Expert: Robert Lamb - 11/22/2007

Question
Hello Robert,
I just moved into a house that is 5 years old but has very bad etched shower doors from soap scum and other minerals.  I have tried all of the basic homeowner remedies including steel wool and nothing even comes close to cleaning these doors.  Any suggestions?  Thanks

Answer
Jim,

Soap scum is probably the least of your troubles. I'm almost 100% positive you'll find the culprit is the hard water spots you have correctly identified as mineral deposits. The good news is there are a variety of products that will effectively remove these mineral deposits as can be seen at the following link: http://www.colkercompany.com/shop.asp?category=12000

You really have two choices:

1. Hire a professional who is experienced in removing hard water spots.

OR

2. Roll up your sleeves and do it your self.

Option #1 can get a little pricey so shop around and ask for references making sure they do have experience in removing these spots.

Option #2 is less expensive unless you factor in your time because as I already mentioned, it can be very labor intensive!

If you opt for #2, you might want to use the link above (or this link: http://window-cleaning-supply.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=10 as they have a sale on right now and I have worked with these fine people for several years) and purchase one or more of the products they list. These are window cleaning web sites that sell to professional window cleaners (there are others like J. Racenstein, http://www.racenstein.com/). You will also need a WHITE scrubby pad. 3M makes these and so do other companies, but make sure it is a white pad. These pads are graded by color and white, the least abrasive, will not scratch your glass doors and windows. Some other colors will! (You could also use triple fine steel wool if you can't find the white scrubby pads)

I personally have used the Sani-Scrub, that you can find in the above sites, and it does work, but roll up those sleeve and expect a work out!

Funny thing is, not too long ago I spoke with one of my route managers in California who raves about SafeRestore. He just used it on some very badly damaged shower doors and had great success with very little effort.

When you do get the doors restored, you will also need to put a glass barrier on the surface of the damaged glass. Glass Guardian and Invisible Shield are top of the line products and can also be found at the window cleaning sites mentioned above. An easy one to find is Rain-X. Rain-X can be purchased in your local auto parts store.

Lastly, be sure to use a squeegee after you shower so that the doors do not continue to be damaged. You can even buy one made especially for the shower.

Let me know how it turns out!

Sincerely,

Robert Lamb
Window Masters
http://www.robscleaningservice.com