Hard Water or Soap Scum on Shower Doors ..... Help !!!

Updated on December 29, 2008
S.S. asks from Shawnee, KS
24 answers

I am not sure it I have Soap Scum or Hard water stains on my shower doors, but it is absolutely nasty. I have tried every product out there and have had no luck what so ever. Does anyone have any advice on how I can get them clean ? Thanks so much !

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So What Happened?

Thanks so much for all your advice :) Ok so I tried EVERYTHING, and nothing worked :( I just have real bad luck I guess. I have spent days on those shower doors and they are still the same. I think I am just going to replace them, I know its alot of money but I am going to be putting my house on the market in a few months and dont need nasty shower doors !!! Thanks again ladies :)

Featured Answers

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N.L.

answers from Kansas City on

A co-worker and I used to trade notes on this same issue....I no longer have glass shower doors, but she passed on her latest and greatest trick....use the cleaner that is for the glass smooth stove tops and once the glass is clean and dry, spray with Rain-X...I will put it to the test in the next home I have that has glass shower doors!!

N.

2 moms found this helpful
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C.S.

answers from St. Louis on

My mom has well water that is very hard. I think what she uses for the hard water stains is The Works or something like that. I know that she bought it at Home Depot and I think it was industrial strength. I may have the name wrong but if you ask or browse the shelves you may find something that will work for you. Whatever it was, she accidentally dripped it onto her bath rug and it ruined it. So be careful... To help keep them clean after you get it off, try putting a glass wax on the doors (like rain-x). If it is soap scum, switch to liquid soap. The bar soap is what leaves the soap scum. We switched and what a difference!!!

Good luck!

2 moms found this helpful
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T.W.

answers from Kansas City on

Buy a small bottle of Lemon Oil. Place a drop or two on a rag and wipe off the scum. That's all it takes!!! This works wonderfully on chrome faucets, etc. too. Have fun :)

1 mom found this helpful

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S.M.

answers from St. Louis on

The very best cleaner of everything in the shower is plain white vinegar-and it is healthy as well. Sometimes I have to rub a little harder but not with anything more than a soft sponge-this is really simple and it works. To remove the stains use a bit of baking soda-you can rub it in dry and let it set a while or put it in your sponge and go for it-wet or dry. Wet you do need more. Have fun and stay safe too.

2 moms found this helpful
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C.G.

answers from St. Louis on

I can't help you with the doors, but I wanted to encourage your positive thinking. You may or may not need it, but there are so many people out there who just aren't happy about anything (probably for many reasons). I'm so glad to hear that you are taking control of your thoughts and emotions-it's a tough thing to do. Go you!!!!

1 mom found this helpful
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A.G.

answers from Kansas City on

I noticed that someone else has mentioned fabric softener sheets, and they do work! I usually save the used ones after I pull the load out of the dryer that way i can get double use of them and by the time I tackle the shower doors I have quite a bit saved up. Just wet and scrub away-have Fun!

A.

1 mom found this helpful
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E.B.

answers from Springfield on

Oven cleaner!!! I promise! It's AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!

1 mom found this helpful
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E.V.

answers from Kansas City on

KaBoom!!!!! It works great!

1 mom found this helpful
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B.C.

answers from Joplin on

Sommer, if the doors are frosted glass or plastic you can do what we did at Merry Maids...after a good regular cleaning and drying with a lint free towel apply lemon oil with a lint free rag. The lemon oil over time will help disolve the soap scum, and in the mean time helps prevent more build up ( it acts as a water repellant) it smells nice too = )

We also had a little plastic scraper we used on all sorts of household cleaning chores, it works wonders, I am not sure but I am guessing if you went to a hard ware store you might be able to get a plastic scraper ( I am awful I still have one from Merry Maids...Gasp! I Know! )

Good luck!
B.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.T.

answers from Wichita on

Bounce sheets are awesome for hard water and soap scum. Get them wet and scrub away! Weird? Yes. Works. Yes! Have a great day!

1 mom found this helpful
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M.J.

answers from Kansas City on

I have heard before to use dryer sheets- but I've never tried it. I use CLR and it works great. Once you get it clean, I would recommend putting Turtle Wax on your shower doors- they will not get any build up for a few months. I wax my doors every 3-6 months! You can find the wax at Walmart, Target or automotive stores!

1 mom found this helpful
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A.S.

answers from Springfield on

I know you said you tried every product out there but maybe you missed one...CLR. I used this in the last house I had with glass shower doors and it was the only thing I found that worked. I wish I had thought of the Rain-X thing back then! If the other advice doesn't work it's worth a shot. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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K.B.

answers from Kansas City on

CLR and BAM are my two favorites! I love spraying it on, watching the scum fizz and wiping it clean. I also had a roommate once whose whole family, including her father and three brothers used Dove soap, because her dad swore that it never left soap scum on the shower curtains or a ring in the bathtub.
Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful
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T.H.

answers from Topeka on

Sounds like you have gotten some awesome advise so far. I think the lemon oil thing sounds good. I have never tried it but I have used Lime Away. We have hard water too & this takes the soap scum & lime & calcium off of our doors & fixtures in the shower. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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S.M.

answers from Kansas City on

I used to have a cleaning business and I used lemon oil,Yes thats right good ole lemom oil like you polish furnitue with, not pledge it had to be real lemon oil like holloway house. Write back and tell us if it works Good luck S. in Shawnee

1 mom found this helpful
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S.B.

answers from Columbia on

You need to get THE WORKS!!!! The name says it all cuz it really works! We have hard water issues as well and this stuff takes care of it. They make it in a spray bottle and in a toilet bowl cleaner. I use the spray for sinks, showers, tubs...anywhere that hard water touches. It turns everything white again! The toilet bowl cleaner works so well that you don't have to scrub much at all! You can actually see all the hard water issues fall off as you are squirting it on. Again it is called The Works and they sell it at Wal-Mart in the cleaning supply isle. I think the spray bottle has a green label and the toilet bowl cleaner is a blue label. You won't be dissapointed with it!!!

1 mom found this helpful
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J.P.

answers from St. Louis on

I'm having my bathroom updated. When the new faux marble shower surround was installed, I was told that if I always use only liquid soap, I could avoid that scummy build-up because bar soap contains wax. Once you scrape/scrub off the build up and spray the shower with RainX glass treatment (find in Automotive Dept.), the shower will stay a lot cleaner. I hope this helps, it was a revelation to me. Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful

D.H.

answers from Kansas City on

No advice, but way to go on taking control of your life and being a positive thinker. Be encouraged! Good luck and God Bless ya.

1 mom found this helpful
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W.H.

answers from Springfield on

Have you tried the Mr Clean magic eraser? It works wonders.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.G.

answers from Columbia on

I have the same problem, but I'm pretty sure mine is only hard water. I get a spray bottle and fill it with white vinegar and spray. Let it sit for about 10 minutes and wipe off. You may need to repeat a few times, but each time helps until it's gone. Not sure how it would work on soap scum, but works great on hard water stains.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.L.

answers from St. Louis on

there are a few things that work. First I used to clean for a living, I used to spray the doors with grease lightening, let them soak about 5 minutes then use mr clean erasers and rinse real well. then spray rain x on the doors when clean and that will keep the scum away for a few weeks.

Keep using the grease lightening and turn the fan on to vent.

1 mom found this helpful
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N.W.

answers from Kansas City on

I have no idea if this will work for that, but it seems to work on everything else...TOOTHPASTE!!!! Try it...good luck!!!

1 mom found this helpful

M.B.

answers from St. Louis on

I know this is a little late but have you tried tilex? It works great for me I hope you dont have to replace them! Shower doors are a pain!

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R.C.

answers from Topeka on

Believe it or not foaming window cleaner, especially foaming Windex really works.

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