Glass shower doors can be hard to keep clean. They quickly become stained, streaky, and foggy. Not the elegant glass shower doors you were hoping for. Thankfully there is an easy way to keep your glass shower door sparkling clean.
Here’s how to clean glass shower doors so they’ll remain elegantly beautiful for years.
Key Takeaways
- Clean glass shower doors with a mixture of 1 part warm vinegar and 1 part grease-cutting dish soap, letting it sit for 30 minutes before rinsing and drying.
- Squeegee the doors daily and use a microfiber cloth to remove excess water, promoting good air circulation and preventing mold growth.
- Deep clean your shower doors monthly, applying a water repellent spray such as Rain X to prevent hard water stains.
- Remove hard water stains and soap scum using products like vinegar, baking soda, lemon, dryer sheets, Dawn dish soap, Magic Eraser, Bar Keepers Friend, Windex, or pool descaler.
How Often to Clean Glass Shower Doors
The best way to clean your glass shower doors is to have a plan for maintaining it and then sticking to the plan. This will prevent you from developing stained, streaky, and foggy doors.
Daily: The easiest way to keep your glass shower door clean is to squeegee it every day after taking a shower to make it easier to keep the soap scum and hard water stains from building up in the first place. After squeegeeing your door, use a microfiber cloth to remove excess water. Then leave the door open to promote good air circulation and to prevent mold from growing.
Weekly: Give your shower and the doors a wipe down once a week with a sponge.
Monthly: Deep clean your entire shower making sure that you clean all the nooks and crannies. At this time, apply a water repellent spray such as Rain X to prevent hard water stains from developing on your glass shower doors.
How To Clean Glass Shower Doors
The two main causes of filthy glass shower doors are hard water and soap scum developing on the doors. The hard water is the result of mineral deposits left when water evaporates off the doors. The soap scum results from using soap bars in your shower.
Mineral deposits are ugly to look at, however soap scum will breed bacteria, mildew, and mold making it necessary to remove the soap scum regularly. Here are some excellent products to use to remove the hard water stains and soap scum from your doors.
With Vinegar
You can make a shower glass cleaner with warm vinegar and a grease-cutting dish detergent. Mix the two ingredients in a 1:1 ratio. Put the shower glass cleaner into a spray bottle.
Spray the mixture onto the front and back of your shower doors and wait 30 minutes. Then rinse the doors using a damp sponge and freshwater. Finish by drying your glass shower doors with a dry microfiber cloth.
With Baking Soda
Add ½ a cup of baking soda to a small bowl and mix some water into it until you have a thick paste. Smear this paste all over your glass shower doors with a sponge. Then rinse the doors with vinegar.
Wait a few minutes and then rinse your shower doors with fresh water. Dry them with a microfiber cloth.
With Lemon
Take a lemon and cut it in half. Then dip the fleshy side of the lemon into some baking soda sprinkled on a plate.
Rub the fleshy sides of the cut lemon on both sides of the glass door. The acid in the lemon will react with the baking soda making a sudsy foam. Rinse your shower doors clean with a damp sponge and freshwater.
Dry your shower door with a dry microfiber cloth.
With Dryer Sheets
The lint absorption in a dryer sheet is excellent for breaking down and absorbing grime and soap scum on your glass shower door. Lightly wet 1 sheet and wipe your shower door with it. Then take a damp sponge and freshwater to rinse off the door.
Dry your door with a dry microfiber cloth.
With Dawn Dish Soap
To use Dawn dish soap to clean your shower doors, add a small amount of Dawn dish soap to warm water and mix it. Put it into a spray bottle. Spray the soapy water onto your shower door and scrub it with a sponge.
Rinse it with fresh water and dry your shower doors with a dry microfiber cloth.
With Magic Eraser
If your shower needs a deep clean, grab a Magic Eraser. It will remove the soap scum and mineral deposits from your glass shower door.
Dampen the Magic Eraser and wring out any excess water. Scrub the glass in a circular motion from top to bottom. This will remove the residue.
You can also use the Magic Eraser to shine your faucets and hardware.
With Bar Keepers Friend
Bar Keepers Friend includes oxalic acid which penetrates grime. This will help clean and polish your glass shower doors.
Make sure your shower door is wet before you begin. Then put a small amount of Bar Keepers Friend on a wet sponge and gently spread it all over your glass shower door. Let it sit for a minute or two to give the oxalic acid time to work.
Then scrub the door with the sponge. Rinse the door with fresh water and dry it with a clean and dry microfiber cloth.
With Windex
Cleaning glass shower doors without vinegar is simple if you use Windex. Spray the Windex onto the shower door and then wipe it off with a microfiber cloth.
With Pool Descaler
Use a pool descaler such as Calcium Build Up & Scum Line Remover to clean your dirty old shower doors. Make sure you wear gloves and follow the instructions on the container. Wipe any of the descalers off the tiles and metal frame quickly as it will eat the glaze and dull the finish.
Dip a nylon scrubber into the descaler to apply and scrub the glass. Rinse the glass off with fresh water and allow it to air dry.
How to Remove Hard Water Stains From Shower Doors
If you have hard water, then you have water that is high in mineral content. This makes it much harder to keep things such as your glass shower doors clean. The reason is that when hard water dries on a surface, it leaves behind a film of minerals that you can see on the glass.
- Time: 45 minutes
- Difficulty: Beginner
What You’ll Need
- Distilled white vinegar
- Grease-cutting dish soap
- 2 spray bottles
- Sponge
- Ammonia
- Microfiber cloth
1. Prepare Vinegar
Heat 1 cup of vinegar in the microwave for 30 seconds or on the stovetop until the vinegar is warm but not boiling. Then put equal parts of vinegar and dish soap into one of the spray bottles.
2. Spray and Soak the Shower Doors
Spray the vinegar and dish soap mixture on your shower doors. Then let your doors soak for 30 minutes. Scrub the shower doors and rinse with fresh water. Dry the doors with a microfiber cloth.
Tip: If you have natural stone tiles, don’t use vinegar or acid cleaners which may damage the stone. Instead, mix the dish soap with baking soda to make a paste. Apply the paste to a damp sponge and scrub your glass shower doors. Rinse when you have finished and dry the doors with a microfiber cloth.
3. Remove Streaks
If you see streaks on your glass shower door, mix 2 cups of water with 2 tablespoons of ammonia in a spray bottle. Spray down the shower doors and wait 3 minutes. Use a dry microfiber cloth to buff away the streaks.
How to Clean Shower Door Tracks
Shower door tracks quickly become filthy from a combination of hard water stains, soap scum, mildew, and mold. To make matters worse, they’re hard to clean.
- Time: Overnight
- Difficulty: Beginner
What You’ll Need
- Vinegar
- Plug made up of paper towel or plastic wrap
- Paper towels or sponge
- Old toothbrush
1. Plug Hole
Plug the hole in your shower tracks that allow the water to drain out of the tracks. A bit of paper towel or plastic wrap will work.
2. Fill the Tracks
Fill the tracks with vinegar and allow it to soak overnight. The vinegar will dissolve the soap scum and grime while also removing the mineral stains.
3. Remove the Plug
Remove the plug and then use a sponge to soak up any remaining vinegar in the tracks. Use a toothbrush to scrub the debris from your track.
4. Rinse
Use a clean sponge filled with water to rinse your shower track when you have finished scrubbing it.
How to Keep Glass Shower Doors From Spotting
The best way to keep the glass doors of your shower stall from spotting is to avoid letting water droplets dry on the glass. You can do this using the following tips.
- Keep a squeegee in the bathroom and scrape down doors after every use.
- Spray your doors with a glass door cleaner. You can make a DIY shower glass cleaner by mixing 2 parts water, 1 part vinegar, a few drops of dish soap, and your favorite essential oil. Put the cleaner in a spray bottle and spray down your glass shower doors every day before you squeegee them.
- Apply a water-repellent glass treatment such as Rain X to keep the water off of your shower doors.
- Use liquid soap to prevent soap scum from developing.
- Install a water softening system in your home.
FAQs
What Do Hotels Use To Clean Glass Shower Doors?
Hotels use a variety of cleansers to keep their glass shower doors clean. The secret to their success isn’t the cleanser but the fact that they clean the bathrooms and the glass shower doors every day. This makes sure that the hard water deposits don’t form and the shower remains sparkling.
Can You Use Clorox Wipes on Glass Shower Doors?
Yes, you can use Clorox wipes to clean your glass shower doors.
What Should You Not Clean Glass With?
Do not use abrasive cleaners or scouring pads to clean glass as they will scratch it.
How Do I Make My Shower Glass Look New?
The best way to make your shower glass look new is to replace old seals. Remove mold and mildew, and clean off old water stains with vinegar and water.
Will Baking Soda Scratch Glass?
Baking soda will scratch glass because it is a harsh cleaner. The powder leaves thousands of tiny scratches on the glass, making it look cloudy. These scratches are permanent.
Can Hard Water Stains be Permanent?
Hard water stains are not permanent, but they become challenging to remove the longer they are left on the surface of your glass.
How to Clean Shower Doors
If you have clear sliding glass shower doors, you probably want to know how to keep the doors sparkling without having them professionally cleaned every week. The trick is to spray your glass shower doors with a shower glass cleaner after you’ve finished taking a shower. Then use a squeegee to wipe the doors clean, and finish by using a microfiber cloth to dry them.
