clean, warm water.
An unpleasant smell from the vinegar may linger after cleaning until it completely dries. To avoid this, you can mix the vinegar with an equal amount of water before using it. It is an effective way to remove that stubborn shower door residue.
4. Use Ammonia
You can also use ammonia to remove stubborn soap scum on glass shower door. It is also effective in cleaning tabletops.
- First of all, make sure to wear rubber gloves and a mask.
- All you need to do is mix 1 part of ammonia with 3 parts water and put it in a spray bottle.
- Spray the soap scum surface with the ammonia mixture and let it sit for approximately 5 to 10 minutes.
- While wet, you can scrub the glass so that the soap scum will loosen up.
- To completely remove all the ammonia mixture, rinse it from top to bottom before drying it.
5. Mix Vinegar and Baking Soda
Another homemade cleaner that can get soap scum off glass is made by mixing baking soda with vinegar. Baking soda is naturally abrasive, making it very useful in cleaning.
- Start by mixing a tablespoon of vinegar and 80 ml of baking soda until its texture becomes a paste. Do not add the vinegar directly to the spray bottle with baking soda to avoid an expanding reaction.
- Dip a clean sponge into the paste, apply it to the glass surface, and then carefully scrub the glass door.
- Next, let it sit for at least 15 minutes. After that, rinse the paste off using a microfiber cloth.
Aside from soap scum, this is also the method to use when you want to remove hard water stains.
How to Prevent Soap Scum Build-up
1. Maintain a Clean Bathroom
To maintain a clean bathroom, you need to prevent the build-up of soap scum. One best way to avoid the build-up of soap scum is to keep your shower glass door clean and free from soap scum and mold.
It simply means you must start removing all soap scum from your bathroom fixtures once it develops.
You can spend a few minutes a day stopping the soap scum from coming back by using a daily shower cleaner using a clean cloth or a squeegee.
This may appear a hassle and a waste of time, but cleaning your shower door after you shower is far easier than cleaning off soap scum accumulated over time.
Aside from that, you can also open your bathroom windows or use a fan after you shower to dry out the bathroom. This way, you will prevent the growth of soap scum and molds.
2. Switch to Body Wash Instead of Bar Soap
Another tip you can do to prevent soap scum is to switch out your bar soap with a liquid or gel body wash. This is because bar soap contains organic animal fat, which can cause soap scum.
The body wash is easier to use and is more hygienic compared to using bar soap. This type of wash is diluted, making it easier to rinse.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do glass shower doors get so dingy?
Shower doors get stained with white films that cover almost everything in your shower area. These white films, known as soap scums, are formed when calcium and magnesium particles that are present in the water come into contact with soap. Hence, soap scum builds up.
When we use the products in the shower together with hard water (water with high mineral content), soap scum can form. When the shower is always wet, soap scum and even mold can grow.
Hence, cleaning and drying your shower glass door every day is a necessity to prevent it from building up since it is so difficult to remove when prolonged.
What removes hard water stains from glass shower doors?
To remove hard water stains from your glass shower doors, you can use a paste of vinegar and baking soda. This is the best way to remove these stubborn stains.
Since the vinegar is naturally acidic, it breaks down the soap scum. However, vinegar alone isn’t always effective; that is why it is mixed with baking soda.
Apply the mixture over glass doors by dipping a clean sponge into the paste mixture. After 15 minutes, clean it with a microfiber cloth. And you can have your glass shower door squeaky clean again.
Does magic eraser remove soap scum from glass?
A magic eraser is a non-chemical product you can use if you don’t like to use chemicals or scented products in your shower area.
If you want to remove scum from a small area, the magic eraser is a convenient solution. Also, it is the quickest way to clean your shower door residue. But, if the soap scum has been there for too long, there are other methods mentioned above that should be used instead.
Conclusion
The suggestions on how to clean soap scum off glass shower doors now end here. A lot of ways to clean shower glass doors can be used, but their effectiveness varies. In most cases, preventing soap scum build-up is the best solution.
If you find these white layers of soap scum on your shower door, clean it and prevent it from coming back using the methods mentioned above. Then, you can enjoy your shower in a gleaming, clean shower area.
Also, check our other bathroom cleaning and repair tips here:
- 6 simple steps to repair a hairline crack in a porcelain sink.
- Tiling shower niche without bullnose.
Hi, I am Roseanne Jones, an aspiring home designer that wants to make you feel more at home with your new house.With nearly five years of redecorating old residents and arranging new ones, I am confident that I can give you the best advice on your lovely place.
