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View Full Version : Any suggestions for cleaning fiberglass shower?



Brian Elfert
05-21-2007, 9:14 PM
My city water is fairly hard and has some iron in it. I didn't install a water softener until about a year after the house was built.

The floor of the shower has serious hard water spots. There are literally ridges on the edges of the hard water spots. I'll admit I haven't cleaned the shower floor for several years until recently because it wouldn't come clean the last time I tried a few years back.

I've tried just about every cleaner out there. Kaboom, Fiberglass Magic, CLR, and a number of others.

Any suggestions for a cleaner that might dissolve the hard water ridges? I can scrape away a lot of the ridges with my thumbnail, but it wears away the nail and I am only 25% done. I tried a white scratch free scrubbie and that doesn't really doesn't do anything.

Brian Elfert

mark page
05-21-2007, 11:23 PM
I'll have to ask LOML what she uses, we have high mineral content in our water as it comes before processed straight out of Smithville Lake. She may use TSP, she had a cleaning binge this weekend before guests and I can't find a bottle now that I am looking. Whatever it is it works well.
Will follow up after I see her tomorrow night if I can remember it.

David G Baker
05-21-2007, 11:50 PM
Try Red Out or Oxyclean. Red out is what is added to salt in your water softener if you have an iron problem. I use it all the time to clean the orange rust/iron stains from my bath tub, sink and toilet. It puts out a noxious odor so use it in a ventilated space.

Russ Filtz
05-22-2007, 7:38 AM
You can also try some vitamin C tablets (the chewable kind). Wet them and rub on and let set. The acid is supposed to pull up rust stains. Tried this on the floor around my pool and seems to works. Kind of turns a blackish goo which you then have to clean off. Wouldn't let it set for too long as the goo may end up staining the fiberglass too. I'd check it every 1/2 hour or so, scrub off the goo, and put the tablet back down if needed.

Brian Elfert
05-22-2007, 8:06 AM
Try Red Out or Oxyclean. Red out is what is added to salt in your water softener if you have an iron problem. I use it all the time to clean the orange rust/iron stains from my bath tub, sink and toilet. It puts out a noxious odor so use it in a ventilated space.

Will Oxyclean really break down hard water stains that are so bad that there are ridges? I have some Oxy-Boost which is oxygen bleach just like Oxyclean. I thought about using the Oxy-Boost, but wasn't sure if it would harm fiberglass.

Brian Elfert

David G Baker
05-22-2007, 10:02 AM
Brian,
Oxyclean works on organic material so I was probably wrong to suggest using it to clean rust or mineral deposits off of things. I do try it once in a while and it does work great on some things.
Fiberglass is harmed by quick evaporating things like acetone or abrasive things like scouring powder but I doubt that most general cleaning products will do damage. If in doubt find a out of site spot and try the cleaner there.
Rustout or Rustoff will work on the iron deposits but not sure about lime deposits. If the deposits are real thick elbow grease along with a rust removal product will probably do the trick.
One of my favorite cleaners is dish washing machine soap. It will remove grease, grime and paint if soaked in it for a while.
Good luck.