How to clean a shower enclosure and keep the glass clear

The easiest way to clean a shower enclosure is from top to bottom: first the glass and frames, then the tap, tiles, shower tray and finally the drain. For everyday dirt, warm water with a mild bathroom cleaner and a soft cloth are enough; for limescale, use a product that is safe for the material of both the glass and the tray. A squeegee saves the most work: if you wipe the glass down after every shower, limescale hardly has a chance to settle on it.

Shower enclosures differ in the treatment of the glass and in the material of the tray and frames. If you have the manufacturer's instructions, they take precedence over the general advice below.

What you will need

• a glass squeegee and a microfibre cloth,
• a soft sponge without an abrasive side,
• a mild bathroom cleaning product,
• a limescale remover suitable for glass and your shower tray,
• an old toothbrush for the frames and joints,
• rubber gloves and the ability to ventilate,
• a hook or tweezers for hair in the drain.

Daily upkeep in a minute

1. After showering, rinse the walls and glass with cooler water to wash away shampoo and soap residue.
2. Use the squeegee to wipe the water off the glass from top to bottom, and wipe the frames with a cloth.
3. Leave the enclosure door slightly open and ventilate the bathroom so that the enclosure dries as soon as possible.

Droplets that dry on the glass leave behind minerals from the water. The harder the water, the faster the water spots form. Pražské vodovody a kanalizace (Prague Water and Sewerage) states that water in Prague is mostly soft to moderately hard, depending on which treatment plant it comes from, and you can find the hardness for your address on their water quality map.

Weekly cleaning step by step

1. Glass. Wet it, apply a mild bathroom cleaner, wipe with a soft sponge, rinse and remove the water with the squeegee. Finally, polish with a dry microfibre cloth.
2. Frames and hinges. Run a toothbrush along the grooves and joints where soap and hair collect. Rinse and dry.
3. Tap and shower head. Wipe them with a mild product and polish dry. Do not use abrasive sponges on chrome surfaces.
4. Tiles and grout. Wash them with the same product and rinse. Grout is covered in detail in the article How to clean grout in the bathroom.
5. Shower tray. You will find the method for each material below.
6. Drain. Take out the grille, remove the hair and wash the grille.
7. Silicone. Inspect the joints between the tray, the tiles and the glass. Dark spots are a sign that a more thorough clean is needed.

Limescale on glass

Many shower enclosure glass panels have a factory-applied protective coating that helps water run off better. For example, Ravak states that its enclosures have an AntiCalc protective coating and recommends renewing it with the manufacturer's product once every two to six months, depending on water hardness. If your glass has a similar treatment, abrasive and strongly acidic products could damage it, so follow the enclosure manufacturer's instructions.

• Apply the descaler to the glass, not to the grout joints and silicone. Cement-based grout does not tolerate acids well.
• Observe the contact time given on the label and rinse everything thoroughly with water.
• Always test a new product first on a small, less visible area.
• Ventilate and work in gloves.

Home methods using vinegar or citric acid, and their risks, are discussed in the article How to remove limescale.

When the glass stays cloudy

If the glass remains milky even after descaling, it is either very old, layered deposits or a damaged glass surface or protective coating. You can tell the difference by trying a suitable descaler on a small area: if the glass gradually clears after rinsing, it is deposits; if it does not change even after repeating, the surface is probably damaged.

Remove deposits gradually, preferably in several rounds with a shorter contact time rather than with one strong product. Chemicals will not help a damaged surface, and stronger products or a scraper could make the damage worse. Ask the manufacturer or seller of the enclosure whether the protective coating can be renewed, and follow their instructions. The same applies to anodised and painted frames, on which abrasive products show very quickly.

Shower tray: by material

Shower trays are made of acrylic, enamelled steel, ceramic or cast marble, and each material tolerates different chemicals. In general:

• for regular cleaning, warm water, a mild product and a soft cloth are enough,
• abrasive powders, creams containing sand and wire scourers can scratch the surface, and dirt then clings to the scratches,
• anti-slip surfaces often have their own cleaning instructions, which are worth looking up,
• do not use solvents or products that the tray manufacturer does not permit.

When it comes to sanitaryware products, it is worth knowing that Ravak points out on the same page that ordinary cleaning products often contain aggressive substances such as chlorine, and recommends products intended specifically for bathroom fittings.

Mould on silicone and in corners

Mould appears first on silicone joints, because moisture stays there longest. The approach depends on what you find:

1. Surface stains. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends scrubbing mould from hard surfaces with water and a cleaning product and drying the surface completely.
2. Protection. The CDC recommends wearing rubber, nitrile or vinyl gloves and goggles when removing mould, and ventilating through an open window or door. According to the CDC, never mix bleach with ammonia or any other cleaning product.
3. Mould inside the silicone. If dark stains remain after cleaning, the mould has grown into the material. The EPA warns that mouldy surfaces should not be painted over or caulked over. Cut out the old silicone, clean the joint, let it dry completely and only then apply new sanitary silicone.

When replacing silicone, bear in mind that, according to the technical data sheet for Ceresit CS 25 sanitary silicone, acetic acid is released during curing, so you need to protect your skin and eyes and ventilate. According to the same data sheet, fresh excess can be washed off with water and a little washing-up liquid; cured silicone can only be removed mechanically.

If mould also appears on the walls or ceiling of the bathroom, the problem is usually ventilation and humidity in the whole room. More in the article Mould on walls: how to remove it. The EPA states that a household can deal with smaller areas (up to roughly 10 square feet, about 1 m²) on its own, and recommends a professional for larger ones.

The drain and hair

Hair and soap residue in the drain slow down the flow of water and are a common source of odours. Clean the grille and the trap by the shower tray mechanically once a week: pull out the hair with a hook and wash the parts. Use a chemical drain cleaner only according to the label, never combine it with another product, and make sure it does not splash onto the tray and tiles. Why mixing is dangerous is explained in the article on dangerous combinations of cleaning products.

How to keep your shower enclosure clean for longer

• A squeegee after every shower is the most effective prevention of limescale.
• Ventilate after showering and leave the enclosure open until it dries.
• Store shampoos and gels on a shelf, not on the edge of the tray, where water collects under the bottles.
• Renew the protective coating on the glass according to the enclosure manufacturer's instructions.
• Check the silicone during every weekly clean; small stains are easier to remove than ingrown ones.

A heavily soiled enclosure with limescale and mould is a typical part of deep cleaning, after which regular upkeep is all you need.