We've only ever had a shower over the bath with a curtain rail and shower curtain but next week we move into a house with a proper shower cubicle. I'm assuming that the 'glass' isn't really glass but rather something like polypropyline and I'm wondering what's the best way to keep it clean?
What about using something like Rain-X rain repellent that's used on car windscreens? Good idea or not?
I think may of them are glass, but we have a sliding one that I think is polycarbonate. It's too thin to be glass.
My general tip for cleaning is citric acid granules and hot water in a garden sprayer, which is quite good at getting limescale and soap scum off. Sometimes needs a few goes and a little scrubbing though (it doesn't stick too well to the vertical surface and tends to run off before it's had time to react - getting everything warm beforehand helps). Neat granules scattered in the nooks and crannies plus some scrubbing shifts other dirt.
Not sure, but note the difference is that Rain-X makes water bead, whereas in a shower beaded water is where the limescale collects (it beads, dries out, and leaves a limescale ring behind) - you'd rather it ran down into the drain instead. Cars are mostly in the rain which is soft water. Also in a shower hard water reacts with soap to make soap scum, which collects on the surface. Not sure what Rain-X would do with that.
Wiping the surfaces down with a squeegee after a shower helps reduce the beading and so the limescale buildup.
Theo
Many (most?) are real glass ...
Thanks Theo and Andy, great info there, cheers.
tempered ("toughened") glass is common. That should be marked to show that it is.
With age I find it can take a torch and some time to find the mark - especially when the it's right in a corner and half hidden by framing, runners etc. I hope you do better.
<snip> +1
Rain-X actually do a specific shower version. I don't know if there is any real difference or just the packaging.
Hopefully it would smell much nicer ...
use shower cleaning spray twice a week
In message snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com, Chris Hogg snipped-for-privacy@privacy.net writes
Ours are glass. 8mm? Softened water so not quite the OPs issue but I do use the shower head to rinse down everything likely to have been splashed.
>+1 We use one of these:
I think mine is toughened glass.
Spray the wet surfaces with Mr Muscle Shower Shine after every shower. This means that you only have to give it a good clean once or twice a year, rather than once a month, especially if you have hard water.
For accumulated limescale, use Viakal or a similar limescale remover.
+1
Be careful of using *BOG* limescale remover. It discolours chrome.
Shower scale remover is gentle and very cheap. A £1 Waitrose own brand lasts me a month at least. I can't remember what acid it is.
However, be careful of long term use over tile grout. It *will* dissolve that, too.
Most of them *are* (toughened) glass. So clean as you would a window. However in hard water areas, it can be hard work!
Might help...
You'll know from the weight of it, the moving segments, and the look of any exposesd edges, if it's glass.
When I had my mothers' bathroom upgraded to a wetroom about 5 years ago I questioned the bathroom co. regarding the hard water issue and he said that modern shower screen glass was made with a micro-somethingorother finish that limescale couldn't bind to.
She had to go into a home about a year later so I didn't ever find out, plus I left a squegee blade to wipe off the glass after each use prevention being better than cure and all that.
Cheers - Pete
+1
It doesn't take long for a toilet bowl limescale remover to discolour it and create pits in the surface of chrome and chrome (effect) plated plastic.
It probably is not that forgiving on aluminium trim/runners.
Ive looked at my uber cheap shower limescale spray and its a witches brew of detergent, perfume, disinfectant and presumably a limescale remover. It Simply Works, Ok I have softened water here but in my period renting it kept a shower panel sparkling.
Well obviously you've got to use the right stuff for the job. The stuff for limescale encrusted toilet bowls contains hydrochloric acid.
As does patio or brick acid. It gets limescale of bogs really well, but boy the chrome discolours,
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