How to Keep Your Glass Shower Door Clean

Keeping your bathroom clean can seem like a never-ending task. Though the bathroom is one of the most frequently used areas of your home, cleaning your glass shower door shouldn't add too much time to your weekly chores. Here's some advice for keeping your shower clean.

Create a Schedule

Once the last person has showered for the day, grab your supplies and start wiping down the door. Hot water will help loosen any buildup on the glass, making it easier to scrub off grime. Use a sponge or cleaning pad instead of paper towels to help avoid streaks on the glass. You don't have to do this every night, but consistency is key.

Use Store-Bought or Homemade Products

There are many products that will effectively clean your shower. But if you want to use something with natural ingredients, mix water and white vinegar. This environmentally friendly cleaning solution fights grime and other stains just as well as brand-name shower cleaners. Pour one part vinegar and three parts water into a bottle. Spray your glass shower door enclosure and let it sit for about five minutes. Then, use a warm sponge to wipe off the solution.

Keeping It Clean

Using a squeegee can help keep your glass shower door in tip-top shape. After every shower, do a quick wipe down to remove excess water. When you're not using the bathroom, leave the door open to give the water time to evaporate. If you have a ventilation fan, let it run while you're showering and for several minutes after you finish. This prevents mildew from growing in the shower.

With a little upkeep, you can keep your shower enclosure clean and transparent. If you need to repair or replace a damaged glass shower door, contact the professionals at Macc's Glass Inc. We've worked with customers in the Jacksonville area for years and offer a wide variety of different glass shower door styles. To see how we can help you, call 904-259-6070 or contact us online.

What Keeps Windshields and Car Windows Safe Upon Impact?

The glass used in automobiles has come a long way since cars first hit the road. Today, windshield and passenger window glass is designed to present a minimal risk of injury if broken in a crash. Here's a look at what keeps windshields and other car windows safe upon impact.

The Dangers of Plate Glass

In non-automotive applications, plate glass generally has a low risk of experiencing high-speed impacts, making it safe for domestic and commercial uses. Windshields and passenger windows, however, can be severely damaged or broken in seconds, either by projectiles or in an accident. The high-risk nature of driving led to plate glass being replaced by safer alternatives in vehicles in the mid-20th century.

Shatterproof Windshields

Today, windshields are made from three-layer, shatterproof safety glass, which is made by binding two layers of strong tempered glass together with an inner layer of polyvinyl butyral, a plastic-based resin. Instead of breaking into thousands of loose pieces upon impact, windshield safety glass will crack but remain in one large sheet, significantly improving the safety of drivers and passengers.

Safer Passenger Windows

Passenger windows are sometimes made with the same safety glass as windshields, but they may also be made with simple tempered glass. Tempered glass is heated and cooled in a specific way during manufacturing to enhance its strength and make it safer when shattered. Instead of breaking into sharp shards, tempered glass shatters into smaller, less dangerous pieces.

Windshields may not shatter upon impact, but a damaged one can impair your vision and prevent you from driving safely. In addition to our residential and commercial services, Macc's Glass Inc. offers full windshield replacements to get Macclenny-area drivers back on the road quickly and safely. To learn more about our windshield services, contact us today by calling 904-259-6070.

Cleaning and Maintenance Tips for Large Commercial Glass Displays

Your glass displays tell a story about your business. When your displays are well-maintained, that's a sign of how seriously you take your work. Here are a few tips on how to care for large glass displays.

Proper Cleaning

When cleaning your displays, make sure you're using the right techniques and materials, most importantly a cleaning solution that's designed for glass. Some general cleaning products can cause damage. If the cleaning solution needs to be mixed, be sure to use the proper ratio of solution to water. Then, spray the cleaner on the display and start at the top, wiping from left to right with a squeegee. Make sure you clean the edge of the squeegee's rubber blade with a towel after each wipe. As you work your way down, you should have a little overlap with the previous section during each wipe. This should provide a streak-free look that will keep people focused on what's inside of the display case.

Keep a Schedule

Make sure that you're cleaning your commercial glass displays regularly to reduce the time it takes to finish the job. A quick wipe down once or twice a week is usually enough. But if your display is in a high-traffic area, you may need to clean it more often.

Find a Good Location

As mentioned above, if your customers can easily touch your display, the glass will get dirty more quickly. If possible, try to put your display somewhere that's highly visible but slightly out of reach. However, this might not be feasible, especially if you own a bakery or jewelry store.

By developing a routine, you can keep your glass displays clean and give off an extra sense of professionalism to your customers. If you're looking for a new glass display or need to repair an existing one, Macc's Glass Inc. can help. We're a family-owned business that has served North Central Florida for years. To see how we can work with you, call 904-259-6070 or fill out our online form.

Five Trends in Glass Shower Doors and Enclosures

When it comes to bathroom design trends in 2019, two things are for sure: shower curtains are out, and so is the bathtub-shower combination. Outside of these two guidelines, the design possibilities are endless. For anyone looking to give their bathroom a facelift, these five trends have become popular with homeowners across the country.

For the Modernist: Transparent Doors

Opaque glass doors were extremely popular in the ’90s, but they can make a bathroom look dated today. Many homeowners opt for transparent glass doors for their sleek look. Transparent doors can make a small shower appear larger and brighter, and they pair well with custom tiles.

For Privacy: Decorative Etched or Frosted Doors

One of the appeals of those old opaque doors was privacy. Decorative etched glass doors and frosted glass doors are trendy, semi-transparent options that don't sacrifice privacy or aesthetic charm.

For Added Style: Barn Door Shower Doors

Barn door shower doors slide past each other, offering easy access to the shower and a classic look for any bathroom. These doors can come in transparent or frosted glass and are an elegant addition to a home.

For Limited Space: Corner Enclosures

Most homeowners would love to trade in their bathtub-shower combinations for a trendier freestanding tub and large shower enclosure, but many families just don't have the space. A corner shower is the perfect way to save space and may even leave room for a soaking tub! Sliding and bifold shower doors also save more space than doors that open outward.

For the Minimalist: Frameless Doors

It seems that more people than ever are adopting a minimalist lifestyle, and that doesn't stop at the bathroom. Frameless doors minimize bulk and add elegance. Homeowners can say goodbye to those dated aluminum frames and hello to sleek, modern glass doors!

For Accessibility: Curbless Enclosures

Most showers have a ledge to step over, limiting their ease of access for those with limited mobility. With its frameless door and lack of ledge, a curbless enclosure integrates seamlessly into any bathroom. These shower enclosures create a spa-like experience and are easily accessible for virtually anyone.

Design Your Shower Door Today

You're the one who will be using your bathroom, so it's important to stay true to your personal style when renovating. Whatever you imagine for your new glass shower doors, Macc's Glass Inc. in Macclenny, FL can bring it to life. From transparent glass to custom designs, we can handle all your shower door, windshield, or commercial glass needs. View our gallery and call Macc's Glass Inc. today at 904-259-6070 to learn more.

Tips for Maintaining a Rat Rod

In the wide world of car culture, the rat rod has become a popular sub-genre of hot rods. While an exact definition of a rat rod may be hard to pin down, the concept is generally defined by a rejection of the glossy, showpiece hot rods of the late 80s and an embrace of more down-and-dirty authenticity. Their unique aesthetic makes maintaining rat rods a little different from other cars.

What Is a Rat Rod?

Modern-day rat rod culture traces its roots back to the 1980s when the Pro Street hot rod style was reaching its peak. Pro Street cars were often loaded up with frills and glossy paint jobs that looked good but had nothing to do with making them faster. Rat rods were a direct reaction to this, with a focus not on looks but speed. Rat rods shun chrome and flash in favor of unrestored, often rusted parts that were usually pulled together from the spare parts of classic cars.

Rat Rod Maintenance

Because part of rat rod culture is the absence of sparkle, day-to-day maintenance isn't focused on deciding which wax to buy. Of course, rat rodders maintain their vehicles with care, but that care is primarily directed at the engine. Spare parts can be welded on by the owner. Dents and scratches can be hammered out or simply left as they are to add to the effect. Like other cars, maintaining a rat rod requires changing its oil every three months and regularly keeping an eye on tire pressure. Brake fluid should also be replaced periodically. Even if the rat rod is just a showpiece, it should be driven every couple of weeks to make sure everything's in working order.

While part of the rat rod look may be a preference for authentic pieces cobbled together from junkyards, that preference doesn't extend to windshields. Even the most diehard rat rod enthusiast would agree that the ability to drive the vehicle—and drive it fast—is critical to its appeal. So when it's time to replace a windshield, a trip to the pros is in order, not a trip to the Pick-n-Pull.

Macc's Glass Inc. provides expert windshield replacement for rat rods, hot rods, and every other type of car on the road. We also offer commercial glass replacement and repair as well as a variety of other glass services in Macclenny, FL. Whatever your glass needs are, you can rely on Macc's Glass Inc. To learn more or schedule an appointment, call us at 904-259-6070 today.

When to Repair Vs. Replace a Damaged Windshield

When a vehicle’s windshield is damaged, drivers face the choice of having their windshield repaired or completely replaced. While many drivers hope the problem can be fixed with a repair because it’s the less expensive option, there are times when a replacement is inevitable and is safer to do sooner rather than later. Here are the factors to consider when making this decision.

How Big Is the Crack?

A car’s windshield is actually made of two pieces of glass with a thin layer of plastic in the middle. Because of this, a chip or crack that is limited to just that outer layer doesn’t compromise the entire windshield and can most likely be repaired. If the crack or chip is large or deep enough, however, it probably compromises the structural integrity of the windshield and safety mandates replacement. Further, a crack or chip that goes all the way through the plastic to the inner layer of glass can’t be repaired and will need to be replaced. Putting off windshield replacement will cause it to grow slowly over time as wind pressure pushes against it.

Where Is the Damage?

Another important factor in the replace or repair debate is where the damage is located. Even a relatively small chip that’s right in the driver’s line of sight can present an impediment to safe driving, which necessitates replacing the windshield. If the damage extends to the outer edge of the glass, it should also be replaced. The windshield becomes a load-bearing plane in the event the car rolls, and a crack that extends to the edge may cause the windshield to crumple.

The best way to answer the windshield replacement vs. windshield repair question? Take your vehicle to a professional and get their expert opinion. Macc's Glass Inc. specializes in windshield replacement and a whole host of other glass replacement services in Macclenny, FL. We will assess your situation and give you our honest opinion on the best solution. Check out photos of some of our most recent work and contact us today for assistance.

Image by rmisko.