If you like to keep your bathroom clean, then you might already know how difficult it is to get rid of limescale or remove stubborn calcium deposits from your bathroom tiles.
However, you might be scratching your head as to what is causing these deposits.
One of the reasons that these deposits build-up is because of hard water. Hard water is when there is an excess of minerals that coagulate and form hard deposits on your wall.
These minerals are caused by flowing through streams where they are picked up.
So how do you remove hard water stains from your shower doors? What are the best materials to have that will leave a non-toxic odor and residue?
How easy will it be to remove these stains yourself? Well, if you want to know the answers to these questions and a lot more, then we would suggest that you keep reading.
What Exactly Is Hard Water?
Hard water is a type of water that contains a lot more minerals than soft water. There are certain areas of the country that have higher levels of hard water than others. This is because the water picks up lime, chalk, calcium and magnesium on its journey to your tap.
Hard water can often cause skin irritation in certain people because the mineral content is more abrasive to the skin. However, it can also form deposits on your shower head, taps and shower doors.
If your bathroom comes with a shower door, then after prolonged use, you can be certain that the hard water will start to form deposits on the side.
Hard water deposits on your shower head, can impede its ability to function. You can expect clogging, nozzle blockage and inconsistent flow if these deposits do untreated for a long time.
How Do Hard Water Deposits Appear On Your Glass Door?
When you are in the shower, you tend to use a lot of soap and water. The minerals in hard water tend to mix with the fat and the oils in soap and, over time, this will build into a hard water deposit.
Eventually, this layer will become crusty and dry and eventually form a deposit that will be hard to clean.
The Issues With Hard Water Stains
The issue with a lot of hard water stains is the fact that they can affect the functioning of your appliances over a long period of time.
If you have limescale buildup in your shower, then it will have to work twice as hard to get the water out. This will cause the shower to wear out a lot faster, as they are having to use a lot more energy to work.
It will also cause things like your toilet to flush a lot slower. This is because the deposits will lead to clogs in the piping that will cause the water to flow a lot slower.
Hard water also causes your dishes to become dirtier. This is because the minerals will cause a similar buildup of limescale, which will affect the quality of your dishes in the long term.
This can also affect the quality of your hair. It will reduce the natural shine of your hair and possibly cause irritation on the scalp.
If you have eczema or other skin conditions, then hard water can also exacerbate these conditions, causing you itching and rashes to appear on your skin.
How To Clean Hard Water Stains
Luckily when you are cleaning your shower door (or shower curtain), there are a few natural remedies that you can use that will help you to clean hard water stains off without leaving chemical stains or odors.
We would recommend a mixture of a few different things:
- 1 ½ cup of white vinegar
- 1 ½ cup of baking soda
- Sponge/brush
- Microfiber cloth
With all of these things together, then you’ll definitely be able to clean off the soapy scum. Here is a step-by-step guide of what you need to do to make the right cleaning fluid.
- Mix the baking soda into a small tub and mix it with the vinegar until it forms a paste.
- Take the sponge and dip it in this mixture. When this is done, then apply it to the affected area of your glass shower door.
- Using the same sponge, apply some warm water while you ware wiping in a circular motion until the mixture has completely worn off.
- If the hard water deposits are still on your glass shower, then we would recommend repeating the above steps again until the stains starts to dissolve.
- Once you are happy with the state of your glass surface, then you should dry the area with a microfiber cloth.
How To Prevent Hard Water Stains
One way of keeping your shower clean is through prevention. This means that you won’t have to go through the rigorous process of cleaning your shower door once every few months.
Applying a water softener to your home will definitely help reduce these deposits from appearing on your shower door.
You put this softener in your water supply, which will then work its magic by removing the excess minerals from the water. This way, they won’t be able to form deposits on your glass shower door.
Other Methods Of Hard Water Stain Removal
You can also apply a bleach-like substance to your hard water stains, which will help to break them down. You should apply this bleach in much the same fashion as you would the baking soda and vinegar (although you should take care not to mix the three).
If you are going to be using bleach, then we would recommend wearing protective eye goggles and gloves. This will stop any bleach from getting into your eyes or on your skin.
Once you have applied this bleach, you’ll want to rinse it off with boiling water. Make sure the residue of your bleach runs down into your bath or shower plughole.
Conclusion
We hope that our article has helped you when cleaning these tough deposits from your glass shower door. These stains can often be stubborn, but if you apply the method above, then you should a visible improvement.
