I noticed my 2 year old glass shower doors were loaded with what I guess is soap scum. I tried windex and a bunch of other sprays I had around the house and nothing seemed to remove it. That’s when I got serious about finding the solution to this problem. I went to my favorite website where answers to these questions are always found. I read and read and thought about every method mentioned and decided to narrow down my test to 4 methods that seemed to get the most favorable responses. 1. Magic eraser with some dishwashing liquid on it. Many people swore that this method was the best. 2. Jet dry – someone on the website said they applied the jet dry and the soap scum just started to bubble off. 3. Bar Keepers Friend – cooktop version – this is the watery kind, not the powder kind. 4. Dryer Sheet – people said this worked like magic, but nobody could explain why. Here are the 4 test options: Here’s what the glass door looked like: So my son (who is in 6th grade and thought this experiment might come in handy for a class project) and I divided up the door into 4 sections and tried each method on one section:
With this method we used a magic eraser with some dishwashing liquid on it. The theory here is that the dishwashing liquid cuts grease and the magic eraser has special powers to wipe away all kinds of unknown spots and stains. People swore by this method. I scrubbed pretty hard with this, rinsed it off and I barely noticed any difference. It didn’t even make a dent in removing the water stains. I applied the Jet Dry type liquid on the green part of a sponge (the scrubby side) and scrubbed hard. I didn’t see any kind of foaming of the soap scum. After I rinsed this off I barely noticed any difference. I grabbed some Bar Keeper’s Friend from Price Chopper and truthfully, I didn’t think this one would work at all. I do use this on stainless steel (the kettle, the sink, stove top) and it works good but the results aren’t exactly amazing. I poured some of this on the green part of the sponge, started scrubbing and when I rinsed it off all the soap scum had magically disappeared.
I’m talking all the soap scum was gone. People swore by this method which is where you take a wet dryer sheet (although then I read to use a dry sheet) and wipe that over the soap scum. I wet my dryer sheet and rubbed and rubbed, then wiped this section clean and….. I didn’t have much hope for this and I was right, it didn’t work. And the WINNER is Bar Keepers Friend – cooktop: Check out these before and after shots. This is the Before shot looking through the shower door at the sink. And here’s the same shot After. You probably think this shot is not through the door, but it is. I made sure to show the door handle in the shot. Pretty amazing, isn’t it? I don’t like to endorse products, but Bar Keeper’s Friend is now my new friend. And one more looking into the shower: One of my new favorite places is The Wine Bar and Bistro on Lark St. in Albany. Why didn’t anyone tell me how fabulous this place is? I went with some friends on a cold night and two seconds after we walked in we all knew this place was a find.
There are fireplaces all over the place, the food was spectacular and their wine selection superb. This place is great place to take a date, meet someone you’re having a tryst with, or just a cozy spot with friends. Our server was super friendly, she even sat down at our table and sampled one of our desserts. Now that ‘s service! Why do servers have to be cold and impersonal? I prefer a server who tells you what’s good, what to steer clear of and will even take a minute to sit down and chat. I’m definately going back. A delicious dessert thang And here’s our server, Silvia, chatting with us while sampling a special dessert the kitchen preparedHow to clean glass shower doors Can you believe it! You're dying to know the secret aren't you? Well here it is. I found this DIY cleaner on here and here and it is fantastic because it works! Will a different brand of soap work? I forgot to warm up the vinegar. Will it still work?After cleaning the glass the first time, I had plenty of cleaning solution left over.
I used the left over solution a few months later and didn't warm it in the microwave. Cleaning SecretsCleaning HintsCleaning StuffCleaning TricksHousehold CleaningDiy CleaningCleaning ProductsCleaning SolutionCleaning RecipesForwardJust wanted to let you know bar keepers friend comes in a powder form. i mix 2 cps. water and half cup powder. it is the same container the old comet comes in just different name. Shower Door Cleaning: Soap Scum and Hard Water Stains Home & Garden | Yes, if you use all-purpose bathroom cleaner and a lot of elbow grease, you can rid your shower doors of soap scum, eventually. Or, you can use vinegar. It cuts through that film like a knife through warm talc combined with body oils in a steamy environment. To remove the chalky streaks, dip a sponge in full-strength, white vinegar. Coat the door, and keep applying as the vinegar dries. You want to keep the door covered in wet vinegar for at least 5 minutes. The film will melt away. If you have particularly stubborn soap scum, you can try applying boiling vinegar -- very, very carefully.
Rinse off the vinegar with warm water, and you're done. The vinegar smell will go away after a couple of showers. Other options include orange-based cleaners, mineral-oil solutions and liquid-fabric-softener solutions. Once the scum is gone, switch to liquid soap, which is lacking the talc that can lead to soap scum in the first place. Up next: A shower-door health hazard, and how to eliminate it.When all three messages landed in my inbox on the same day, the problem of soap scum, mildew and hard water buildup grabbed my attention. I’ve been told that if one person actually writes to me with a problem, that represents a thousand with a similar situation. Three in one day tells me this is a common problem. We recently remodeled our kitchen with stainless appliances. We have treated well water. The very first week we had a large water stain in water dispenser area that I can’t get off. Is there anyway to remove it? How do you remove hard water spots from shower doors?
My shower mat has turned almost black. I have tried to clean it, but unsuccessfully. Can you help me? Quite possibly one of the best tips to ever land my mailbox came from a guy who is a professional property manager. He handles rental apartments, and lots of them. As an apartment is vacated, his job is to see that it is thoroughly cleaned and made ready for the next occupants. He told me that the biggest challenge is always the bathroom, specifically the tub and shower. He kindly left specific details up to my imagination but let me know that “gross” is not strong enough to describe what he often finds. And that’s when he gave me his super magical potion—the only product he uses to return showers, tubs, tile, enclosures, faucets and doors to their sparkling clean and sanitized condition. I gave his unbelievably simple recipe a try. In what has to be at least 20 years since I got that letter, I’ve used nothing else to clean tubs, showers, sinks, toilets, patio furniture—just about anything that will stand still long enough to get sprayed, and can be rinsed easily.
This product must be rinsed off. To make your own Tub, Tile and Shower Cleaner you will need three things: An empty spray bottle, Dawn dishwashing liquid (any variation as long as it is Dawn and it is blue) and white vinegar. TO MAKE: Pour one cup blue Dawn into a 32-ounce spray bottle (1/2 cup Dawn if you are using a 16-ounce bottle). Fill the bottle the rest of the way with white vinegar. shake gently to mix. TO USE: Spray liberally on the area to be cleaned. Allow to sit from 30 minutes up to overnight, depending on the severity of the problem. All of the offensive gunk and grime will break down and become soft and gooey. Simply rinse it away. For especially challenging situations—or if this is the initial treatment—use a sponge or brush to gently scrub the surfaces before rinsing. TO TREAT MILDEW, MOLD. While the Tub, Tile and Shower Cleaner works to loosen and remove most mildew, if you see a lot of black growth you will want to pretreat with full strength liquid chlorine bleach before proceeding as above.
CAUTION: Never, ever allow chlorine bleach to come in contact with other products, especially vinegar. This could produce chlorine gas, which is deadly. Simply make sure you rinse the chlorine bleach away completely before proceeding to clean with the homemade tub and tile cleaner. TO MAINTAIN: Here’s the best thing about this cleaner—if you use it weekly you will never have to scrub again. Here’s what I do: Once each week I spray down the walls, doors, tracks, faucets, shampoo caddy—everything within reach—with this magical cleaner while I am in the shower. Before I step out, I use the handheld sprayer to rinse it all away. It dries sparkling clean without using a squeegee or wiping down with a towel. And not a water mark to be seen. I use this stuff in the kitchen, too—on my appliances, stainless steel sink and faucets (never on the granite counter tops), but only where it can be rinsed away. That means I don’t spray it on the floor or into the air. That would create a slippery, soapy mess.