How To Clean Shower Door Tracks ? 5 Easy Steps

Last Updated on November 25, 2022

People clean their shower walls, glass doors, and tubs but they pay little or no attention to shower door tracks. These sliding door tracks are made of metal. Due to lack of regular cleaning, metals start to rust, and ultimately you feel an obstruction in opening and closing the doors.

Due to lack of cleaning, shower door tracks accumulate soap, dirt, metallic rust, and hard water mineral residuals. If you are also suffering from one of these issues, do not panic, you are not alone in this situation.

This article will help you with all possible tools and methods to clean your shower door tracks. While cleaning your shower doors and wall, you can apply these little extra efforts to avoid any metal tracks replacement, which is expensive.

Here is how to clean shower door tracks. Continue reading to know about all workable options and techniques to clean shower door tracks.

You can follow many household tips and tricks to remove any soap scum and mineral deposits. Most of the items are available in every household. These DIY home hacks are feasible for the majority of us. Lets start with vinegar.

Distilled white vinegar is a great cleaning tool. The product is entirely natural, can clean all harmful bacteria, and is not as toxic as many other chemicals in the market. Vinegar works as a disinfectant and dissolves all mineral deposits on indoor tracks.

The thing you need:

• Distilled white vinegar
• Water
• Cotton swabs
• Soft cloth (microfibre preferably)
• Spray bottle
• Old toothbrush

Steps:

• Take a small amount of vinegar and apply it on cotton swabs. You can also use soft cloth if cotton is not available.
• Now dab the cotton swabs on the shower door tracks so that the vinegar can reach all around the door track.
• Let the vinegar complete its jobs for 5-10 minutes.
• Take a toothbrush and start scrubbing the door tracks of the door.
• You will notice rust and soap scums leaving the metal surface.
• Rinse the surface with water. Check if all the rust and soap have been removed.
• You can do it one more time if needed.
• Finally, dry the shower door tracks with a cloth.
• Do not let the surface wet. It can grow mildew or rust the metal again.

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Steam vacuum cleaners are another effective way to clean shower door tracks. Steamer helps to dissolve soaps, metal rusts, and also kills most of the bacteria. The steamer is also eco-friendly. You do not have to use any abrasive chemicals for cleaning.

The thing you need:

• Steam vacuum cleaner
• Soft cloth
• Plastic spatula/knife

Steps:

• Fill the steamer with water as per instructions of the company.
• Place the nozzle/wand on the door track and start it.
• Exert steam pressure on the door track for some time.
• Now gently scrape the soap or rust with a spatula.
• You can also wrap the cloth on a spatula to reach out the corners.
• Dry the surface once clean.

Just like vinegar, lemon has naturally-owned cleaning properties. Lemon is in daily use in household cleaning in multiple ways. Due to their antibacterial properties, people clean microwaves with lemon peel. It is also antiseptic and leaves a shine on the cleaning surface.

The thing you need:

• Lemon
• Salt
• Water
• Cloth
• Old brush (toothbrush)

Steps:

• Take a lemon and cut it into four.
• Take one piece, roll it in the salt.
• Now scrub the salt-coated lemon on the shower door tracks.
• You can leave the lemon coating on the door track for a maximum of 1 hour.
• Let the lemon show its magic.
• Now, thoroughly scrub the door track with a brush. Rinse it with water.
• Dry with a soft cloth.

Baking soda is an effective cleaning tool in households. Baking soda helps you to get rid of funky smells and also cleans the surface. You can use baking soda for cleaning washroom tubs as well. Do not use travertine stone.

The thing you need:

• Baking soda
• Warm water
• Toothbrush
• cloth

Steps:

• Make a gritty paste by mixing baking soda and water.
• Apply the mixture on the door track with a toothbrush or cloth.
• Let it sit for half an hour.
• Scrub the track with a brush.
• Rinse with clean water and dry with a cloth.

In the market, there are surplus options for cleaning shower door tracks. You can choose any of these Cleaners. Read the ingredients before buying any cleaning products. Spray the product, scrub with a brush, rinse, and dry with a cloth. Do not forget to wear gloves.

Some liquids contain very abrasive chemicals that can damage your bathroom, tub, tiles, or flooring. You need to be extra vigilant while using these cleaners. Take safety precautions as well. The chemicals can burn the skin as well.

Sliding shower doors are easily removable. These doors are supported with small ball bearings from the bottom that help the door slide.

• Hold the door with both hands and slightly pull it upwards.
• This step will detach the door from the ball-bearing support in the bottom.
• Push the door out of the door track.
• Pull out the door from the top in a similar manner.
• Your door will be out of the door track. Clean it and place it back by injecting the bottom in the door track first and then the top.

Note: some doors require extra force and support. In such cases, you might need a hammer or an expert to displace the door.

Sliding doors contain overlapping junctions which are not easy to clean. However, you can remove the scum without removing the door. Steam vacuum cleaners can put pressure on steam in narrow areas. After steaming, you can scrub the area with a sponge paintbrush.

The sponge paintbrush is a very cheap and feasible tool. It comes with a handle. Dip the brush in any cleaning items such as commercial liquids, vinegar, lemon juice, etc. The brushes can get in the marrow overlap. Let the mixture settle, rinse with water, and dry with a soft cloth.