Depending on local conditions and minerals content, please follow the below cleaning guide to keep protected glass clean, and for removing buildup from the coated surface.
1) For best results: Wipe down the glass after each use with a good-quality squeegee. This will reduce mineral spotting, keeping the glass cleaner between cleans.
2) Once a week or as needed, wipe down the glass with a microfiber cloth dampened with white vinegar and a drop of non-abrasive liquid soap (hand, body, or dish). Rinse and dry.
Note: If you have professional cleaners, please provide a copy of the cleaning instructions to them and ensure they follow instructions to avoid damaging your EnduroShield coating and voiding the warranty. If you are unsure of the cleaning process or finding any difficulties, please contact EnduroShield
Hard Water Maintenance or build-up
In hard water areas, or areas where water drops dry and leave a noticeable dust mark, a build of minerals may occur on the protective treatment.
• Light buildup: spray undiluted white vinegar on the glass and allow to remain for several minutes. Spray again and firmly wipe down the glass with a microfiber, rinse, and dry. Repeat as needed until the glass is clean
• Moderate to Heavy buildup: Spray undiluted white vinegar on the glass and allow to soak for several minutes. Dampen a Magic EraserⓇ or other melamine cleaning pad with vinegar, and wipe down the glass with light to moderate pressure. Repeat as needed with more vinegar until the glass is clean
• Extreme buildup: Dampen a Magic EraserⓇ or other melamine cleaning pad with undiluted CLRⓇ (Calcium Lime Rust remover) and a drop of liquid soap. Rub with light to moderate pressure for a few minutes, squeeze out the pad, and repeat with more CLRⓇ. Rinse and dry the glass to inspect, and repeat as needed until the glass is clean.
Important: Keep in mind that as the vinegar or CLRⓇ are dissolving mineral buildup they become less effective. It is beneficial to squeeze out and dampen every few minutes for best effect.
Once ALL buildup has been removed, the water should again bead into tall, round drops on the clean surface.
Approved Cleaning Products
While all that should be needed to keep the glass looking clean are a squeegee, good quality mild liquid soap, and white vinegar, occasionally we are asked to recommend specific products. Some major brand cleaners are listed below, but keep in mind they should not be necessary, and often have very limited benefits in removing either soap or mineral buildup.
- SprayWayⓇ (or other alcohol-based foaming cleaners)
- Scrubbing BubblesⓇ (or other automatic leave-to-dry daily shower cleaners)
- 7th GenerationⓇ, DawnⓇ (or other mild eco-friendly cleaners)
- CLRⓇ (Calcium Lime Rust)
- Mr. Clean Magic EraserⓇ (when damp)
- WindexⓇ (Standard, vinegar, alcohol, ammonia)
It should be noted that with any cleaner used on the EnduroShield surface a thorough rinse with clean water should follow immediately.
Caution: What to avoid
Note: These may damage the treatment and void any warranty
- Abrasives including water spot removers, toothpaste, polishes, Norwex Cloths, rough, or gritty substances
- Acids or Alkalis that you would not want in contact for your skin for an extended period of time
- Harsh or chemical cleaners. With correct maintenance, these are not required.
If for any reason the recommended maintenance has not been followed for some time, just as it took time for the build-up to occur, it will take time to remove the debris from the protected glass surface. This can most commonly be achieved using undiluted white vinegar dampened on a Magic EraserⓇ, or CLRⓇ on a Magic EraserⓇ.
Depending on the severity of the buildup this may take multiple attempts, but once the glass is clean again it will perform like new. Should you have any queries regarding the cleaning of your treated surfaces please contact EnduroShield.
Glass
What is the best way to clean the shower glass once it has been treated with EnduroShield®
To keep your glass shower door looking new, the glass needs to be cleaned each week using a damp microfibre cloth and a mild detergent to remove any soap scum, dirt or grime from the glass. Please refer to the list of acceptable cleaners to use on the protected surfaces found under the care instructions of the EnduroShield website: www.enduroshield.com/CareInstruction.aspx
What is the best way to clean a glass interior glass surfaces such as railings or windows once it has been treated with EnduroShield®?
For exterior glass surfaces such as railings and windows, clean as required using water and a mild detergent (such as washing up liquid). Wash the glass with a microfiber cloth, and dry with a good quality squeegee*. Alternatively, clean with a window cleaner and a cloth. For best results clean the glass in the shade to prevent streaking.
Is a squeegee required to clean the glass after each use?
For interior glass such as showers a squeegee* is not required unless in hard water areas where a good quality squeegee* may be used daily to remove any mineral deposits. For exterior glass surfaces such as railings and windows it is not required however a good quality squeegee* is ideal to remove excess water after cleaning with a mild detergent and ensures a streak free finish.
How often does the glass need to be cleaned once EnduroShield® has been applied?
To keep your shower screen looking new, the glass needs to be cleaned weekly using a damp microfiber cloth and a mild detergent. For exterior glass surfaces such as railings and windows, clean as required using water and a mild detergent (such as dish washing liquid).
Will the coating crack, peel or discolour over time?
No the coating is only 2 molecules thick and is transparent. It will not crack or discolour over time. It is not like a lacquer or varnish.
Does the coating get attacked by common household chemicals?
Generally no, but the coating can be effected by strong acids and alkalis. Warning: The EnduroShield coating can be affected by cleaning products containing strong alkalis and by modern mould removing agents containing a combination of bleach and sodium hydroxide. Avoid these and use alternatives such as pure white vinegar or diluted tea tree oil to treat mould on glass and surrounding areas such as tiles.
Will the surface become patchy if the coating is worn off in any way?
No. The coating is only two molecules thick and transparent, thus it does not change the appearance of the surface. If an abrasive was used, where the coating was worn away would not be visible. That area would, however, be harder to clean. The unprotected surface can be easily repaired by cleaning and re-spraying with EnduroShield. The molecules will bond directly to the untreated surface.
Can EnduroShield® be applied to existing glass, including old shower screens or bath enclosures?
Yes it can. EnduroShield after-market applicators can apply EnduroShield to new and existing glass surfaces. When applied, EnduroShield will prevent the glass from deteriorating and will make it much easier to maintain. In cases where the glass is permanently stained, the applicator may be able to restore the glass back to a near new condition using the EnduroShield® Restoration System.
How long will the coating last?
Accelerated testing carried out simulated cleaning a shower screen over a 10 year period. The results revealed that after this time the coating maintained the ability to bead water and remained easy to clean.
Can the coating be damaged?
Yes. Be careful not to use any rough, gritty, highly acidic, alkaline or abrasive cleaners such as cerium oxide as they may damage the protective coating. Cleaners like this damage or polish back the actual substrate of the surface.
What do I do if minerals build up on my glass?
For areas with hard water or bore water, due to a higher concentrate of mineral deposits such as lime and calcium, a build up may occur on the protective coating and may not be easily removed with a mild detergent. A solution of white vinegar and water (1 part vinegar to 4 parts water) should be sprayed onto the glass and allowed to soak for several minutes. This will dissolve any mineral deposits that have built up on the glass surface. A damp microfibre cloth should then be used to wipe the over the glass.
Around the world there are some unique locations which have extremely harsh conditions. In these harshest of water environments, EnduroShield is a great choice. Simply put if you didn't have the EnduroShield protection, your glass may have to be restored to bring back the clarity or even replaced. In some cases this staining can occur in less than 1 year. New Orleans, Louisiana and Perth, Western Australia are examples of cities with very high mineral concentrations.
Being so robust, the EnduroShield coating is a great option in these conditions. EnduroShield allows you to have great looking glass, but it takes a little more work due to these specific environmental conditions. In such environments minerals are so prevalent in the water that they can still create a build up on the EnduroShield coating, (it usually doesn't damage the glass but can build up over time) and become difficult to remove. We recommended using the vinegar / water solution (listed above) every week or so as a cleaning option to reduce this build up on the surface, rather than allowing the build up to continue over a long period of time.
If I don't clean my EnduroShield® treated shower after use, will there be water spots?
In most cases, yes.
Water repellent coatings will cause water to bead up into tall, distinct drops, similar to a freshly waxed car. The amount of drops left on the glass is dependent on the size of the drops themselves. Most often the top of the enclosure that has a fine mist spraying from one's shoulders will have many very small drops, whereas on the bottom sections of the glass the majority of the water will fall off in thin, snaky lines, and a few water drops can be left behind.
Cleaning these drops from EnduroShield treated glass can be done by simply using a good quality squeegee* or microfiber after a shower. If the glass is not cleaned, minerals and soap scum can dry and bond to themselves, which because of the coating will wipe off easily.
It is important to note that glass unprotected by EnduroShield would begin to permanently etch and become damaged due to these water-borne minerals, whereas your treated door will resist etching with only minimal maintenance!
*Recommended squeegee brand is Ettore or Pulex