Glass shower doors look elegant and add chutzpa to the entire bathroom, besides adding the illusion of space. Apart from opaque glass, all other kinds – like the transparent and translucent ones- allow light to pass through them creating the semblance of space even in small bathrooms. While they look super classy, keeping them clean and gleaming is a herculean task. Soap and scum lace the surface after each shower, yet a rub down every time is obviously not possible. Cleaning them periodically may help but very often people complain about glass shower doors losing their sheen. Installing panels with a low maintenance coating may help solve this problem.

What is low maintenance coating?

Low maintenance coating is an invisible shield of coating applied to glass during its manufacturing process. This acts as a shield against soap, scum, hard water and other environmental contaminants and keeps the glass sparkling. This kind of product is also touted as self cleaning glass, which is obviously more of a marketing gimmick, rendering a sort of mysterious quality to the products. In practice, this protective finish doesn’t let the water or other contaminants stick to the surface, making your shower doors low maintenance.

If not for this coating, the glass panels in your bathroom would need a rub down after every shower – which we understand is absolutely impossible. Who has the time to clean when you are running late for that important meeting?

What are the advantages of low maintenance coating?

Glass has on its surface natural peaks and crevices that are invisible to the naked eye. Hard water, soap, body oils, moisturizers all find a way to stick to your prized possession, and it’s the protective coating that works by resisting moisture and keeping scum film from adhering to the surface. It creates an even film all over, and resists any particle including water droplets from sticking to it.

The advantages of using glass shower doors with low maintenance coating are listed as below:

Less Cleaning – The nature of the coating allows you to rush off to work after a shower, making it easier to maintain. It cleans itself by letting the droplets join together and roll off the surface, not leaving much to clean afterward. This is the reason why these products are sold as self cleaning glass.
Lasts Long – When you invest in a shower door that cleans itself, repelling water, you are settling for the best money can offer. With fewer stains which may develop over a long period of time, you wouldn’t need to replace these panels often, or even pay a professional cleaner to do the job for you. These are obviously a tad bit more expensive than the uncoated variation, but they also last longer and look classy.
More Hygienic Bathrooms – You can bid goodbye to mildew spores and mold on the panels of your shower stall when you decide on the coated versions. Since there is no water or soap residue, the chances of mold and mildew are reduced by almost 90%, making it last longer and also more hygienic in there. Also it feels good to not be surrounded by bacteria when you are treating yourself to a cleansing ritual every morning.
More Environment-Friendly – Less cleaning translates to lesser use of chemicals and soap to give a rub down to your shower stall panel. You would be doing the Atlantic a favor by allowing less chemicals to be washed into its deep blue waters.
Scratch Resistant – The protective coating also makes the surface scratch resistant reducing your maintenance bills.
Keeps Looking New – Your door panels keep looking new for a very long time without any particles sticking to them.

What are the types of protective shields available?

There are two types of protecting shield available:

Hydrophobic
Hydrophillic
Hydrophobic shield works by repelling soap, oil or water, causing them to be washed away as soon as they make contact with the surface. This results in fewer water spots on the surface.
Hydrophillic shield works by attracting water and causing it to sheet down, carrying with it all other particles. The remaining water droplets spread out evenly and make fewer spots.

Both types of shields make it easier to maintain the sheen of your glass shower door. Some companies offer both types, while some offer only one. Ask your glass supplier if they offer products with protective coating that renders the glass low maintenance. And if they do, which type is it. Always ask about the benefits of the product you are buying. It is important to know where you are investing your hard earned money.