A glass door, with Hard water

Surprising Trick Removes Stubborn Hard Water Stain from Glass Shower Doors

/Updated /84 Comments/in , /by Mary Hunt

Got stubborn hard water stains on your shower glass doors that will not budge no matter what you try? You’re not alone. I’ve heard from countless readers who say they’ve tried every glass door cleaner from my magic soap scum cleaner to cleaning vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, oven cleaner, muriatic acid, steel wool, Bar Keepers Friend, Bon Ami, and other expensive chemicals to get rid of the horrid, ugly, hard water stains and white haze.

 

A glass shower door with severe hard water stain

Severe situations

While most of the time, our magic Soap Scum Cleaner takes care of the problem of stubborn hard water stain, even it cannot touch a severe situation where the hard water minerals have become so embedded the surface of the glass has become permanently etched.

Some readers report that it took multiple cleanings with the “magic stuff” to clean their glass doors. Others report they’ve tried everything from “magic stuff” to cleaning vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, oven cleaner, muriatic acid, steel wool, Bar Keepers Friend, Bon Ami, and even razor blades to scrape away the problem—all without success.

I have to admit this left me in a quandary coming this close to advising new doors to be the only solution for hard water stain.

Miracle solution

Then I discovered the solution: Sandpaper. Yes, you read that right but don’t stop reading yet. This is not ordinary sandpaper.

I’m talking about an automotive quality waterproof sanding wet/dry paper with such a fine grit, it is used in the automotive industry to polish the surface of a car to a mirror finish. You can use the same type of sandpaper to sand away the mineral buildup that has etched your shower door and return it to its original clear, clean, sparkling self.

While sandpaper is readily available in any home improvement store, please be careful when selecting. You want quality automotive wet/dry sandpaper.

The best product I’ve found for this job is Wet/Dry Premium Waterproof Sheets. This is a 12-sheet assortment of finish sanding paper ranging from #1500 to #7000 grit. The grit on this type of sanding paper is so fine it will not scratch the glass, the way that woodworker’s sandpaper, steel wool, or other abrasive products might.

Let me be clear:  What follows is for severe hard water stains. This is not a quick and easy task, but rather a last-resort solution.

 

Grit 1500 to 7000 Wet/Dry Sandpaper Sheets
Grit 1500 to 7000 Wet/Dry Sandpaper Sheets
    $13.98
    Buy on Amazon

    Step 1: Start with #3000

    For severe watermark stains, start with a piece of #3000 grit paper (cut it to a size that feels comfortable in your hand as you are going to scrub the glass with it).

    Wet both the glass surface and the sanding paper with water to provide a lubricant. Do not attempt to do this completely dry.

    Using a circular motion, scrub the entire surface of the glass. You will immediately begin to cut through those stubborn deposits.

    Step 2: Move up to #5000

    Next, move up to #5000. Repeat as above, making sure the sandpaper and the glass are wet.

    Step 3: Finish with #7000

    Move to #7000, repeating as needed to remove even the tiniest micro scratches that may have been left behind.

    At this point, you will be polishing the surface to that mirror finish, with what feels like a piece of paper—that’s how fine #7000 grit is.

    Depending on the severity of the problem, the entire process could take five minutes to much longer to finally achieve your success level. But know that it will work. Your shower doors will look like new—no fumes or expensive chemicals.

    Maintenance

    To keep your glass shower doors looking beautiful, get a cheap shower squeegee or use a microfiber cloth to wipe the shower surfaces (walls and doors) to remove all standing water after every use.

     

    Shower Squeegee
    Shower Squeegee
      $8.15
      Buy on Amazon

       

      Microfiber Cloth
      Microfiber Cloth
        $19.99
        Buy on Amazon

         

        First published: 9-27-18; Updated & Republished 10-8-22

        Print Friendly, PDF & Email

        More from Everyday Cheapskate

        mothers day brunch overhead view scones bread fruit coffee

        How to Plan, Prepare, and Host the Perfect Mother’s Day Brunch at Home

        a fiddle leaf fig whose leaves are made out of dollar bills in a midcentury home low risk investment

        The Ultimate High-Yield, Guaranteed, Risk-Free Investment

        companion planting calendula and tomato plants

        Natural Pest Control: Companion Planting Strategies for Your Frugal Garden

        midcentury modern bathroom clean bathroom

        The Ultimate Step By Step Guide to a Clean Bathroom in 15 Minutes

        laptop with chalkboard with hot deals april 2024 piece of chalk best deals

        Hot Deals • April 2024

        ews you can use top news articles april 2024

        News You Can Use • April 2024

        wild rabbit in backyard garden pest repel rabbits

        10 Natural Ways to Repel Rascally Rabbits to Protect Your Yard and Garden

        Amazon Big Spring Sale Teaser with Question Marks

        Amazon’s Big Spring Sale: Everything You Need to Know

        important documents every family should keep stack desk home office bright

        Important Documents Every Family Should Keep to Be Safe Not Sorry



        Please keep your comments positive, encouraging, helpful, brief,
        and on-topic in keeping with EC Commenting Guidelines



        Last update on 2024-04-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

        Caught yourself reading all the way 'til the end? Why not share with a friend.

        84 replies
        « Older CommentsNewer Comments »
        1. Susan says:

          Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!! We were literally pricing new glass for our shower when I found this. I tried EVERY soap, cleaner, method I found and this worked!!! My doors are brand new!!!

          Reply
        2. Cathy says:

          I tried every suggestion I could find online but nothing worked. I live in New Hampshire and it makes sense stains will be different depending on where you live. I was ready to try sandpaper but I found this first…..a pumice stone. There are several brands available online. I found this one in my local grocery and hardware store, and it’s pretty inexpensive. Just use with water ..it didn’t take a lot of muscle….just a little patience but it worked beautifully. I had gone so far as to get a quote for replacement shower doors and stumbled on this product just before I was ready to place the order. So glad I tried it because new doors were more than $800. Just wanted to share in case it helps someone else!

          Reply
        3. Nelson says:

          4 stars
          I am actually glad to glance at this weblog posts which carries tons of valuable data,
          thanks for providing these kinds of statistics.

          Reply
        4. glass pool fence says:

          Thank you for writing on surprising trick that removes stubborn hard water stains glass shower doors. It plays a great role in our life nowadays. In order to get better information and guidance can be taken from this blog specifically. It plays a vital role in taking us through. It can be really great for people like me who are looking for grabbing more knowledge about.

          Reply
        5. Bernard says:

          3 stars
          Unquestionably imagine that which you said. Your favorite justification appeared to be at the
          internet the easiest thing to take note of. I say to you, I certainly get
          annoyed whilst folks think about worries that they plainly don’t
          understand about. You controlled to hit the nail
          upon the highest and outlined out the entire thing without having side effect , folks could take a signal.
          Will probably be again to get more. Thank
          you

          Reply
        6. Anita says:

          I have a dark ceramic tile floor on my shower which shows water spots easily …..what would you recommend to remove these water/soap stains?
          I’ve tried vinegar without success.

          Reply
        8. Sue says:

          Do you happen to have any before photos? I’m having a problem with only 2 of my glass doors…they appear clean and then when I use the squeegee or dry them with a towel the haze reappears and they look dirty again. I’ve tried to clean them with everything: vinegar/baking soda, Bar Keepers Friend, toilet bowl cleaner, magic eraser, CLR and the haze keeps returning. I’m wondering if the sandpaper will help or harm them more. Have you ever encountered this before?

          Reply
        9. Timothy Mundorff says:

          Thanks so much for this. Yes I cleaned mine perfectly years ago with CLR…but didn’t keep the water off of them. Yes my etching is severe. Your technique worked but it took 10 -15 minutes of sanding with each grit for each 4 – 6 diameter area with an orbital sander…had to adapt the paper to the sander with Velcro…cutting circles out of the paper…leaning down on the sander for minutes at a time changing the water out……

          Like my dad used to say “Well I’ll be a sonofa….”

          I truly appreciate this…but off to the door supplier I go.

          SO…if you don’t have a water softener then squeegee those doors off every time…or you will be trashing them.

          Thanks!

          Reply
        10. Dimitri says:

          I have severe buildup on the shower where I live. I bought the sandpaper and started with 3000. And so far, nothing. I don’t know if I’m just not physically strong enough or scrubbing hard enough, or if I should use an even courser grit? I bought the kit of various grits that you linked to. Any ideas?
          I have tried every chemical and idea I could find, but have still had no luck.

          Reply
        « Older CommentsNewer Comments »

        Leave a Reply

        Want to join the discussion?
        Feel free to contribute!

        Leave a Reply

        Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *