Shower Glass can Easily Etch

Shower Glass Requires Maintenance to Keep it Shinny and Looking New for Years to come. Forget The Popular Window and Glass Cleaner for this Job. Drying & Weekly Cleaning works Best.

Preserving the Beauty of the Shower is no Different than Keeping that New Car Looking New, Washing & Drying on a Regular Basis.

Glass is Shiny Smooth and Resistant to most Chemicals, but Glass can be Damaged by certain Liquids and Conditions. The Surface of Glass will Corrode (rust) just like a Car Driven on Salty Roads.

Hard Water & Soap Scum

Hard Water Areas have increased amounts of Calcium and Magnesium. These ions are Water Soluble and the most common ions found in Hard Water. They combine with the Soap forming a Sticky Grey Insoluble Precipitate called Soap Scum. Softened Water may not produce the same Result. There is a Link below to Our Article on Water Softeners.

Staining & Etching

Under a Microscope Glass Doesn't Look so Perfect, you will see there are Highs & Lows and a Rough Surface including Places that look like Pot Holes. Residue in the Soap and the Water Collect, after Evaporation this Residue can Harm the Surface of the Glass.

If the Shower Glass is not cared for, after Months of use you may have what is called Stage 2 Etching.

Etching Doesn't Wipe off and May very easily cause Irreversible Staining and Discoloration.

Cleaning

Restoring a Shower that has Not been Properly cared for may not be 100% Successful. Start by using a mixture of 1 cup each Distilled Vinegar & Water plus 1 Tablespoon of your Favorite Dish Soap in a Spray Bottle. The Vinegar is Acidic, it won't harm the Glass.

Spray the Mixture on the Glass, let it set for a few minutes Scrub if needed but don't use a Scrubber that could scratch the Glass, Rinse thoroughly.

Alkaline Cleaning Products available and used indiscriminately can Adversely Affect the Glass Surface. Damage can be caused by Improper Solutions and Abrasive Cleaning Methods. An Alkaline example would be Baking Soda.

It is recommended you clean the Glass 1 time per week or every 15 Showers. Best results for Protecting your Shower Glass is to Squeegee and Dry after each use, the Weekly Cleaning procedure is still recommended.

Prevention Suggestions

For those that are looking for a Product to Replace the Squeegee, Drying and Cleaning, you may not find anything that really works.

There is 1 Manufacturer making a Glass for Showers that has a Protective Coating applied to the Glass during the Manufacturing Process.

The Recommended Maintenance Procedure to Comply with the Lifetime Warranty they offer, does Require Cleaning very Similar to the Procedure suggested in this Article.

ShowerGuard® Glass

Stop Corrosion Before it Starts. ShowerGuard® Glass is protected permanently from contaminants that corrode standard shower glass and dull its appearance. An invisible coating is fused to the surface when ShowerGuard® Glass is made. This covers the microscopic peaks and valleys that occur naturally in Float Glass, creating a smoother surface with little opportunity for residue to collect. (Words Taken Directly from Guardian® Glass website)

Additional Information

Soap Scum is a Composition of Calcium, Magnesium in the Water and Soap resulting in a White colored Waxy Powder. Most would not consider Soap Scum to have an Adverse affect on Shower Glass.

Bar Soap is Alkaline and Shower Glass is highly susceptible to attack by alkaline materials having a pH greater than 9.0. This can attack the Glass Surface leading to Dissolution at the Surface.

The Windshield Spray for Automobiles is sometimes suggested but it really does not work well, I would not depend on it.

Expensive Shower Screens with Stage 2 Etching can be Ground Down and Re-Polished, a service that may not be available in your Area.

Regular Shower Glass Doors Enclosures are not a High Grade of Glass so it may be best to just Replace Them.

There are some very interesting Studies at Northwestern University looking at the Natural abilities of the Water-Repellent Lotus Leaves, Namib Desert Beetle and Moth Eyes to help Develop Nano Coatings for Various Glass Uses.

There are nearly 2,500 Dealers throughout the US. We will give You a List of Guardian Glass Dealers in your Area, Send the request using the Comment Form on this Page.

Guardian Offers a Warranty for the Initial Purchaser, Proper Maintenance and Cleaning is the Responsibility of the Owner. I would ask your Dealer for Required Cleaning Instructions just to Support a Warranty Claim if ever needed.

“Every Artist was first an Amateur”
Ralph Waldo Emerson