shower doors Archives - Janssen Glass

If you’re looking to bring your outdated bathroom into the 21st century, the best way to do it is with heavy glass doors. In the past few decades, shower doors have seen a complete revolution. Now that heavy glass doors are available, style framed shower doors are a thing of the past.

What Is Heavy Glass?

Shower doors used to be thin and flexible, wrapped in a metal frame which ultimately gave them support when being opened and closed. The frame was really used to make sure the thin, fragile glass wouldn’t break. With heavy glass, the shower doors are no 3/8” to 1/2” thick. This allows them to stand alone without the support of the metal frames. These heavy glass doors are sturdy, feel solid, and look upscale. What’s not to like? No more wiggling when they open or close. You’re going to love them.

Framed Shower Doors Look Dated

The majority of shower doors we replace are framed. The reason for this is because those were the only kind of shower doors available until a decade ago. If you are updating your bathroom, make sure to upgrade by installing glass shower doors. Yes, framed shower doors are cheaper, but they also look like it. With heavy glass doors, you can get that modern, sleek look without all the hardware.

Heavy Glass Means Less Hardware

Thicker glass actually allows for more freedom when it comes to design. Unlike thin glass doors, heavy glass doors need much less hardware. We can actually attach heavy glass shower doors with simple clips, handles, and channels reducing the visual intrusion of the metal framework. Now your beautiful tile work will no longer be hidden and other features you have spent a good amount of money on can be shown off.

Frameless Shower Doors Make Bathrooms Feel Bigger

Heavy glass doors will give your bathroom more of a modern look but that is not even the biggest impact they have. When updating your shower doors to heavy glass, it will give off the feel that the bathroom is now bigger than before. Especially in a room that is already really small. This will allow guests to focus on more beautiful, more important aspects of your bathroom instead of your outdated shower door.

But My Bathroom Has a Tub

Another trend we have begun to witness is families ditching the tub behind for a larger shower. Many homeowners have found they no longer use their bathtub. Think about it, if you already have another tub in a different bathroom, do you really need more than one? Treat yourself by upgrading to a shower enclosure only. Expanding your shower can really enhance a bathroom. No worries, our designers can help you visualize a larger shower!

TIP: Just don’t replace your only tub. They do come in handy for soaking/cleaning large items.

If you have a bathroom that is in desperate need of a renovation, we highly consider updating to heavy glass shower doors. Check out our shower door gallery. Call us at (913) 677-5727 or contact us online and let us create the shower of your dreams.

While glass shower doors add a sense of elegance and beauty to your home, they are sometimes a pain to regularly maintain. Knowing this, our experts at Janssen Glass threw together a list of 7 tips to keep your glass doors streak and mark free.

1. Squeegee After Showering

Everytime your shower is used, hard water particles have the chance to attach themselves to microscopic pores in the glass shower doors. This can be prevented by investing in a squeegee and regularly using it.

This easy action can effectively remove water droplets from the glass, that would ultimately leave streaks. It’s important to keep in mind squeegeeing must take place directly after you shower. Start top to bottom. Don’t forget nooks and crannies, as they can sometimes store excess water droplets.

2. Use Sprayway Glass Cleaner

Our experts recommend using Sprayway. Sprayway is our favorite glass cleaner because it does more than just cleans your glass, it cares for it too. Sprayway glass cleaners are ammonia free, which means it won’t taint the window tint.

This cleaner is universal. It can be used for pretty much any glass in your home. It will leave a spotless finish on glass windows, glass shower doors, glass cabinet doors, and more! Always start cleaning from the top of the glass and work your way down. This will save you time by keeping clean sections of the window away from parts of the window still needing attention. Bottles of Sprayway can be purchased at Janssen Glass in Overland Park.

Insider cleaning tip: Clean your windows on a cloudy day. If you clean them on a sunny day, the sun’s rays will evaporate the cleaning solution before it has a chance to work its magic.

3. Use the Right Equipment

When it comes to cleaning glass, the right equipment can really make a difference. Sure, old rags seem logical, but they will also leave behind lint, tarnishing the beautiful finish you are trying to achieve.

Stay away from using washrags or paper towels. We recommend using a lint-free cloth or even a newspaper if you have the option. Don’t worry; the ink from the newspaper will not stain the glass. Residue may be left over on your hands but it will leave your glass streak-free.

If you want to be really thorough, use a squeegee like professionals do.

4. Remove Stubborn Debris (or Stickers)

If you find yourself with stickers stuck to your glass give this a try: Wet the window and debris (sticker) with the window cleaner. Then, take a brand new 1” single razor blade and gently scrape the debris.

Before attempting this, make sure your glass is non-coated. Be sure to use the flat edge, and never poke at the window. Doing this will leave long term damage and scratch your window.

5. Use Glass Coatings for Shower Doors

Using glass coatings is one way to make sure your glass stays clearer. We have found two separate coatings to be beneficial. While both effectively serve the same purpose, one just has a longer lasting effect. These coatings seal glass pores and keep minerals like calcium, magnesium, and other elements in hard water from attaching to themselves.

Cardinal 10 or C10, is a spray foam that is applied when your glass shower doors are installed and then buffed. This will come with a 10-year warranty.

ShowerGuard is permanent and is applied during the manufacturing of your glass shower doors. The reason ShowerGuard is permanent is because it’s system seals the glass surface with a patented ion beam process. Unlike the Cardinal 10, this comes with a lifetime warranty.

6. Properly Clean Shower Door Tracks

Door tracks can be gross, unappealing, and flat out plain annoying to clean. They can easily be forgotten. Here’s a quick summary of how you can easily clean all the shower tracks in your home.

Tools You’ll Need for the Homemade Shower Track Cleaner

Vinegar
Paper Towels
Old Toothbrush for Scrubbing
Q-Tips for Tight Spots
Water Spray Bottle for Rinsing

Get Those Shower Tracks Sparkling Clean

Begin by pouring some vinegar onto one of the paper towels. The paper towel needs to be soaked. Then lay this onto the tracks and let it sit for about 30 minutes. You should have enough paper towels to cover the length of your shower tracks. As you leave the room, flip the exhaust fan on so it removes the strong smell of vinegar over time.

Once your 30 minutes is up, remove the paper towels, and take your old toothbrush and rub it along the tracks. The residue should brush right off. For the corners and areas with screws, use the Q-tips. Whenever you are done scrubbing, take the spray bottle and rinse all the vinegar off the tracks.

7. Get Rid of Shower Door Tracks

If you’re sick and tired of cleaning shower door tracks, you should consider installing heavy glass shower doors. These types of shower doors typically swing open, and don’t normally require as much hardware including tracks. Check out our gallery of heavy glass shower doors to see the difference.

DIY: Make Your Own Glass Cleaner

Here are a couple of do-it-yourself solutions from your friends at Janssen Glass & Door. These easy mixtures can save you a little money, and are made with all natural everyday ingredients. You can feel safe using these cleaning solutions around your kids and family.

Scented White Vinegar Glass Cleaner

This cleaning solution takes a little prep time, but it’s worth it. Vinegar is a natural cleaning and detoxifying agent, but it is known for having a strong scent.

Two weeks before you need the solution, soak citrus peels of your choice in a fourth of a cup of vinegar.

After the two weeks are up, strain the citrus from the vinegar, and pour it into a spray bottle. Mix in a gallon of water and stir. Then, spray away!

Vinegar and Dish Soap Glass Cleaner

This cleaner also uses the super cleaning agent, vinegar, but requires less prep time. Mix one cup of vinegar, a tablespoon of dish soap of your choice, and a gallon of warm water. Mix the liquids together, and pour into a spray bottle. That’s it!

Tag: shower doors

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