Care guide · Recommended cleaning instructions
Shower Glass & Hardware — Care & Maintenance
Your shower enclosure has been crafted from premium materials and, with proper care, will provide many years of beauty and reliable service. This guide explains how to look after every part of it — the glass, the hardware and the frame finish — and takes only a few minutes to read.
If you are ever unsure which finish or glass type you have, check your order confirmation or contact us — we are always happy to advise.
The Golden Rules
These few habits prevent almost all long-term issues. They apply to every enclosure we make, framed or frameless, whatever the finish.
After every shower — one habit that matters
Squeegee the glass from top to bottom while it is still warm and wet. It takes about twenty seconds and prevents almost all water spots and limescale. Use a good-quality squeegee with a soft rubber blade — rigid plastic squeegees are abrasive and will gradually wear away the protective coating on your glass.
Preferable, not essential
The only other aim is for the enclosure to dry reasonably quickly — the less time moisture sits on the metalwork and seals, the longer the silicone joints and door seals will last. Good bathroom ventilation or an extractor fan usually takes care of this on its own. If your bathroom dries slowly, a quick wipe of the hardware with a towel, or leaving the door slightly ajar, does the same job.
Never use, anywhere on your enclosure
- Vinegar, limescale removers, descalers or any acidic cleaner — see “Why we advise against vinegar” below.
- Bleach or bleach-based bathroom sprays.
- Cream cleaners, scouring powders, abrasive pads, steel wool or stiff brushes.
- Metal polish on any lacquered or factory-sealed fitting.
- Oily or silicone-based sprays and polishes near hinges, clamps and sliding tracks — see the hardware section for why.
- Razor blades, scrapers or any sharp instrument on the glass.
One thing worth knowing: rings, watches and other jewellery can scratch both the glass and the metal finishes while you clean — and scratches in glass are permanent and irreparable. Take them off if you can, or simply clean with a little care knowing the risk is there.
Your Glass — the Easy-Clean Coating
Once your enclosure has been installed, we treat all internal glass faces on site with a hydrophobic, easy-clean protective coating, applied and buffed by hand as the final step of the installation. It has to be done this way round: the coating creates a non-stick surface, so any UV-bonded glass joints must be assembled and bonded first — the adhesive will not take to coated glass. You may notice a strong smell in the room for the first hour or so after installation; this is simply the coating curing, and it clears quickly with ventilation.
The first 24 hours — please don’t use your new shower
Two things are curing after installation. The silicone mastic sealing the enclosure needs a full 24 hours before it is exposed to water — using the shower earlier can compromise the seal. The glass coating cures within about 8 hours, and you may notice mild streaking on the glass during the first day; this is a normal part of curing and simply wipes off with a damp cloth at your first clean.
How it works, and how long it lasts
The coating works like a non-stick surface: water beads and runs off, and limescale, soap scum and body oils sit on top of the coating rather than bonding to the glass itself.
The coating protects your glass for around 3 years. Using suitable cleaning products typically extends this by a further 2 years. When its performance eventually reduces, the coating can be professionally refreshed and reapplied — contact us to arrange this.
Routine care
- Daily: rinse and squeegee (soft rubber blade) after each use.
- Weekly, or as needed: wipe down with warm water and a few drops of mild washing-up liquid, or a suitable glass cleaner (see below). Rinse and squeegee dry.
What damages the coating. Abrasive cleaners and pads, strongly acidic or alkaline products, and harsh chemicals will wear the coating away quickly. With gentle cleaners it will last its full life — harsh products can strip it in months.
Choosing a Glass Cleaner
You do not need specialist products — but if you prefer a spray cleaner, most mild glass cleaners work well and can safely be used on the metalwork too. A cleaner meeting the criteria below is safe on every surface we supply — coated, frosted and sandblasted glass, lacquered and factory-sealed fittings, anodised and powder-coated frames, nickel plate and living brass finishes alike. One suitable mild cleaner really can do your whole enclosure.
Look for
Non-abrasive, ammonia-free, bleach-free products labelled “mild”, “pH-neutral” or “streak-free”, and suitable for treated or coated glass.
Avoid
Limescale removers and descalers, bleach bathroom sprays, cream cleaners, ammonia-based cleaners, and anything marketed as “power” or “heavy duty”.
Why we advise against vinegar
Many online cleaning guides recommend diluted white vinegar for shower glass. We advise against it. In a shower enclosure, any liquid on the glass runs down onto the metalwork and seals — and vinegar, even diluted, reacts with unlacquered metal finishes and can break down the self-adhesive backing of the door-edge seals, causing them to lift. If you choose to use vinegar despite this advice, you do so at your own risk and outside our care recommendations.
Hard water areas
The coating is your best defence against hard water — limescale sits on the coating rather than etching the glass. In hard water areas, be strict about the daily squeegee and clean with a suitable mild cleaner weekly rather than fortnightly. If a stubborn build-up develops, do not reach for a descaler — contact us and we will advise, or arrange a professional clean and coating refresh.
Glass Types
The routine above applies to all glass. A few types need one extra note:
Clear and low-iron glass
No special requirements beyond the routine above.
Frosted / sandblasted glass
Clean the textured face with mild detergent and a soft cloth only. Avoid oily or silicone-based products, which soak into the texture and leave permanent shadows.
Reeded / fluted glass
Clean along the direction of the flutes; a soft cloth wrapped over a finger reaches the grooves.
Laminated glass (mesh, fabric or colour interlayer)
In almost all cases we supply laminated glass in framed enclosures, where the glass edges are sealed inside the frame and no special care is needed beyond the routine above. In the rare case of a frameless laminated installation (where we will have discussed this with you at the time of ordering), do not allow cleaner or standing water to sit on the exposed glass edges, and wipe the edges dry after cleaning — moisture entering the edge of the laminate can damage the interlayer.
Frameless Enclosures — Hardware
Most frameless fittings — hinges, knobs, handles, brackets and sliding-door gear in chrome, nickel, matt black and similar finishes — are factory-plated and sealed with a baked protective lacquer.
Care is simple
Warm water with mild soap, or the same mild glass cleaner you use on the glass. Dry with a soft cloth after use. Never use metal polish (Brasso or similar), acidic cleaners or abrasives on these fittings — they will permanently damage the sealed finish, and this damage cannot be repaired by cleaning.
Living finishes
Some frameless fittings are supplied in unlacquered, living finishes — most commonly antique brass — which are designed to develop character over time. If your fittings have a living finish (your order confirmation will say so, or contact us to check), care for them exactly as described under Brass frames — living finish below: dry cloth, occasional mild soap, and never acids or metal polish unless you deliberately want to remove the aged finish.
No oily or silicone-based cleaners near hinges and clamps
Frameless hinges, clamps and brackets hold the glass by friction, gripping it through rubber or fibre gaskets tightened against the glass. Oily or silicone-based products — furniture polish, “shine” bathroom sprays, oil-based cleaners, lubricants — can slowly seep between the gasket and the glass. Unlike water, oil does not dry out: it stays in the joint and reduces the grip, and over time a door can begin to slip and drop under its own weight. Keep anything oily or slippery well away from the fittings — and if a door does drop or shift, contact us rather than tightening it yourself.
Sliding doors
- Wipe the track and rollers dry as part of your routine — soap residue and limescale in the track are the most common cause of stiff running.
- Do not apply oils, lubricants or sprays to the track or rollers — they attract dirt and make running worse.
Door-edge seals
The clear PVC strips on the door edges are fitted with a self-adhesive backing. Harsh chemicals break down this adhesive and cause the seals to lift — another reason to keep to mild cleaners only. The strips are a replaceable consumable: when they eventually discolour or wear, contact us for replacements.
Hinges and adjustment
If a door ever drops, shifts, changes its gap or begins to run roughly, do not adjust or loosen the fixings yourself. The moment a hinge or clamp is loosened, the full weight of the door is no longer supported — a heavy glass door can slip or fall, and correct realignment needs the door properly supported and set back to the right gaps and gasket seating. Contact us and we will arrange an adjustment.
Framed Enclosures — Care by Finish
All the glass advice above applies equally to framed enclosures. The frame finish determines how to care for the metalwork — if you are unsure which finish you have, check your order confirmation or contact us before using anything other than mild soap and water.
Nickel-plated frames (unlacquered, mirror-polished)
Our frames are plated in-house with hard nickel to a 35-micron thickness — a heavy, durable deposit — then polished individually to a mirror finish. The finish is unlacquered, so the metal surface is live.
Routine: a quick wipe dry after use is ideal — it prevents water spotting on the mirror finish — and a weekly clean with warm water and mild soap, rinsed and dried, keeps the plate bright.
Tarnish, water marks and light limescale: Brasso liquid polish is the correct product. Apply in small circular motions with a soft cloth, leave a few minutes, then buff dry. Use it as needed rather than routinely — occasional polishing is all a 35-micron plate ever requires.
Never use acidic cleaners on unlacquered nickel
Vinegar, lemon juice, limescale removers — even diluted — react directly with the metal, forming a dull yellow-green tarnish and stripping the natural oxide layer that keeps the surface bright. This damage cannot be reversed by normal cleaning.
If re-sealing work is ever carried out
Only neutral-cure (low-modulus) silicone may be used against nickel frames. Standard acetoxy silicones release acetic acid as they cure and will react with the finish, causing immediate tarnishing. Please make sure any tradesperson working on your bathroom is aware of this — or contact us first.
Anodised frames
- Clean with a mild, non-alkaline detergent in warm water; soft cloth or sponge; dry with a soft cloth or chamois.
- A soft nylon brush will lift dirt from corners and joints without harming the finish.
- For stubborn deposits, use a specialist anodised-aluminium cleaner — never abrasives — and test on an inconspicuous area first.
- Rinse thoroughly after cleaning.
Powder-coated frames
- Mild soap and warm water, soft cloth or soft-bristled brush only.
- Rinse with clean water and dry thoroughly.
- Abrasive pads, stiff brushes and harsh chemicals can lift the coating from the metal and cause premature failure.
Brass frames — first, which brass do you have?
Brass care depends entirely on whether your finish is lacquered or a living (unlacquered) finish — including our workshop-applied antique patina. Check your order confirmation or contact us if unsure.
Living finish — keeping the patina
Unlacquered brass is a living finish: it darkens and develops character over time, and an antique patina finish arrives already aged. To preserve it:
- Wipe dry with a soft cloth after each use — standing water causes more uneven marking than any cleaner.
- Occasionally clean with warm water and mild soap; dry thoroughly.
- Never use acids, bleach, metal polish or abrasives — acids strip the patina unevenly and leave a blotchy surface.
Polishing back to bright — read before you reach for the Brasso
Metal polish will restore unlacquered brass to a bright, new-brass shine — but it permanently removes the aged finish in a single application. Natural patina takes months to redevelop evenly, and a workshop-applied antique patina will not redevelop naturally at all — once polished off, it can only be restored by professional refinishing. Only polish if you are certain you want bright brass from now on. If in doubt, contact us first.
Lacquered brass
Lacquered brass is protected by its clear coating and must never be polished — polish strips or clouds the lacquer, and this cannot be repaired at home. Clean with mild soap and warm water, or the same suitable mild glass cleaner you use on the rest of the enclosure, and dry thoroughly. (The same rule applies to any lacquered or factory-sealed metal finish we supply.)
Recommended Maintenance Schedule
After every use
Squeegee the glass (soft rubber blade). Preferably help the enclosure dry quickly — good ventilation, a quick wipe of the hardware, or the door left slightly ajar.
Weekly
Clean glass, hardware and frames with mild soap or a suitable mild glass cleaner; rinse and dry. In hard water areas, treat this as essential rather than optional.
Monthly
Inspect door-edge seals, silicone joints and hinges; deal with any water marks before they become mineral deposits.
Every 3 years (approx.)
Coating performance review — contact us to arrange a professional refresh and reapplication of the easy-clean coating.
When to contact us
- A door drops, shifts, changes its gap or runs roughly — never adjust fixings yourself.
- Door-edge seals lifting, discoloured or worn — replacements are quick and inexpensive.
- Water no longer beading on the glass — time for a coating refresh.
- Stubborn limescale that mild cleaning won’t shift — do not use descalers; we will advise.
- Any re-sealing or silicone work planned near nickel or brass frames.
- You are unsure which finish or glass type you have.
You have made a significant investment in your home by choosing a Caledora enclosure, built from the highest-quality materials. A squeegee after each shower and a mild clean once a week is genuinely all it takes — the simplest routine in this guide is also the most effective one.
Questions about your enclosure?
If you have any questions about your specific finish, or notice anything you are unsure about, please contact us. We will always be happy to help.
Mon–Fri, 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM