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What is the best way to clean shower glass


so they are streak-free |

(Image credit: Ward & Co./Taran Wilkhu)

Knowing how to clean glass shower doors may seem like a tedious task. However, with the right advice, this process doesn’t need to feel so mundane – and you can achieve a spotless space that will elevate your bathroom – without too investing much time at all.

Shopping List

To follow this guide, you will need these items:

1. A spray bottle: such as these at Amazon
2. White vinegar: Any will do
3. Microfibre cloth: we love these ones

Optional items:
4. Limescale remover: for really tough stains
5. Water repellent: to keep water spots away

If you’re looking for niche advice on how to clean a bathroom, this expert-approved technique is one of the most transformative of them all. 

These spotless cleaning tips will leave you with a glass shower door that is free from a buildup of products – with a glistening finish. This advice does differ from cleaning a window or cleaning a mirror without streaks because of that product buildup; you will need different techniques and cleaning kit. Here’s how to clean glass shower doors, the professional way.

How to clean your glass shower door without streaks

1. Prepare for cleaning with water 

(Image credit: Drummonds/Eric Piasecki)

The glass cleaning experts at Hillarys recommend preparing the shower door glass for cleaning by spraying it with lukewarm water. They suggest using a spray bottle (such as this bottle from Amazon ) that will also be handy later – so it’s worth the small investment. ‘If you find it easier, you can also just splash the glass with a small bucket or jug of water,’ they say. Or of course, if you have a hand-held shower attachment, you can use that.

2. Clean glass shower doors with vinegar

(Image credit: Drummonds / Anouska Tamony Designs)

Did you know that glass shower doors are amongst the things you can clean with vinegar? The experts at Hillarys suggest that it is the best way to achieve a streak-free clean. ‘Refill your spray bottle with white vinegar and use it thoroughly to saturate the whole shower glass,’ they say. 

However, the vinegar’s power comes with a warning. ‘Always remember to wear rubber gloves when handling chemicals to prevent irritation and drying out your hands,’ they say. We would also urge caution about allowing the vinegar to sit for any length of time on stainless steels or other metals, which it can tarnish.

Jennifer Rodriguez, the Chief Hygiene Officer at Pro Housekeepers , also recommends cleaning your glass shower door using vinegar. ‘It contains an acid that kills bacteria and fungus. White vinegar mixed with water prevents the glass from streaking,’ she says. 

You should leave the white vinegar to soak for at least 10 minutes, but for harsh stains, you may need to leave it for up to 30 minutes. 

3. Clean glass shower doors with baking soda  

(Image credit: Drummonds/Waldo Works)

Cleaning with baking soda is another natural way to clean glass shower doors, and you can use it to remove the white vinegar; experts suggest dipping a scrubbing sponge in baking soda before scrubbing the glass. ‘The baking soda will work as an abrasive, and the white vinegar will dissolve the product buildup of soap, shampoo, and conditioner,’ they say. 

When it comes to removing stubborn stains, it is better to dab rather than rub, as this could make it worse. Once you are satisfied with how to glass looks, you should finish as you started: by rinsing with lukewarm water. 

4. Dry with a microfiber cloth  

(Image credit: Davide Lovatti)

Microfiber cloths, such as these from Amazon , are well-known for their ability to achieve a streak-free clean, and the glass shower door is no exception. They suggest drying with a cloth, or a small towel, before using glass cleaner for the ultimate sparkling finish.

What removes hard water stains from glass shower doors?

White vinegar removes hard water stains from glass shower doors. We have also used limescale removers , available at Amazon, to get them sparkling, stain- and streak-free. 

What is the best way to keep glass shower doors clean?

The experts at Molly Maids say that the best way to keep shower door glass clean – whether free of grime or water marks – is to stop the water drying on the glass in the first place. They suggest you 'keep a squeegee in the shower to wipe down the glass after a shower.'

They also say you can minimize glass cleaning in future by applying 'a hydrophobic compound, such as Rain X , to keep water spots off the glass.'

If you have a really bad hard water problem, it's likely that keeping water marks at bay is difficult. In which case, they recommend you 'install a water softener. This is an expensive solution, but it will solve many other problems by reducing mineral buildup on your shower glass and the insides of your pipes, faucets, dishwasher, showerheads and more.'

Shop for your white vinegar for cleaning here...

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Megan is the News and Trends Editor at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes. As the News Editor, she often focuses on emerging microtrends, sleep and wellbeing stories, and celebrity-focused pieces. Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US while studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site. She currently lives in London with her antique typewriter and an expansive collection of houseplants. 

How to Clean Shower Doors

By

Mary Marlowe Leverette

Mary Marlowe Leverette

Mary Marlowe Leverette is one of the industry's most highly-regarded housekeeping and fabric care experts, sharing her knowledge on efficient housekeeping, laundry, and textile conservation. She is also a Master Gardener with over 40 years' experience; writing for over 20 years.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

Updated on 08/31/22

Fact checked by

Emily Estep

Fact checked by Emily Estep

Emily Estep is a plant biologist and fact-checker focused on environmental sciences. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and a Master of Science in Plant Biology from Ohio University. Emily has been a proofreader and editor at a variety of online media outlets over the past decade.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

The Spruce / Ana Maria Stanciu

In This Article

The Spruce / Ana Maria Stanciu

Sparkling glass shower doors and walls have replaced fiberglass or solid tile walls in many bathrooms. They make a sleek, modern statement—that is, until they become coated with soap scum or hard water spots. While there are commercial cleaners that promise to keep your shower doors shining, with just a few supplies from your pantry, cleaning tools, and a regular routine, you can keep them looking their best.

How Often to Clean Shower Doors

Ideally, shower doors—both glass and acrylic—should be cleaned after every shower. A quick spritz with a cleaner and a wipe down with a squeegee will make a more thorough, weekly cleaning very easy. If soap scum is allowed to build up on the doors, cleaning can become a much more time-consuming and difficult task.

The Best Shower Cleaners to Make Your Bathroom Shine

Equipment / Tools

Materials

How to Clean Shower Doors With a Vinegar Solution

The acid in vinegar will help cut through soap scum on glass and acrylic doors, resulting in a sparkling shine.

Warning

Do not use a vinegar solution if you have a natural stone shower surround or floor, as the acid can etch and permanently damage the stone.

  1. Mix a Vinegar Cleaning Solution

    Pour one cup of distilled white vinegar into a microwaveable bowl and heat for 30 to 45 seconds. Pour the warm vinegar into a spray bottle, then add a few drops of dishwashing liquid.

    The Spruce / Ana Maria Stanciu

  2. Spray on the Solution

    Starting at the top of the shower door, mist the area heavily. Allow the solution to sit and work for at least five minutes.

    The Spruce / Ana Maria Stanciu

  3. Scrub, Rinse, and Wipe Down Doors

    Starting again at the top of the door, scrub with a sponge. Rinse the doors with water. The easiest way to rinse the doors is with a handheld shower head like the hai Smart Showerhead with adjustable water flow. Dry the doors with a microfiber cloth.

    Tips

    While you should never use a scouring pad or an abrasive brush on glass doors, dryer sheets provide a bit of gentle abrasion that can help remove tough spots of soap scum.

    The Spruce / Ana Maria Stanciu

How to Clean Shower Doors With Lemon Juice

Lemons are not quite as acidic as vinegar, but they do smell nicer and will clean the glass if you add a bit more elbow grease. Again, do not use lemon juice if you have a natural stone shower floor.

  1. Mix a Lemon Cleaning Solution

    Lemon juice isn’t as acidic as vinegar, but it smells better and still has cleaning power. For lighter cases of soap scum build-up, mix lemon juice and warm water together in a bowl.

    The Spruce / Ana Maria Stanciu

  2. Apply the Solution, Wait, Scrub, and Dry

    Starting at the top of the shower door, spray on the solution. Wait five minutes and then scrub with a sponge. No rinsing is needed. Dry and shine the door with a microfiber cloth.

    The Spruce / Ana Maria Stanciu

How to Clean Shower Doors With Ammonia

Ammonia is often a leading ingredient in window cleaning products because it leaves a streak-free shine.

Warning

Never use ammonia if you are also cleaning with chlorine bleach in the bathroom. Mixing ammonia and chlorine bleach can form deadly fumes.

  1. Mix an Ammonia Solution

    Combine one tablespoon of household ammonia with one quart of warm water in a spray bottle.

    The Spruce / Ana Maria Stanciu

  2. Spray, Wait, Scrub, and Dry

    Making sure you have very good ventilation in the room, spray on the warm ammonia solution. Wait five minutes and then scrub the doors with a sponge. Dry the door with a microfiber cloth.

    The Spruce / Ana Maria Stanciu

How to Clean Shower Doors Daily

Once you have the soap scum removed from the doors, establishing a daily routine will make cleaning much easier.

  1. Mix a Daily Cleaning Solution

    In a 32-ounce (one quart) spray bottle, add one-half cup rubbing alcohol, one-half cup hydrogen peroxide, one tablespoon liquid dishwasher rinse agent, one teaspoon dishwashing liquid, and three cups of water. Store the solution in the shower stall.       

    The Spruce / Ana Maria Stanciu

  2. Squeegee the Door

    Starting at the top of the door, use a squeegee to remove any lingering water drops.

    The Spruce / Ana Maria Stanciu

  3. Spray the Shower Door and Let Dry

    After using the squeegee, spray the cleaning solution on the door. Wipe dry using a microfiber cloth and, if possible, leave the door open or use a ventilation fan to help the door dry quickly. This will help prevent mildew growth.

    The Spruce / Ana Maria Stanciu

How to Clean Shower Door Tracks

Unless you have a frameless door system, the shower door track can get pretty dirty and will also need to be cleaned. Soap scum and unsightly grime that accumulates in those metal tracks is easy to see but hard to reach. Let the acidic qualities of white vinegar make your task a bit easier.

  1. Fill the Track With Vinegar

    Use a paper towel or old cloth to plug the drain hole or slits in the track. Pour in enough distilled white vinegar to fill the track and allow it to sit overnight.

    The Spruce / Ana Maria Stanciu

  2. Scrub With a Toothbrush

    After eight hours or so, unplug the track and use a toothbrush to scrub away stains and grime.

    The Spruce / Ana Maria Stanciu

  3. Rinse and Dry

    Rinse the area well with clean water and then dry with an old towel.

    Tip

    To keep the track clean, dry the area after every shower with an old towel after you have squeegeed the shower door.

    The Spruce / Ana Maria Stanciu

Tips to Keep Shower Doors Clean Longer

Here's the Ultimate Bathroom Cleaning Checklist to Keep It Sparkling

Article Sources

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Dangers of Mixing Bleach with Cleaners. Washington State Department of Health.

The best way to clean shower glass: rating of funds, folk life hacks

In order for plumbing to look beautiful and well-groomed, it must be looked after. And since a person uses plumbing every day, it wears out quickly. Showers are especially affected. Lime scale and dirt particles often settle on the glasses. That is why housewives often wonder how to wash shower glass.

How to quickly clean shower glass?

If you think it's enough to clean your windows once, they'll always be clean. It's a delusion. The shower cabin will again require maintenance. A good cleaning should be carried out in three stages:

Current

After the next use of the shower, the cabin is rinsed from the remnants of shampoo and gel, wiped dry.

Main

Cleaning is done once a month. If you often visit the shower, then once a week. In this case, glass products are needed.

Intensive

General cleaning is done once a year with antibacterial agents.

How to clean shower glass?

For general cleaning, many housewives use folk life hacks. It's not that expensive, and it's also effective.

Toothpaste

This option is suitable if the dirt is too ingrained. It is necessary to apply the paste on the glass, grind with a toothbrush, then rinse.

Vinegar

To get rid of dirt and rust, this folk remedy will help:

  1. Pour 0.5 l into a spray bottle. water.
  2. Add a large spoonful of table vinegar.
  3. Spray on glasses.
  4. Wash off the solution after thirty minutes.
  5. Wipe glass with a cloth.

ammonia

Ammonia will come to the rescue.

  1. Dilute a large spoonful of alcohol in cold water.
  2. Wet a rag in the resulting solution, wipe the walls and doors of the cabin.

Citric acid

Ordinary citric acid will help with this.

  1. Dilute a packet of citric acid in 0. 5 liter of water.
  2. Cleaning the shower cabin.

Glycerin

  1. Prepare a glass of water.
  2. Add 0.5 l. Glycerin in liquid form.
  3. Add five drops of ammonia.
  4. We wash glass.

Hydrogen peroxide

Calcium soap removes hydrogen peroxide.

  1. Soak a cloth in the product.
  2. We wipe the glass.
  3. Wash off after fifteen to twenty minutes.

Make it a rule not to use powdered glass cleaners. Preparations should not contain abrasive particles, otherwise scratches will remain on the glass. They will constantly collect dirt.

Rating of household glass cleaners

There are now countless products on the supermarket shelves that help to cope with the problem of limescale on the glass of the shower cabin. A quality product should not only clean, but also prevent the appearance of plaque and dirt. The effective product has no smell and harmful substances in the composition.

Let's review the remedies that are rightfully called effective:

Household glass cleaners will help get rid of scale and rust. They have a convenient dispenser. It happens that a slight layer of plaque collects on the glass, in which case the products are diluted with water. Before using any of the above means, experienced housewives open a hot water tap. The main thing is that it should not be boiling water. The more hot steam in the shower, the better. Softened plaque is easier to remove.

Household equipment

When you have an idea of ​​how best to clean shower glass, the process becomes much easier. However, the chemical composition is not enough for cleaning, it is necessary to have good household equipment at hand. Do not rub the glass with metal washcloths or hard sponges - the smooth surface will be scratched.

To avoid unpleasant moments, stock up on:

Sponges and scrapers will help to get rid of dirt and stains on the shower glass. The toothbrush cleans especially stubborn dirt well.

How and with what to wash the shower cabin: industrial and folk remedies

A brand new shower stall sparkles with dazzling cleanliness - but for how long? If you do not take care of the box, the shine will fade under a layer of lime, and sometimes even very neat housewives cannot cope with streaks on the walls. For a quality result, it is important to understand how and with what to wash the shower. Let's talk about it in this article!

Shower enclosure maintenance: basic tips

Any contamination is easier to remove while it is fresh. Make it a rule to rinse the hydrobox after a shower - first with hot water, then with cold. Spots will appear much less often! Soap flakes, shaving cream, and toothpaste dry out quickly, so splashes should be cleaned up as soon as possible.

Give your shower a deep cleaning once or twice a week. It is supposed to start with glass and wall cladding adjacent to the shower enclosure, then move on to fittings and accessories. Pallets are processed last.

Pay special attention to hard-to-reach areas where dirt, moisture and soap residue tend to accumulate: