Enclosed in the moisture and warmth of your bathroom, glass shower doors are the perfect spawning ground for mildew, mold, and disgusting soap scum that could make anyone’s stomach turn. They can be very difficult to clean, but without them your bathroom and most of what’s in it would be a soaked mess every time you showered. At Keystone Home Products, we design and install a wide range of shower doors for residential and commercial customers throughout the Greater Toronto Area.
There are several different kinds of glass shower doors that consumers can choose from, the most common and widely available being pivot, bi-fold, frameless, sliding, and curved. Each one is suitable for different layouts.
- Pivot style glass shower doors are made to swing out into the bathroom and are ideal for recessed showers because they provide a wide opening. The biggest drawback, however, is the amount of room needed to ensure they can swing open freely. Any objects that block the opening increase the risk of the glass breaking on contact.
- Some glass shower doors have two panels that are hinged in the middle and are known as bi-fold. This is a common design for small closet spaces, too. Whereas pivot style doors fold out of the shower, these fold in and are the door of choice for bathrooms where space is limited. The biggest problem with this kind of door is it rides on a track along the bottom, and the constant swinging motion sometimes causes the door to bind and stick.
- If you have a modern bathroom with contemporary décor and fixtures, a popular option in glass shower doors are frameless doors. They, too, swing out from the shower and are often made from a single pane of glass. And remember, there needs to be enough space for the door to open freely without being blocked.
- The most common type of glass shower doors are sliding doors, which glide along a track situated on the top of the bathtub or shower step. They are also normally attached to a frame bolted into the bathroom wall at the front and rear of the tub or shower. The main attraction with these kinds of doors is they don’t require swing space inside or outside the shower. On the downside: They often let water out, and the panels are difficult to clean.
- The final type of glass shower doors are curved shower doors, which are typically included if a shower has been installed in a corner. These doors are reversible and can open from the right or left. They are noted for a curved door attached to a frame at the top and bottom, and create more space in the shower than other corner enclosures.
When it comes to cleaning glass shower doors, you can whip up your own cleaner using: white vinegar, water, sponges or soft cloths, and a bucket. To clean the doors follow these steps:
- Make sure the bathroom is well ventilated, either with an open window or by using a fan of some sort to draw out the fumes.
- Wear protective goggles and gloves before mixing the cleaning ingredients together.
- Mix one part water with one part vinegar in a bucket.
- Moisten the sponge or cloth in the mixture, and rub it over the surface of the door to remove hard water stains or soap scum. For tough spots, use more vinegar.
Finally, clean the doors with fresh, clean water, then use a squeegee to remove excess water. If necessary, repeat the steps outlined above.
