The most effective way to clean a shower screen is to spray a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water onto the glass, leave it to work for 10–15 minutes and remove it with a squeegee or microfibre cloth. To stop limescale from coming back, run the squeegee over the glass after every shower and ventilate the bathroom.
Why shower screen glass gets so dirty
The white marks on your shower screen are a combination of limescale (minerals left behind as the water evaporates) and soap residue that bonds to the glass. The harder the water in your area, the faster they appear. It isn't a lack of cleaning: it's chemistry. The good news is that with the right method they come off effortlessly and, above all, they can be prevented.
The squeegee: 20 seconds that change everything
The most effective trick isn't a product, it's a habit: running a rubber squeegee over the glass after every shower. By removing the water before it evaporates, limescale never gets the chance to settle. Twenty seconds a day saves you a deep clean every week. Hang it inside the shower so it's always within reach.
How to remove built-up limescale from the glass
For a shower screen that already has limescale build-up:
- Gently warm some white cleaning vinegar and mix it with equal parts water in a spray bottle.
- Spray the entire pane generously and leave it to work for 10–15 minutes.
- Scrub with a non-abrasive sponge or microfibre cloth, paying special attention to the lower half (where limescale builds up most).
- Rinse with cold water and remove the water with the squeegee.
For heavily encrusted rings, apply a paste of bicarbonate of soda and a few drops of vinegar to the area, let it fizz for a few minutes, scrub gently and rinse. On tempered glass, the result is immediate.
Frames and tracks: the weak spot almost everyone forgets
Aluminium frames and bottom tracks collect water, soap and mould. Clean them with soapy water and an old toothbrush, working into the corners, and dry them afterwards. Avoid abrasive products and strong acids on aluminium: they can stain the finish permanently. On fixed shower screens with no tracks, such as the METROPOLE fixed shower screen, this maintenance drops to practically zero: with no bottom profiles, there is nowhere for grime to build up.
What not to use on tempered glass
- Abrasive powders and metal scourers: they leave micro-scratches where limescale clings even harder.
- Blades or metal scrapers to chip off limescale.
- Highly acidic industrial descalers if your shower screen has a factory anti-limescale treatment: they can degrade the coating. Check the manufacturer's instructions.
Tempered safety glass (like the EN 12150 certified glass of METROPOLE shower screens) is highly resistant to knocks and temperature changes, but its surface appreciates the same care as any glass: gentle products and nothing that scratches.
Anti-limescale treatment: the ultimate prevention
There are anti-limescale treatments (nano-coatings) that are applied to clean, dry glass and create a water-repellent layer: water slides off in droplets and limescale barely settles. They take 10 minutes to apply with a cloth and last for months. Combined with the daily squeegee, they keep your shower screen crystal clear with only an occasional deep clean.
Renovating your shower area? Discover our shower screens and acrylic shower trays, and don't miss our guide to choosing a shower tray. If your bathtub needs some attention too, here's how to clean an acrylic bathtub without damaging it.