Maintaining Your Shower Door

Looking to have a new shower installed in the new year? Bathroom remodelers tend to think of everything—every last detail about their new colors, materials, and fixtures—but here’s something you may not have considered yet: Whether you’ll get a shower with a curtain, or with a door.

The Advantages of the Shower Door

Getting a shower with its own door is increasingly popular, and the shower curtain is surely marching toward extinction. One benefit of the shower door is that it simply looks nicer, classier. The more significant perk is that it prevents the mold and mildew buildup that tends to be associated with curtains—especially curtains that are not laundered as often as they really need to be!

With that said, shower doors certainly have their fair share of potential issues, including problems with dirt, grime, and moisture buildup. The question is, how can you avoid them?

Maintaining Your Shower Door

The answer, of course, is just through some basic maintenance. Here are our recommendations:

• The biggest problem area—or at least the area where you are most likely to notice a problem—is the metal frame that surrounds the door itself. Here, calcium and lime deposits can form, and the metal can begin to rust. When you clean your bathroom, make sure to scrub down the metal frame—and if you see signs of buildup, note that some baking soda is usually sufficient for getting rid of them.
• Another tip for removing hard-to-scrub stains on your shower door: Spray some oven cleaner on them, let it sit overnight, and try scrubbing again the next day.
• The track of your shower door is a tricky place to clean; many homeowners neglect it, but doing so invites mold to form. The easiest way to scrub this area clean? Just use an old toothbrush.
• Finally, if you feel like your shower is leaking and losing too much water, the culprit could be a failing shower door sweep. This is the little panel on the bottom of the door that keeps water from escaping. You will likely find it easy to remove, and replacements can be found at your hardware store inexpensively.

For assistance with any bathroom needs, of course—including consultation on your bathroom remodel—don’t hesitate to contact our team right away. We’re happy to help homeowners throughout the Vancouver area!