How to Clean Shower Doors with WD-40

All too often, shower doors accumulate dirt such as soap scum, hard water stains, grime, and even mold and mildew, especially on the hinges. To clean them out, WD-40 comes highly recommended as it displaces the water first, then clears out any hard water stains or dirt in the doors.

WD-40 also known as Water Displacement 40th Formula is a chemical solution that’s used to clean out all types of surfaces. From metal, glass, and plastic, the chemical formula easily displaces water allowing for easy cleaning and removing dirt. It’s a universal cleaner that can be used effectively in damp areas like the bathroom.

If you want to use WD-40 for cleaning your shower door(s), the subsequent sections below clearly illustrate the appropriate steps to follow. Let’s get started.

Steps

Before we jump right into the cleaning process, let’s begin by first taking note of a few key issues.

• Use a face mask to avoid inhaling fumes from the chemical solution. If you don’t have a mask, cloth or handkerchief can serve the purpose.
• Properly ventilate the room before commencing. Keep the room aerate even during the cleaning process.
• Protect your hands as well using protective plastic hand gloves.
• Take note of any other precautions stated on the package.

Now here’s a step by step guide on how to clean your shower doors using WD-40.

Requirements

• WD-40 spray
• Protective clothing
• Hand/wash towel or cloth
• Access to clean water
• Scrubber or brush

Method

1. Spray the WD-40 solution on your shower door and leave it on for 15 to 30 minutes. As the solution sits on the door, it will break down hard water stains and soap residue.
2. Wipe the door down with a clean microfiber cloth.
3. Check to see if there are any remaining spots on the door. If there are, repeat the process.
4. After the solution sits on for some time, scrub gently with an old toothbrush to remove the stubborn stains. By then, all the dirt will be loosened and easy to remove.
5. Repeat the process and do a final wipe with another clean microfiber towel.

You can use any high-quality commercial cleaner to remove dirt, scum, grime, and hard water stains. But WD-40 is well recommended and recognized for this purpose.

Glass Shower Doors

You already know that you can use the cleaning solution with any type of door. Be it wooden, metal, or glass.

However, with glass, the material is most affected compared to the other two. Hard water stains and scum are much more visible.

Water high in calcium and magnesium to be precise can really dull a glass shower door. If that’s the case for you, follow the steps below.

Before you begin with the cleaning, here are a few safety tips;

1. You can use protective gear because of using the chemical formula.
2. Ensure the bathroom is properly ventilated in the process.
3. Begin with the exterior side of the door as you move to the interior.
4. Thoroughly clean any spots that may be overlapping.
5. The squeegee, paper towel, and microfiber towel have the same purpose so go for the one that gives off the best results.

Supplies Needed

• WD-40
• Paper towels
• Clean microfiber towel
• Squeegee
• Scrub sponge
• Newspaper

Method

1. Steam up the shower area to loosen the stains on the door.
2. Spray WD-40 on the glass door and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes. With hard water stains, the magnesium carbonates in the water seep into the glass corroding it and giving a limestone appearance. Make sure you spread all over the spots with this solution.
3. Using a soft scrub sponge, gently scrub the glass door from edge to edge in a circular motion to rove the stains. Do not use a hard sponge, a scrubber, sharp elements like a knife, steel wool/wire, or a scouring pad.
4. Pour water over the glass door to see its appearance.
5. If not satisfied, dry the glass door and spray the solution again. Let the solution sit for another 30 minutes and wipe down with a clean microfiber cloth.
6. Repeat the process as much as you want.
7. For a great finish, polish the glass door with a newspaper to give it some shine and to get rid of any streak marks that might have been left as you were wiping down the solution.

The best thing about using WD-40 is that it can replace all the home DIY cleaners you were using. That includes baking soda, lemon, vinegar, dish soap, rubbing alcohol, tea tree, hydrogen peroxide, and essential oils.

It’s not wrong to use these ingredients but with glass doors, you want something non-abrasive and with the right ph balance between seven and eight. Besides, this mixture of chemicals may be harmful to your skin.

Tips to Keep the Doors from Dirt

Well, you can’t entirely prevent the bathroom door from getting dirty, but these tips below can come in handy to avoid cleaning all the time.

• Pay extra attention to the type of water you’re using in your home. Hard water contains a high percentage of minerals including calcium and magnesium carbonates, which form chalk deposits on the door and other surfaces. You want to be aware of this so you can know how often to clean or wipe down the door.
• If you have a glass door, invest in a squeegee as well so you can drain excess water from the door once you are done using it. Soap scum left on the glass door can be harmful to the door, beauty-wise, and for its longevity. So to avoid corrosion you ought to be getting rid of the water often.
• Don’t use soap to wash the glass. Soap will obviously leave behind soap scum, which again could cause the same issue you’re trying to avoid. Just rinse with water and dry with a squeegee.
• Avoid artificial glass cleaners as they may not do such a great job at cutting through the scum it even preventing build-up of dirt.
• Rinse the shower door with water every time you use the shower. Especially for hard to reach places, use a handheld showerhead to direct clean water to those spots. That includes inside the door hinges and the runners.
• Don’t use highly abrasive cleaners for your glass doors. They may work wonders on the other types of doors but with a glass door, it will only dull them and even ruin their appearance. The cleaners can etch the surface of the glass causing to turn filmy or translucent.
• Use dryer sheets to remove buildup from the shower doors. You simply moisten the dryer sheets with some water and wipe the doors. It will remove spots and buildup right away.
• You could change from a block of bar soap to liquid soap. Bar soaps often have the highest possibility of soap scum compared to liquid soaps or shower gels.
• Invest in rain x. This is a shower door water repellent excellent at preventing soap scum, hard water stains, and dirt in general. For the longest time, Rain-X was used to improve visibility for vehicle windows in extreme weather conditions. It is streak-free and tends to keep the glass as clear and clean as possible. What’s more, you don’t need to do the cleaning often, once in a while is sufficient.

Keeping your shower doors free from dirt is as easy as removing excess water and cleaning up and dirt, stains, or mold as soon as they appear.