Limestone Floor and Shower - Cleaning Glass in Shower

[paulbasel]

When remodeling our home we had a limestone floor installed in our master bathroom. Also, in one corner the limestone continues up the two walls to form a shower. The other two walls (one of which contains the door) of the shower are glass.

Now the problem. We live in an area of Switzerland where the water is extremely hard, off the chart hard! The mineral deposits on the glass are very visible after only a couple of days. My question is how to clean the glass without using an acidic based cleaner (vinegar, etc). We have been told not to use these cleaners because they will etch the limestone floor of the shower.

The second issue is ..... we are now noticing a buildup of mineral deposits on the floor right outside the shower door, from drips when we get out of the shower. How do we clean these on an on-going basis from the limestone floor? In other words, I am only referring here to maintaining the floor, not resurfacing and resealing it.

Any recommendations?

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[doitright]

Hi Paul, Welcome! :)

It your case, it will be extremely important to squeegee and/or towell dry daily. As far as the cleaning, many of the stone & tile specific neutral pH cleaners will usually do the trick. If there is any existing buildup that can't be removed, could possibly use the cautious use of a single edge razor blade.

[claycarson]

Very hard water can be, excuse the pun, very hard.

The more minerals in the water, the more they will stick to both the limestone and the glass. We did one job where we ended up using sandpaper to clean the grout lines of the reddish stuff, and the glass needed hours of abrasion as well as acid to create a mediocre result. I know that doesn't sound like much, but try to imagine spending an entire hour cleaning with all your might one single glass door. Fortunately for us and unfortunately for the homeowner, we were working by the hour. The homeowner decided to stop the agony when the job was not in my opinion really done.

Without the acid, I don't know if it would have worked at all.

Is the limestone polished, honed or so deeply etched already that no one will notice if you just pour some acid on it???

Or, have you considered the latest look in tile fashion, "Specialty acid-etched limestone"? See, this way you could clean it anytime you want, and tell your family and admiring neighbors that the clean, but dull and pitted look is all the rage in several far away countries like Nevada and Massachusetts. :yeah:

Sorry I can't come up with a better solution. I kinda think that polished limestone (marble) doesn't belong where it's necessary to use acid on a regular or occasional basis, as in your case.

There are folks here much smarter than yours truly, so hopefully someone will come along with a cool idea which we can adopt and use in the future.

[doitright]

Hi Clay :)

Personally, I'd stay away from the acid treatments in the shower. All the soap scum and other good stuff will start forming in the pits, thus make future cleanings more difficult. Mechanical abrasion may be needed, then possibly a treatment of a topical coating (such as Prosoco's Gloss n Guard).

The last resort would of course be to swap out the material to something more suitable for this application.

[claycarson]

John - I'm not familiar with this product, but I do know the company. Can this stuff be reliably used in a wet environment like a shower? How often would it need to be re-applied?

I've seen SaniGlaze apply a clear sealer (either flat or glossy) over ceramic and it bonded well enough to protect colored grout. But of course, it needs periodic maintenance to stay valid.

[Rd Tile]

I have and use this on my shower doors.:)

http://www.unelko.com/cgi-bin/unelkocat/74073.html

And if you have water stains already, this will remove them, alot of glass stores sell it, A-Max clean and clear, water stain remover.:)

http://www.somaca.com/ProductDetail.asp?ProductNumber=337-9520

[doitright]

Hi Clay :)

We've used it primarily on slate showers (when needed), polished marble floors in toilet areas, and exterior pavers. It is a topical coating (allegedly breathable), and like anything needs upkeep. I'll try to get more info to your particular questions.

I don't have any complaints thusfar from the clients that have allowed me to use this product.