Ella's Bubbles Walk In Tub Blog

Support Center / Maintenance & Cleaning / Cleaning the Glass Shower Screen, Stainless Door, and Chrome Fixtures

Cleaning the Glass Shower Screen, Stainless Door, and Chrome Fixtures

Updated September 2026

Cleaning the glass shower screen, the brushed stainless steel inward-swing door, and the chrome fixtures on an Ella's Bubbles walk-in tub takes the gentlest method: a soft, lint-free cloth and warm soapy water, followed by a rinse with clean water. The screen should never see alcohol, petroleum-based liquids, or strong chemical cleaners. The stainless steel door is designed to be removed so you can reach behind it. Chrome parts stay bright longest when you rinse the tub after Epsom salts, which can spot or discolor chrome if left to dry.

Cleaning the 4-Fold Glass Shower Screen

The instructions that ship with the 4-fold shower screen are short and clear:

  • Do not use abrasive or strong cleaning solutions on the shower enclosure, such as alcohol, petroleum liquids, or any other chemical cleaner.
  • For dirty stains, clean with a soft lint-free cloth and warm soapy water, then rinse with clean water afterwards.

That is the whole method. Gritty or abrasive cleaners will mark the glass and the frame, so keep the harsher bathroom products for surfaces they were designed for. The same guidance applies to the glass shower screen on the LayDown models: clean after use with soap and water, and avoid contact with strong chemicals. If you are ever unsure about a product, check with that cleaner's manufacturer before using it on the enclosure.

One useful distinction: the tub cleaning instructions do allow denatured alcohol on the acrylic tub shell for stubborn construction debris. That permission is for the shell only. It does not extend to the shower enclosure, which has its own rule against alcohol. The full shell list is in approved cleaners and chemicals to avoid.

Hard Water Districts: Clean After Each Use

If you live in an area with hard water, the glass screen care instructions ask you to clean the glass with soap and water after each use. Insoluble lime salts can deposit on the glass and build up over time, and a quick wipe and rinse while the screen is still wet is far easier than removing dried scale later. A soft cloth is all you need; do not reach for a scouring pad even on visible spotting.

The Stainless Steel Inward Door Comes Off for Cleaning

Open removable stainless steel walk-in tub door with frosted glass panel and U-shaped seal
The brushed stainless inward-swing door lifts off so you can clean behind it and around the seal.

Ella's Bubbles inward-swing door tubs (the Elite, Petite, Royal, Deluxe, Ultimate, and the two-seat Companion and Escape) use a custom crafted brushed stainless steel door with a frosted tempered glass panel. That door is removable, and detaching it is the intended way to clean the hard-to-reach places behind and beneath it. Ella's Bubbles video guides describe the stainless steel door as removable for convenient cleaning and note that its detachable design makes those hard-to-reach places easier to get to.

A few points to keep in mind:

  • The door handle is not designed to be removed if it came installed on the tub. To gain access, the whole door is removed from its hinges rather than the handle from the door. Our stainless steel inward door operation article covers lifting the door off and rehanging it.
  • With the door off, wipe the door, the frame, and the area around the seal with the same soft cloth and warm soapy water you use on the screen, then rinse and dry. Avoid abrasive pads and abrasive cleaners on the brushed finish and the frosted glass.
  • When the tub is not in use, leave the door open. This is the standing recommendation for door seal life on every Ella's Bubbles tub.

Detailed seal care, including how to restore a seal that has been compressed, is covered in our door seal article. The LayDown tempered glass door lifts off its hinges the same way; see operating and caring for the LayDown glass door. If you are not sure how to remove your specific door, open a ticket with your model name and we will send the steps for it.

In this tour of the inward-swing door family, the custom crafted brushed stainless steel door with frosted tempered glass is the first thing you see, along with the reminder that these doors are removable for convenient cleaning. The narration then moves through the bright, easy-to-clean acrylic shell on its rust-proof stainless steel frame, the ozone sterilization that helps keep the tub sanitary, and the Auto Purge that clears moisture from the air system after a bath. It closes by noting that every inward-swing door tub can be fitted with a 4-fold glass shower screen or a rain head shower column.

Chrome Fixtures: Rinse After Epsom Salts

Epsom salts will not harm the jetting system, so you are welcome to use them. The one caution in the Ella's Bubbles FAQ is about chrome: Epsom salt may affect the chrome finish, most likely causing discoloration and spots on the chrome surface. The published advice is simply to rinse the tub after using Epsom salts so salt residue does not dry on the faucet, hand shower, or other chrome surfaces. A quick rinse and a wipe with a soft cloth is enough. The full guidance is in Epsom salts and bath products rules.

For everyday cleaning of chrome and the acrylic around it, use a non-abrasive product from the approved list published at ellasbubbles.com/walk-in-tub/cleaning-maintenance/ (Dawn dish detergent and Simple Green products are among them), and never an abrasive cleaner or scouring pad. Brushed nickel faucets get the same soft cloth and soapy water treatment.

Quick Reference

SurfaceUseAvoid
4-fold glass screen and LayDown screenSoft lint-free cloth, warm soapy water, rinse; clean after each use in hard water areasAlcohol, petroleum liquids, chemical cleaners, abrasives
Stainless steel inward doorRemove from hinges, soft cloth and warm soapy water, rinse and dry, leave door open when not in useAbrasive pads and abrasive cleaners
Chrome faucet, hand shower, and trimRinse after Epsom salts; approved non-abrasive cleaner; soft clothLetting salt residue dry; abrasives

Common Questions

What can I use on the 4-fold screen?
Warm soapy water on a soft lint-free cloth, followed by a rinse with clean water. That is the only method the screen instructions call for, and it handles ordinary soap film and water spots. Keep alcohol, petroleum-based liquids, strong chemical cleaners, and abrasives off the enclosure, and if you live in a hard water area, wipe and rinse the glass after each use so lime salts never dry on it.
How do I clean behind the stainless door?
Remove the door from its hinges; the brushed stainless steel inward door is designed to be removed so you can reach behind and beneath it. Wash the door, the frame, and the seal area with a soft cloth and warm soapy water, rinse, dry, and rehang it. Leave the door open when the tub is not in use to protect the seal, and if you would like the removal steps for your model, open a ticket with the model name.
Epsom salt spotted my chrome. What now?
Rinse the fixtures thoroughly and dry them with a soft cloth, then keep rinsing the tub after every Epsom bath so salt residue never dries on the faucet, hand shower, or trim. Epsom salts will not harm the jetting system, so you are welcome to keep using them; the chrome finish is the only caution. If marks remain after cleaning, send us a couple of photos through a support ticket and we will advise on your specific fixture.
Can I use alcohol on the screen?
No. The screen instructions specifically list alcohol among the products to keep off the shower enclosure, along with petroleum liquids and other chemical cleaners. Denatured alcohol is allowed only on the acrylic tub shell for stubborn construction debris, and that permission does not extend to the screen or its frame.
Can I take the door handle off to clean around it?
No. A handle that came installed on the tub is not designed to be removed, so lifting the whole door off its hinges is the intended way to reach behind and around it. Our stainless steel inward door operation article covers lifting the door off and rehanging it.
Does the LayDown glass door come off too?
Yes. The LayDown tempered glass door lifts off its hinges for cleaning, just like the stainless door on the other inward-swing models. Clean it and the LayDown glass screen after use with soap and water and avoid contact with strong chemicals; our article on operating and caring for the LayDown glass door has the details.
Hard water keeps spotting the glass. Is there a stronger cleaner I can use?
The screen instructions allow soap and water only, so a stronger product is not the answer. The cure for hard water is frequency: wipe and rinse the glass with a soft cloth after each use while it is still wet, so insoluble lime salts never dry and build up. Even on visible spotting, do not reach for a scouring pad, because abrasives will mark the glass and the frame.
Can I replace a scratched or broken screen panel?
Yes. Screen and glass door replacement parts are available through the team, so open a ticket with your model name and a photo of the damaged panel. See shower screen and glass door replacement parts for what is offered.

For anything specific to your model, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 and we will be glad to help.

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