What's actually on the glass
The cloudy layer on a shower screen is usually two things combined. Limescale is the white, chalky mineral residue hard water leaves behind when it dries. Soap scum is a greasy film formed when soap and shower gel react with those minerals. Together they bond to the glass and make it look frosted.
In soft-water areas – most of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the North West and the South West – screens mostly get soap film and are easy to clean. In hard-water areas such as London, the South East and East Anglia, limescale builds up quickly and needs an acid to dissolve it.
What you'll need
Choose products that are safe for glass and the screen's metal frame:
- A shower squeegee and two microfibre cloths
- White vinegar (or a bathroom limescale remover) in a spray bottle
- Washing-up liquid
- A non-scratch sponge and an old toothbrush for the seals and runners
- Bicarbonate of soda for stubborn soap scum
Step by step: deep cleaning a cloudy screen
Run the shower on hot for a minute to warm the glass and loosen residue. Then mix equal parts white vinegar and warm water in a spray bottle with a few drops of washing-up liquid – the vinegar dissolves limescale, the washing-up liquid cuts through soap film and helps the mixture cling.
Spray the glass thoroughly, inside and out, and leave it for 15–30 minutes. Don't let it dry; re-spray if needed. Work over the glass with a non-scratch sponge in small circles, concentrating on the lower half and the edges where build-up is heaviest.
Rinse well with the shower head, then squeegee from top to bottom and buff with a dry microfibre cloth. If it's still cloudy, repeat or use a dedicated limescale remover, following the label.
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Seals, frames and runners
Black mould in the rubber seals at the bottom of the door and along the frame is common. Scrub the seals with an old toothbrush and a mould remover suitable for bathrooms, rinse thoroughly and dry. Some seals pull off for cleaning and can be replaced cheaply if they stay black.
Sliding screens have runners at the top and bottom that collect hair, scum and grit. Wipe them with a damp cloth and use the toothbrush in the tracks. Some sliding doors lift off their rollers for cleaning – check the manufacturer's instructions first, and get help, because glass doors are heavy.
Chrome-finish frames and hinges are easily damaged by abrasives. Wipe them with soapy water and dry them; use vinegar sparingly and rinse it off.
Keeping the glass clear
Thirty seconds with a squeegee after every shower prevents most of the problem, because limescale only forms when water dries on the glass. Keep a squeegee on a hook in the shower and make it a household rule.
Many newer screens have a factory-applied water-repellent coating. If yours does, avoid abrasives that wear it away. If yours doesn't, glass protection products can be applied after a deep clean to make water bead and run off – reapply as the product instructs.
- Squeegee or wipe the glass after every shower
- Leave the door open or the extractor fan on so the cubicle dries
- Switch to liquid shower gel rather than bar soap if soap scum is the main issue
- Spray with a daily shower cleaner if you can't squeegee
When the glass won't come clean
If the glass is still hazy after a thorough descale and looks rough or etched when you run a fingernail across it, the surface itself may be damaged by years of build-up or harsh cleaning. No cleaner will fix etching; specialist glass restoration or a replacement screen are the options.
In a rented home, this matters at check-out. A clean but etched screen is wear and tear, while a screen thick with limescale is a cleaning issue. Professional end of tenancy cleaners and deep cleaners spend a lot of their bathroom time on shower screens for exactly this reason, and our limescale guide covers taps and shower heads too.
