What You Can Do to Keep Your Glass Shower Enclosure Sparkling Like New

Dirty, soap scum-encrusted glass shower enclosures are a highly frustrating mess to deal with as a homeowner. However, you can prevent the problem easily if you know what to do, and cleaning it can also be accomplished if you have the right materials. Below is more information on how to take care of your glass shower enclosure.

Preventing the Problem of a Dirty Glass Enclosure

Most of the time in life, it's easier to prevent a mess than to clean one up. That certainly holds true with glass shower enclosures, as once soap and hard water stains take hold, they can be challenging to remove.

With that in mind, below are a few best practices that will help keep your glass shower enclosure in sparking clean condition.

Don't Use Bar Soap

Bar soaps are inexpensive and clean well. However, bar soaps contain talc and solid lipids (fats) that bind the soap together. Once these are released inside the shower, they gather together along with other "icky" elements, such as dead skin cells and bacteria, and accumulate on glass.

However, liquid soaps and body washes don't present this same problem for users. The lack of solid components makes for a much cleaner shower and cuts down on the accumulation of unpleasant gunk. By simply transitioning to liquid soap, you can go a long way toward keeping your shower cleaner without any active involvement from you.

Use a Squeegee after Every Shower

Glass staining and buildup occurs whenever the remnants of a shower are allowed to remain on the glass. The water evaporates, leaving behind stubborn particles on the glass.

A highly effective way to prevent this buildup from occurring is to use a squeegee on the glass after every shower. A squeegee is simply a rubber blade that strips water from glass surfaces; they are often sold with a foam sponge attachment, but you won't need the sponge for the glass.

To use a squeegee, simply start at the top of the glass panels, pulling the rubber blade side to side as you work downward. Once you get the hang of it, you will be able to remove every drop of water without having to go back over your glass.

Spray with Daily Shower Cleaning Solution

A squeegee is probably the best tool for preventing annoying buildup, but they can be difficult to use on curved or irregular surfaces, and some people may not possess the necessary dexterity to maneuver the blade. If that applies to you, don't despair because there is hope in the form of spray cleaners.

Daily shower cleaners are used to spritz interior surfaces of the shower enclosure immediately after a shower. There are numerous commercial products available, and while they work well, you can mix your product using the following recipe. Mix the following ingredients together in a clean plastic spray bottle:

• 1 ½ cups of distilled water
• ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide
• ¼ cup of rubbing alcohol
• ½ teaspoon of liquid dish soap
• ½ tablespoon of dishwasher rinse agent

After mixing the ingredients carefully, to avoid foaming up the contents, use the spray after each shower to wet down all interior surfaces. The cleaner will make the glass enclosure super-slippery and prevent the offending soap scum from adhering to the glass.

Use a Melamine Foam Sponge

If you are just now beginning your preventative regimen, then you may have a dirty glass enclosure that needs a good initial cleaning. Don't panic, because some good old-fashioned muscle and sweat, along with a melamine foam sponge, will get rid of the problem.

Melamine foam sponges, sold under the brand name Magic Eraser, are made from a special, high-density material with microscopic cutting edges. These sharp edges are too small to hurt your skin, but they can slice through soap scum like warm butter.

To use a melamine sponge to clean your shower, simply wet the sponge and scrub vigorously over the soap scum. You will probably need a couple or more melamine sponges, as they wear out rapidly with use. However, keep scrubbing, and you will eventually restore the pure, clear shine of your glass shower enclosure.

For more information or assistance, visit resources like http://glasshopperaurora.com.