Things You'll Need
Silicone spray
Old toothbrush
Cleaning cloths
Bowl
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup white vinegar
Spoon
Cream of tartar
Tip
Substitute full-strength lemon juice to dissolve and remove hard water stains on aluminum. Use olive oil to buff the aluminum to a shine and prevent the return of hard water stains.
Warning
Hard water stains provide an organic surface on which mold can grow. Clean the tracks each week to prevent stains from building up.
The aluminum door track on your shower is a prime location for the collection of stain material. Hard water stains caused by limescale and calcium buildup result in crusty gray matter along the edges of the track. These unsightly stains can make an otherwise clean shower look dirty and unwelcoming. If they're left unattended, the hard water stains continue to build up. You can successfully clean hard water stains from the aluminum track in your shower door with supplies found around the home.
Step 1
Spray the aluminum shower door track with silicone spray. Moisten the hard water stains with the spray. Allow the silicone spray to remain in contact with the stains for five minutes to soften them.
Step 2
Dampen an old toothbrush with water. Scrub inside the aluminum door track to further loosen the hard water stains.
Step 3
Wipe the door track with a cleaning cloth to remove the stain material.
Step 4
Place 1/4 cup each of baking soda and white vinegar in a bowl. Stir the foaming mixture until the two ingredients are blended.
Step 5
Apply the paste to the remaining hard water stains in the aluminum door track. Allow it to sit for five to 10 minutes.
Step 6
Rinse away the paste with water or by wiping the track with a damp cloth. Dry the aluminum with another cloth.
Step 7
Sprinkle cream of tartar on a damp cloth. Buff the aluminum to make it shine. Remove the cream of tartar with a moist cloth and dry the surface.
- Apartment Therapy; WD-40 on Shower Doors; March 2007
- North Carolina Cooperative Extension; Removing Mineral Deposits on Household Surfaces; Sandra A. Zaslow; March 1996
- "Reader's Digest": Quick Bathroom Cleaning Solutions
- "Mother Earth News"; Greener Cleaners: 5 Ingredients for Less-Toxic Cleaning: Baking Soda, Vinegar; Annie Berthold-Bond; April/May 2004
- Eartheasy: Non-Toxic Home Cleaning Solutions -- Metal Cleaners and Polishers
- Water Research Center; Hard Water Hardness...; Brian Oram
Mary Ylisela
Mary Ylisela is a former teacher with a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education and mathematics. She has been a writer since 1996, specializing in business, fitness and education. Prior to teaching, Ylisela worked as a certified fitness instructor and a small-business owner.