Don’t eat while you read this.
Seriously, don’t.
This is the story of removing the sliding shower doors in our bathroom. It was one of those can’t-do-this-soon-enough tasks that was at the top of our list.
Not only did they enclose the tub in a way that a soft white fabric curtain wouldn’t, they had seen better days. So there were lines of rust around them…
… and pretty impressive amounts of caulk that seemed to be holding them together.
Plus their height was oddly low, so John hit his head (not once but twice) while climbing in. Fool him once, shame on the shower doors – fool him twice, shame on John. Here’s a good ol’ fashioned fully-clothed reenactment for you.
Apparently he likes those (exhibit A, exhibit B, exhibit C)
Anyway, the first scene to Get Those Dastardly Doors Down (the movie) involved swinging them out at the bottom so they could be lifted away from the track that held them in place at the top.
The top frame actually lifted right off after we did that, and then it came down to removing a few screws on each of the side frames to free them from the wall.
At least that’s what we thought. And then we remembered all that caulk. So we needed to score (and score and score) those wads of silicone to get those frames free.
When they came off it kind of looked like they were coated with icing. Except substantially less appetizing.
Here’s the gross part. WARNING. Stop eating. Or stop reading this entirely if you’re especially squeamish.
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Second warning. Seriously, stop it with the pop tart. Put it down.
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Last warning. There’s no button to un-see this.
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We then discovered this thick layer of scum that was living under the frame on the bottom of the tub, which wasn’t screwed in. So it just lifted off to reveal this tasty sight of 3D mildew and general nastiness. I used a flat razor to scrape the scum (check out my veiny hands – I think they bulge when I’m trying not to gag).
Then the tub looked like this, which is nice and open from afar.
Even the spots where the frame was screwed in were pretty small (so a dab of silicone caulk in each one sealed them off, and once we hung the shower curtain we knew they’d be obscured even more).
But if you got a little closer, the issue was the caulk around the tub.
Many areas were missing caulk completely, and some had pink-ish mildew or even old rotted brown spots (don’t even know what caused those) but one thing was clear: we needed to strip off the old caulk and re-caulk the entire perimeter of the tub and even down the sides and along the base at the floor. So we used a combination of a box cutter and this little plastic tool that we grabbed at Home Depot for a few bucks (it has a razor in the middle of the V to help slice while it pulls the caulk away from the wall).
That tool didn’t work along the bottom of the tub (couldn’t really grab the caulk there along the floor) so out came the box cutter again.
About an hour later (took a while, but it was pretty satisfying work) we had this caulk collection going on.
Then it was time to get some fresh stuff down. Be sure to use something silicone that’s meant for a tub/shower (we like the white colored stuff over clear caulk since it blends with the tub). Oh and we taped off the top edge so all we had to do was smooth it with our finger and then peel off the tape while it was still wet for a nice clean line against that dark tile.
Much better, eh?
Then after it all dried we hung our extra long shower curtain with a tension rod from Home Depot and it finally felt clean and airy. The to-the-ceiling-height always adds some nice “head-room” so it feels a lot less cramped to us (and it’s never dark in there since light passes through white fabric really easily).
Our 95″ waffle weave curtain originally came from amazon (but we hear target.com occasionally sells them too). We got it years ago at our first house and it has held up nicely since it’s 100% cotton and can be tossed in the wash (we have an extra long white fabric liner from Bed Bath & Beyond that hangs on the inside of the tub to block spray). As for why it came with us, shower curtains don’t stay like regular curtains when a house sells down here – probably because they can be pretty decor-specific and are universal in size – so they work in your next house in a way that certain height curtains or certain width blinds wouldn’t.
One thing’s for sure: a little caulk and a new curtain can definitely made a big difference.
As for the fate of this bathroom, there’s some tile damage around the toilet and sink as well as at the top corners of the shower and of course that wallpaper’s days are numbered, but we plan to live with the tile for a while and then eventually expand the bathroom’s footprint into the sink nook area so we have one big space instead of two smaller choppy ones (having one sink in the bathroom and one right outside of it instead of one big bathroom with a double sink just isn’t our preference). This post with a floor plan might help you visualize things.
So it should be fun to reconfigure this room down the line and retile/add a double sink/etc. But we like living with a space for a nice long time before doing dramatic reno (who knows, we might completely change our mind and go a different direction after thinking it through). In the meantime, I sort of love the blue hex tile, so we’re going steady for now. I’d insert some joke about how it sees me naked all the time, but my mom might text me about it (yes, she texts now, which is hilarious and awesome).
Jessica says
Great change! It makes a big visual difference, and no more shower doors to clean.
After the kids slammed the shower door into my head a few times while I was giving them a bath, I took ours down, too. I had forgotten about the scum layer until now. Have you found anything that will take the stain off of the edge of the bathtub where the door was attached? I’ve scrubbed mine with everything I can think of for the past two years and no change.
YoungHouseLove says
Maybe a magic eraser, or let bleach sit on it, or try scrubbing it with a pumice stone?
xo
s
Lindsay P says
Oh man I feel your moldy-bottom-track pain!!
When I ripped the glass shower doors out of my bathroom the mold had eaten away at the porcelain enamel of the tub, in a big ol’ straight line from end to end.
A thought on the reglazing: Out of necessity for the tub’s new stripe, gag-worthy avocado tile on the surround, and not wanting to part with $350+, I did it myself. With 2 kits from a big box store, it was only ~ $80. I spent a little extra time on prep work and multiple thin coats than was directed, but with results just as good as professionally done glazing: its hands down the best bang for the buck thing I’ve done in a big, super budgeted remodel.
You should definitely consider it for the short term! It made that room instantly 1000% happier place to be.
:)
YoungHouseLove says
Wow! Never heard good things from folks who DIYed it compared to the long-lasting results of hiring it out. Congrats on mastering what we hear is really tricky!
xo
s
Yvonne @ Dress This Nest says
Amazing difference! I’m glad our house doesn’t have those, but it’s good to know that they are fairly easy to remove for any future home purchases! Now I feel like I should redo the grout in my bathroom, because who KNOWS how long it’s been since that has happened. Ugh! There is always more to do!
Sarah says
Whats you new address… I am going to mail you a pair of rubber gloves!! ;-)
Love the tape tip- going to use that one soon!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, thanks Sarah!
xo
s
Kristin says
I’m in love with the blue hex tile! It would be so hard for me to part with, but I totally get the idea to expand the bathroom – maybe you could save a few tiles and use them somewhere else down the line.
YoungHouseLove says
I’d love to save them as coasters or for a shadow box or something so they always live on!
xo
s
Juliet says
YEA! Looks so much better! I have to say a big THANKS to ya all for posting about the long floor scraper. My 15 yr old daughter and I removed carpet from a 4 bedroom rental house today that scraper save our backs made life a little easier.
YoungHouseLove says
So glad!
xo
s
Tiffany says
Hurray for bathroom improvements!
We also bought and moved into a new home in the past few weeks. We have what looks to be a similar situation in one of our bathrooms so this post couldn’t have come at a better time. Thank you for always sharing such helpful information in such a happy friendly way!
New homes are such a fun adventure aren’t they : )
Tiffany
SarahN says
Oh I hate removing caulk/silicon – I had done a post on it too. But the ‘after’ is awesome. Especially when you remove the tape soon enough (yes, I didn’t once… shame on me!)
Interestingly, I get the heeby jeebies with shower curtains touching me, so prefer doors (but not icky caulk!) That being said, I love browsing cool shower curtains. Oh, life’s tough!
Katelyn Thompson says
I seriously read this walked in my bathroom and removed mine! LMAO! I was like “What the what?! Its that easy….oh Momma gotta fix dat!!!” hahahaha! So, popped that sucker out! It opened my little space right up. Those doors are a PAIN to clean, not to mention to give a kid a bath in them!!!! I hated mine! YUCK! So. I’m SOOOO happy to have them out! Thanks for the motivation, the heads up on the mildew orgy I would find (lol), and the little DIY tips!!! Now I have one less thing on my to do list!!! :D Thanks!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
So glad! Virtual fist bump.
xo
s
Ralinn says
Wow that is so gross. It looks so much better. Looking forward to all the exciting changes.
Will @ The Will of Home says
I love the vintage floor tiles.
julie (etsy stalkers) says
this bathroom could be my parent’s bathroom. seriously, they have broken sliding doors and my dad caulks the cr@p out of it. what is it with men and their caulk?
Jen. says
I know! The previous owners of our house caulked almost all of the windows shut. Argh.
Bonnie says
So much better! Have you guys seen the Rustoleum Tile Transformation kit? Might be an easy way to tone down the blue tile on the walls.
YoungHouseLove says
Never seen that. Will have to check it out!
xo
s
Bonnie says
Yeah! They already have the countertop transformation kit and the cabinet transformation kit. Now they’ve come out with a supposedly easy to use tile kit where you paint over your existing tile for a new look for less. It might hold you over until you’re ready for your bathroom reno.
erin moria says
I think you could really have fun with this bathroom for now. The hex tiles on the floor are kind of fun. I was thinking some bright orange or yellow wall art would look cool with that wall paper. you know, in the mean time. good luck with your new home. xo
Jen. says
I haven’t ripped out our shower doors yet, but if I can’t get the bottom to stop leaking they may find themselves on the way out.
I had to replace the bottom plastic sealing piece, but they don’t make them exactly the right size for the doors we have, because — get this — when the door was made in the 1970s, what they used at the bottom was a long, thin BRUSH.
When I removed said brush in 2010, it was solid with 30 years of mank. SO GROSS.
Denise says
Is it just my imagination or is your tub exceptionally shallow? Seeing the shower curtain/tub ratio it appears that the tub is really shallow.
YoungHouseLove says
It’s an extra long curtain so that might be tricking the eye, but it’s definitely not a deep tub either (although I’d guess the tubs at our first and second houses were about the same depth- definitely not soakers).
xo
s
Erin says
This post is just great! We are in the market for a new house and have been scared off by shower doors because we weren’t really sure how/if they come off very easily. Thanks for the step by step!
karen says
oh man..your shower doors put mine to shame!! and it’s our only washroom.
We are living in our tear down house. Just a small sacrifice for a few years.
Kerry says
Thanks for posting this- I am STILL trying to get down all the silicone/glue that held up my old shower doors. I haven’t even started on the caulk. This makes me feel hopeful!
Miranda says
My best bud and I tackled taking down my shower doors this past weekend too. They were gross!! I definitely had more caulk slathered under mine, but was so proud that us girls did it all by ourselves! It was a relief to have them gone. The curtain makes the bathroom look bigger and way cuter! Plus it will be way easier to clean!
Autumn Beach says
I don’t know how to type a squeal, but that’s what I did when I discovered your story in my HGTV Magazine! HOW EXCITING! It was SO fun to see my favorite bloggers all nice and glossy. I would love to know all of the juicy, behind-the-scenes details. Do you think you would possibly do a post on the shoot? Congratulations on such an awesome accomplishment!!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Autumn! We’ll have to see how many behind the scenes photos we have to see if there’s enough for a post!
xo
s
mollie says
i was expecting waaaaay worse than that mildew…like a centipede infestation or something! shudder. and i agree with others, i really love the blue hex tile :)
Andree Caron says
HA! We did the exact same thing a few months ago when, after living here a couple months, I couldn’t stand to *try* and clean them anymore. Yeah, gross is an understatement…
Linnae says
We’ve taken out a couple in the different houses we’ve lived in. Every single one left a disgusting mess under them. I kind of shudder every time I see one now, just knowing the ickiness lurking underneath. I would far rather have a shower curtain that can be thrown in the washing machine.
On a different note–your previous owners must have REALLY liked blue! Wow. Although the blue hex is pretty groovy.
Cat says
Oh, yeah. Two houses ago, when faced with a similar situation, my husband and I decided that the new great insult would be ‘caulk wad.’ As in, ‘dude, don’t be such a caulk wad.’ It sounds so…nasty. And it is!
Deb says
Whew,I feel better because I didn’t think the tiles looked that bad myself ,if it was my house I would just cut out some vertical sections in the tub area and run some nice skinny long glass tiles because I love me some bling and it would bring it back up to date for now so you can tackle bigger and more important projects . I was so excited to get my HGTV mag in the mail today ,wow ,what a wonderful spread ,I felt as though I was sitting right in the house with all of you ,awesome photography !!! You guys are fantastic !!!
Queenie
KarenH. says
Yeah, shower doors are just uniformly gnarly :)
The former owners of your house just REALLY liked blue, didn’t they??
Shawna @DakotaCreekChic says
Wow what a difference a little elbow grease makes. MUCH better!!
Elizabeth says
Great post!!! And BTW your blue tile is better than what I have going on— in my girls’ bathroom, we have ORANGE hex tile– it has a bit of texture/pattern to it and was probably nice tile (so not a flat orange, more natural looking, if orange can be natural) paired with the same yellow tile that you have in your hall bath… that exact SAME yellow… We also have that yellow tile in our TINY master bathroom with a green hex tile for the floor. Not sure what the builders were thinking! Once upon a time wallpaper pulled it all together, but it doesn’t make much sense without it.
I really need to re-caulk my girls bathroom tub, we have the same situation going on with missing caulk. At least no shower doors or mold to deal with, though!
Christy says
Wow!! Eek the only thing that was missing was some cheesy brass fixtures, lol
I kinda am liking the floor tile
Meredith says
I hate glass shower doors with tracks for that very reason. It’s impossible to keep them clean and they usually end up getting gross.
April says
Why is it hilarious that your mom texts?
YoungHouseLove says
It’s more the subject matter than the fact that she texts itself…
xo
s
Emily says
I just went through this process again last week, using every kind of scraping tool I could find, and I didn’t think I would ever get rid of all the old caulk! After doing some research, I ended up using a caulk remover to help loosen the old caulk. I used the Goo Gone brand and let it sit for a while. (If you don’t get every last bit of the old caulk off, the new caulk may not stick.) According to several sources, a final step before putting on the new caulk should be cleaning the area with rubbing alcohol. Some of your readers mentioned gook left on the tub under the old doors. They might try Zud cleanser. It is very strong (use gloves!) and is known for removing rust and other tough stains. Also, spend a little more and buy the best quality caulk you can. It will last longer and resist mildew better.
YoungHouseLove says
Great tips!
xo
s
Jaclyn says
Sherry- have you seen the bee planters (set of 2) on joy and revelry?!!!! They are actually really cute and tasteful.
YoungHouseLove says
Off to check them out!
xo
s
Alisha says
I did EXACTLY this project recently. I don’t understand the point of the sliding doors on the shower, it just makes no sense to me! My husband is 6’5″ so it seriously didn’t work for us. Ironically we have the same shower curtain too. We didn’t have as much scum and caulking built up as our house is a little younger but it was still nasty! Good work! Easy improvement that makes all the difference in the world!
Amy U says
I laughed about the vein comment because mine are huge even when I’m not gagging. Really a delicate look for a girl, doncha think? Also, you are successful because you can tackle a gross, massive calk removal AND FINISH IT whereas I save those for “later” and even it’s fifty 15-minute sessions. Hate. doing. that.
Marian says
I totally had to laugh when you commented about the blue hex tile, because I swear I was thinking ” Wow, I kinda love that blue hex tile!” right before I read you comment. Jinx!
Eliza says
I am so excited that you posted this! I asked awhile ago on the forums if anyone had done this but did not get any responses. After 2.5 years with those awful doors in our guest/daughter’s bathroom, I think I will tackle it this weekend. Thank you for the encouragement!
Marie says
Psssst! Although the to-the-ceiling shower curtain makes the bathroom ceiling look a lot higher, and more roomy there is a reason why shower curtains are placed at least 8″ from the ceiling. The lack of airflow, increase in humidity and steam can cause your tiles to become loose over time, not only destroying the tiling but also allowing room for mold to build. I suggest you lower it.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Marie! It’s definitely not an airtight seal or anything (there’s air flow above the bar and on both sides of the curtain). We’ve hung it this way for the past 6 years or so and have never had any issues with it.
xo
s
Lisa E says
I kind of like the tile as well but understand why you will be removing it eventually. In the meantime the shower curtain looks very nice and crisp. Blue and white are classic colors to decorate with, love them! I’ve removed shower doors in my present house as well as last two. It’s a requirement, lol. They are so gross. We still have one in our master bath, which is a small shower stall. I don’t use that, the hubby does. Hard to shave your legs in such a small space! Maybe someday I can convince him to get rid of that as well as I am the one who cleans it. Yuck! I think there’s enough lip there that a curtain would work, but then again, he might not be as careful as I would be….. Anyway, it’s going to look amazing once the wallpaper is gone. Great pace so far! :)
Genevieve says
Thanks so much for this post! I live by the beach in an apartment and there’s black mold growing under the caulking in my shower. Yep… the toxic stuff, I’m pretty sure. I’ve been thinking about tackling it myself, but keep putting it off/forgetting about it. Thanks for the reminder! Looks pretty simple, albeit time consuming, to do. So you may have just increased my lifespan by encouraging me to do it sooner rather than later!
Chrystina says
It blows my mind how fast you guys jump into these projects, and how much of an impact it looks like you guys have made already. You guys keep inspiring me to take a look around my house to see what needs to be done. First I need to find some time though…
Trude says
If I’d known it was so easy to take out sliding glass doors, I would have done it ages ago! We’re continually annoyed by ours but were waiting until we could do a whole bathroom reno we have planned. I smell a weekend project! :) Thank you!!
Susann says
Gah, those people were fond of that dull shade of blue, weren’t they? I despise glass enclosures, they truly are a breeding ground for mildew and gunk and make the bathroom look and feel much smaller. Good for you!
Johnnie Jazz says
Isn’t it wonderful to find contractors who know what they are doing! Thanks for sharing this!
Lee says
There must be something wrong with my family. I caulked and caulked that line at the bottom of the tub. It never stayed white for more than a couple days.
So it dawned on me while putting in new quarter round ( foam type ) after installing a new floor. I bought an extra piece for the bottom of the tub, applied with liquid nails. End of story
Becky says
Thanks for posting this!! We have these shower doors and have never known how to get rid of them. We will certainly be giving this a go this summer.
Kelly Cartwright says
Great post to read! I have same problem with the bathrooms in my house. But I didn’t mind your warning in the title, I was actually eating while reading this. lol
Jade Evans says
Wow! This post makes me SO SO happy that I had someone else tear out my old shower and do all of that stuff….yuck! But how amazing that you guys can do all of this yourself. I’ve only just discovered your blog and it’s perfect timing as I’m only JUST starting to do up my own house (disclaimer…the most I’ve done is painting and gardening so far!) but there are so many tips and idea’s that you’ve posted that I’ll be coming back here again and again :-) x
Wendy says
The crud under the shower doors looks like old plumber’s putty. It always seems to look like that after you remove an old faucet and I think that they used it under the doors to prevent leaking. Still looks gross though!