How to Clean Glass Shower Doors
Learn how to clean glass shower doors the easy way without the intense fumes of harsh chemicals. Using a diy cleaner for glass shower doors recipe, you will be so pleased with your sparkly clean glass showers!
There’s nothing quite like a clean bathroom with sparkly clean glass shower doors.
The problem is, cleaning a glass shower door can be quite the challenge! If not taken care of properly, instead of sparkly clean glass, glass shower doors can turn into a mess with soap scum buildup and maybe even mineral deposits and hard water spots.
When we lived in a rental house with 2 glass shower doors, I researched and experimented with various methods of cleaning off the streaky stuck on film until landed on a quick and easy way to clean glass shower doors. I’m sharing now what I found to be the best way clean a glass shower door – with little effort! And bonus -I find it also works well on our current fiberglass shower & tub unit, too.
Reasons why cleaning glass showers can be challenging
You are not the first person to have trouble getting your glass shower door clean! Here are the reasons why this is such a common issue:
- Soap Scum Buildup – Residue from liquid soap, bar soap, and shampoo accumulates over time.
- Hard Water Stains – Minerals in hard water leave stubborn spots and streaks.
- Difficult to Remove – Once buildup sticks to the glass, it’s tough to clean, even with commercial cleaners.
- Harsh Chemicals Aren’t Always Effective – Many store-bought cleaners contain harmful chemicals but don’t always work well.
- Requires Deep Cleaning – A thorough cleaning technique is needed to restore the glass to a sparkling finish.
How to Clean Glass Shower Doors: A Simple and Effective Method
The good news is, you don’t need expensive cleaners to get glass shower doors sparkling clean. With just a few simple household ingredients, you can make an effective DIY cleaner that cuts through buildup and restores shine.
Here’s everything you need to tackle soap scum and leave your glass shower doors looking brand new again.
For More Easy Home Cleaning Tips & Hacks:
Supplies needed for removing soap scum off glass:
- Spray bottle – Makes it easy to evenly apply the cleaning solution to the glass surface.
- White vinegar – A natural cleaner that helps break down hard water stains and soap scum.
- Dawn dish soap – Cuts through grease and grime, making it easier to remove buildup.
- Damp sponge or soft clean cloth – Gently scrubs the glass without scratching the surface.
- Old toothbrush – Perfect for scrubbing tough spots and getting into hard-to-reach corners.
Step by step instructions for how to clean shower doors
1.Make homemade shower door cleaner in spray bottle 2.Spray on the cleaner and let sit for 30 minutes. 3.Rinse and dry to a shine!
Tips for Cleaning Glass Shower Doors with this Easy Method
- Use equal parts Dawn Dishsoap and vinegar in your spray bottle. The specific amounts will differ based on the size of spray bottle you have. You can use warm or cold vinegar. Both work fine. Shake together to mix it up well before spraying.
- Splash water on the shower door using a bucket or the shower head before spraying on the cleaner.
- If the stainless steel shower door track needs cleaning, too, spray it down and scrub inside and outside it with an old toothbrush.
- Try to make sure the spray solution is covering all of the surface. If you need to, use a wet cloth and rub it around in a circular motion so all the glass is coated well with the solution.
- Let the mixture sit on the doors for 30 minutes before you rinse it off. The secret to this method working is allowing the solution to sit and work before rinsing.
- After 30 minutes has passed, rinse off the mixture. (If your glass shower door has tough stains and a lot of build up, it may take a few applications to cut through all the build-up.) When the door no longer has spots, use a squeegee to take the excess water off the door, and wipe down with a dry microfiber cloth.
Check out the dramatic difference of this shower door cleaning method!
Here was our dirty glass shower door before cleaning with the vinegar and Dawn solution:
And here is the after (the picture is taken through the glass):
How to keep glass shower doors clean
After all that effort to get your glass shower doors sparkling, you’re probably wondering how to keep them that way without another deep cleaning session. Here are some simple tips to maintain a spotless shower:
- Dry the glass after each use – Prevent water spots by wiping down the glass before the water dries.
- Use a squeegee – Keep an inexpensive squeegee in the shower and quickly run it over the glass after every shower.
- Keep a towel handy – If you prefer, use a clean towel to dry the glass instead of a squeegee.
- Address hard water stains – If you have hard water, consider installing a water softener to reduce mineral buildup.
For more tips on cleaning:
- Tile & Grout Cleaning tips
- Why the Norwex Envirocloth is my favorite cleaning cloth
- Norwex Cleaning system
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Very useful guide thanks for shairing it will be very benificial for cleaning glass
Thank you so much! We just had new shower doors installed and the installer couldn’t get them clean (not a lot of effort was exerted there! lol) and we were not having any success. They now look fabulous!