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Tip #1: Try spraying rubbing alcohol and wiping immediately. Clean houses for a living, and use the alcohol for glass and mirrors.
Tip #2: First remove the hard water on your shower doors with CLR (try the hardware store for this) on a cloth. This stuff is toxic, but using it just the once will get ALL the hard water stains off. Once it's clean, have everyone wipe the shower doors off with the towel they used on their body EVERY time they shower. Once or twice a week, spray the door with vinegar and wipe with paper towels.
Tip #3: The best remover didn’t take it all off but most of it cleared up was Bonami--it’s in the cleaning product section by Comet/Ajax and it's non-abrasive.
Tip #4: I found Lysol bath and tub cleaner (I think) it's a pink aerosol can to be the absolute best...spray on doors before you shower and it leaves them clean...also we have a small squeegee in the shower and squeegee after we shower to minimize cleaning.
Tip #5: Lemi Shine works better than anything on all those hard water problems and in the dishwasher.
Tip #6: Oven cleaner works miracles to get off the built up gunk on shower doors. Spray, walk away, about a half hour later rinse (scrub if really built up) and then use a squeegee to get off excess .... My kids used to love "washing" the shower doors with bar soap and of course I wasn't able to get to it right away....I tried oven cleaner as a last resort and I have never tried anything else since!!!! It also works great on mildew on the tile!
Tip #7: I have a hard time with hard water. This is one big project. Then you only have to maintain it afterwards. I have used toilet bowl cleaner. I start at the top of the shower doors and let it run down. Then I take a scouring pad and lightly rub the shower doors (use mask, fan, and long gloves) Rinse down. This should take off 90% of it. Then I take KABOOM and spray the entire shower down. I let it sit for 20 minutes. After I squirt Soft Scrub on then take the scouring pad and scrub it all down, including the doors. Rinse with cold water. Then I take Turtle Wax and wax it all down. Let it sit. Then take a soft rag and rub it down. It leaves a nice shine and the water runs right off. Afterwards, for maintenance, I use a squeegie after showering and towel dry right after. Once a week, I use Comet to clean it up.
Tip #8: I use a product called "WORKS" -- it's a rust and lime remover. I use it all the time, it really breaks up the hard water stains.
Tip #9: You may need to use one of these harsh chemicals listed in the other posts for the initial cleaning, but after that try SHOUT laundry pretreat for weekly cleaning. Works great, smells good (much easier to breathe) and is inexpensive.
Tip #10: This is going to sound too easy but I also have hard water and if you use a Bounce dryer sheet to clean the shower doors the white stuff just melts away. Don't know why it works but it does (believe me I have tried every other method listed here and this works the best!)
Tip #11: I clean houses part-time and whenever possible I prefer to
use natural things to clean with. I once had particularly horrible
shower doors to clean and tried everything from Vim, to Bleach to CLR, but
nothing worked as well as plain old lemon juice. I just cut the lemon
in half and scrubbed the door with the lemon!...D
Tip #12: I use lemon oil to remove hard stains and lime buildup on the
shower doors. Wonderful stuff, no scrubbing. Just wipe it on and wipe
it off...Rena
Tip #13: To remove hard water stains / build up on *glass* shower
enlosures...use rock salt! Wet the *glass* walls of your shower, grab a
handful of rock salt and scrub. It comes off much, much easier than anything
else I have tried. You should try this on a small piece of your shower
first, to be sure it will not damage your shower. Be sure not to do
this on anything but glass. Glass is harder than rock salt, so salt
shouldn't scratch it. Other materials (like plexi-glass and plastic) may be
softer than rock salt and thus may get scratched...Sacha
Tip #14: After trying several different products I decided to try LEMI SHINE (TIP #5), It removed ALL my hard water build up, 8 months worth, AMAZING! I even used it to scrub my tub and shower walls and floors. They've never been cleaner :-)...Kathi
Tip #15: Used cleaner designed for glass stovetops, has mild abrasive like bon-ami and some kind of chemical (not too toxic). Only need one time through on the aluminum frame. Two applications and a little elbow work on the glass and..., ta daa!!! Like new....Chris
Tip #16: Pine Sol. Works like a charm...Jack
Tip #17: Use LEMON OIL to remove hard water stains from glass shower doors. Just wipe it on and they are GONE! Always make sure area is completely free of water on any surface before using lemon oil or it will get smudgy-if this happens, just keep wiping with a dry cloth every so often til gone. I have tried at least dozen other tips and cleaners and NONE worked! The Works, cooktop cleaner, vinegar, Kaboom, softscrub, Magic Eraser, and others. I have textured (bumpy) glass, no maybe that is why nothing else worked. Use the oiled cloth to shine up tiles like glass and to gloss up a countertop. Also wiped on my bathroom cabinets to keep them from drying out from shower steam-wipe with the grain regularly...Dana
Tip #18: Totally frustrated with my shower door I followed a tip about oven cleaner. I tried vinegar, soft scrub, lime removers, nothing worked. The oven cleaner made my doors like new thanks for the tip...Jack
Tip #19: I moved into a foreclosed home that needed some serious work on the windows & shower doors. I practically tried the whole aisle of cleaning products from the hardware store. The folks at Ace told me about Bruce's Heavy Duty Brown. It took some elbow grease but my shower doors are totally clear. If you have tougher than average soap scum I would tell you to try Bruce's GSR...Nicole
Tip #20: Orange hand cleaner with pumice in it. You can find it at auto parts stores or maybe Walmart. Get the stuff with the pumice in it. Apply with bare hands. DO NOT USE WATER until you are ready to rinse. You can feel the water stains and soap scum coming off and your hands will be very clean. Non toxic and smells great. Please use this stuff instead of oven cleaner which is very toxic and is probably very bad for the water supply...Mike
Tip #21: Orange Glow. Spray on and wait a couple of minutes. Use scrubber side of sponge to wipe. Paper towel off. Also works on metal hardware on shower doors...Chris
Tip #22: Chrome polish works best--like kind you use to shine up the Harley! Apply it in a circular motion with a clean cotton cloth. Let dry. Rub off in circular motion using a different clean cotton cloth...KT
Tip #23: Bounce Dryer sheet on hard water stains. I am in dis-belief. Just tried it, it works perfectly. Never thought anything could get hard water stains off of glass, this absolutely does. Thanks so much!...Josh
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