Hard Water Deposits on Shower Tile

[ohberg]

Can anyone suggest a good way to remove hard water deposits (& soap residue) from the tile in my shower? Also, does tile degrade over time? I am trying to find a way to restore the shine to my shower. :)

[Nicole H]

I use a tip I learned from my dh who cleaned many tile showers in the Army.... rubbing alcohol will remove hard water deposits and soap residue. Once removed, you can use baby oil or car wax on the tile for a "protective" coating. If you maintain this coating, nothing will stick. The tile won't degrade but the grout and caulking may... and of course, the tile can crack, chip, break, etc.

[Phisherman]

Try CLR or The Works. Plain vinegar may do the job, although less effective than the mentioned products. After shower sprays are easy and work to keep from the build up. Glazed tile will not degrade, but the grout will deteriorate if not sealed properly. Shine the metal fixtures with Brasso or other metal polish. Gold fixtures should never be polished.

[Vox Humana]

"protective"

Do you actually use baby oil or car wax on your tile? I would think that the oil would just bead up on the glazed tile. The glazed surface is very like glass and you can imagine what oil on glass would be like. I think the car wax might work for a while and then get blotchy where it wears off, not to mention the likelihood of accumulating in the grout lines. The beauty of glazed tile is that it doesn't need any sealers and is durable enough to scrub. Once clean, tile is easy to maintain. A steam cleaner will remove the soap scum build up and an acid like CLR or The Works will remove mineral build up. For extra tough areas I would use some of the new Dawn Power Dissolver. Misting the tile with one of the after shower mists will virtually prevent any future problems. I have a hand held shower head and I always take a minute to rinse the shower stall before I mist it.

[Nicole H]

Yes, I use baby oil on the tile and the glass doors. The oil doesn't bead up... I squirt it on, rub it over the entire surface, then buff off. Been doing this for years...figure dh had some experience w/this so I believed him and tried it... no shower tile in my house goes without.

[sijka]

SOAP SCUM

What I have found that works REALLY good on soap scum and hard water stains(like on outside windows that get hit with the sprinkler water!) is "Humidifier Cleaner". I know it sounds funny. You can sometimes find it on sale at a garage sale or thrift store--get it at the cheapest place you can. All brands seem to be the same.

I spray it on full strength to a small area of about 1' x 1'. Use gloves on your hands. Let it work in for just a few minutes then use one of those "Scotch" type green scouring pads and lightly scrub in a circular motion. Do small sections at a time so you know if you are getting the job done. Rinse it as you have areas completed. You may have to repeat this process several times.

I have used car wax on tiles before with a glowing shine as the result!!

NOW TO KEEP IT CLEAN!!!!!!

Once you have the area as clean as you can get it......EVERY TIME you take a shower do one of the following: (I recommend #2)

1) make a spray of distilled water and "Jet Dry" and spray itlightly on the tiles, tub, curtain and chrome.

2) and this really doesn't take a lot time. Have a dry hand towel hanging in the shower at all times and wipe down the shower tiles and tub and chrome EVERY TIME you shower.Seriously--it takes less than a minute!!

NOW.......if your tiles and tub are REALLY in TERRIBLE shape and the above doesn't work....... Please contact me for further instructions!!

Sijka

[Julie Moretto]

When I first bought my house and wanted to clean my way because there was a layer of soap scum in the tub I used brillo pads and rinsed clean! Of course mine is not stone, it's the cheap fiberglass!

[Phisherman]