I have had experience with both. Honestly, I prefer a rod and curtain.

I don't like *most* glass enclosures for tub/shower combinations. Part of it is the cleaning issue. But mostly because I don't like feeling enclosed by glass if I happen to take a bath. In this regard, I do not ever take baths in a glass enclosed bathtub. So why even have it? Just do a nice big shower.

The shower curtain at least can be pulled way back giving some breathing room to the bather.

The exception is something like in this picture. I have not had one of these but it looks like it might be the best of both worlds. As long as you want to clean glass.

For me, I don't mind cleaning a little glass but these shower enclosures are high maintenance. At least this one doesn't have a lot of tracks and hardware that collect hair, soap scum, and rust!

Good luck!

[houzz=]

My 3 year old is perfect when it comes to gently closing our glass shower door... However when she showers anywhere with a shower curtain ... It's water and mess galore! Definitely easier to have glass I think :-)

You can do a shower screen it has no track and if you order certain ones they don't even have to move at all, the one in this picture is the one I use in my design business quite often it has a hinge so gives a little more coverage, from a company called Dreamline they have many options

I would choose glass showers doors any day over a curtain and rod. I agree with julieellen about water mess all over the bathroom floor- especially if kids will be using it. You just need to squeege the glass on a regular basis to keep it clean and hit it with some vinegar or other hard water product every so often.

The nice thing about glass shower doors is that you get your stretching exercises done every morning before you get out of the shower.

Even our grandkids squeegee the shower because if not then they get to clean it.

How about neither. We had this; a 1 panel fixed to the wall, ceiling and tub, installed in a kid's shared bath as well as a guest rooms. All who've used those rooms like the function, all those who've cleaned those rooms (including the occasional teenager), luv the ease to clean and for this germaphobe ... no mildew worries. Oh, and no, the water doesn't splash out. ;)

I'm not sure how well the partial glass walls/doors work if you opt to put in a handheld shower with an adjustable height rod attachment, which I think would be ideal for showers used by kids and adults alike. I think water would splash out when the handheld is used and pointed in various directions. Because of this, and because I really hated having the doors with tracks for bathing and cleaning, we chose a rod and curtain for our kids bathroom. No water escapes a good sized shower curtain and liner.

Shower screens function very well and the kids should not be left to their own devices when they are too small to realize that the water has to stay in the tub. They have these in almost every place we stay in in europe and no problem.

Here's a pic of one of the guestroom showers; to accommodate folks with limited mobility.

I hate cleaning our glass shower doors! We had a pair on hinges that would swing in or out, and we have small children. Sometimes they would pull/push them open with too much force and I was afraid they would break, but they survived the 5-1/2 yrs in that house! Now we have doors on a track, and I think they are even harder to keep clean, but I don't have as much issue with the kids being rough with them. If we ever build a house, or did a major bath remodel, I try my hardest to have a large walk in shower with NO DOOR!!

I love the look of glass doors but I don't love taking extra time to clean them. My shower curtain is machine wash-and-dry-able, so I just throw it in the wash with the bath rug and towels, and voila!

I have curbless showers with no tubs and no curtain or door. But in my previous apartment I had a tub/shower with curtain and did exactly as greenyogini describes. Even living alone, I'd never have a glass door because of the cleaning hassles. With kids, no way!

A clear shower screen may be a good choice for you. No tracks to keep clean, no moving doors for kids to slam, and no shower curtain to wash. Just a quick wipe-down after use. Here is a photo of one that we used in a small cottage retreat.

For those of you with small children who you help bathe, do you have any 'definitely do' or 'definitely don't' that you would recommend? I'm looking at the Dreamline AquaFold Hinged Tub Door, but only want to choose a glass option that makes it easy to bend over and bath 2 children under two!

We've found that bathing our infant in a tub is easier with the curtain rod because we have easy access to the control side of the tub (if you don't have a toilet in the way). Also you're not resting elbows on the uncomfortable tracks that come with sliding doors. Love the look of glass doors but the curtain rod seems more functional with a kid.

For bathing young children in family bathrooms, we generally recommend either a classic shower curtain, or a partially open panel (ideally hinged), or a glass tub-end wall if it works in your configuration. For the single glass panel option, we usually recommend at least a width of 34" if you want to minimize splash outside of the shower, and for a 2 panel option, closer to 40" is best. The benefit of custom glass vs. a kit is that the panels can be cut to match out-of-square conditions, made any size you want, and they generally use superior hardware that won't fall apart over time.

Love your question, wondering the same thing for a future remodel. I plan to stay away from anything with a track for sure, so much gunk.

Please note the glass had just been installed and was setting that’s why there’s blue tape on it.