How To Clean Glass Shower Doors


    The good news is that when you have glass shower doors, it is typically easy to see what gross scum build-up there is. But just because you can’t see a layer or film doesn’t mean that your glass shower door is clean. Simply taking a damp paper towel and wiping down your glass door is not going to get the job done. 

    Know What To Clean When 

    The first business of cleaning your shower should be having a set schedule. This is because sometimes we get used to our grime. Gross! You may be comfortable showering in a dirty shower, but your guests won’t be. And on top of that, it’s not very hygienic for you as well. So, knowing what should be cleaned when is important. For instance, a daily clean and a hard clean. Here is how often to clean glass shower doors.

    Daily Clean Overview

    This may feel a little repetitive to you, but doing a daily wipe-down is never a bad idea. This is because when too many days go on without cleaning your glass showers, the gross bacteria starts to build up. You want to tackle this without harming yourself or kids with toxic chemicals. Here are a few tips for daily cleaning you should be doing. 

    • Leave the glass door open after showering with the fan or dehumidifier on so that you don’t trap the moisture. This can lead to mildew and mold growth if it doesn’t dry properly. 
    • You can use a squeegee or even another cloth to wipe down the inside of the glass shower to do a quick cleanup.
    • Every other day or every three days, you can use a soft organic cleaner or homemade solution to clean the glass doors. 
    • If possible avoid using any harsh chemicals or pre-made solutions that would have harmful toxins. These can leach into your showers and make their way into your bloodstream. 

    Deep Clean Overview

    Deep cleaning is absolutely necessary if you have a build-up of grime on the glass shower or any shower and it should be done even if you don’t have visible scum on the glass. 

    1. You should always have a deep clean once a week or every 10 days. One week is certainly a lot better. This involves a cleaning agent or mix that can get up tough spots. 
    2. After that, you need to use a preventative solution that helps prevent stuff. This is usually a sealed coating to keep water stains and scum from getting back on the glass. 

    This is the best way to keep glass and how to keep glass shower doors clean. 

    How to Clean Glass Shower Doors with Hard Water Stains

    Cleaning hard water stains is difficult to get up and requires a little more effort to get rid of this. Hard water stains are not scum, grime, or dirt that gets stuck on the glass door. The hard water stains come from harsh water from your town’s line. The more calcium and magnesium that is in your water the more likely you are to experience limescale and deposits that stain your glass. You’ll be tempted to take some water and your finger to try and rub it away, but this won’t work. You’ll also see these stains on any stainless steel or metal.

    So how do you clean shower glass stains like these? 

    The best way to deal with this is to use a baking soda and white vinegar combination. It’s a natural approach that still has some tough love for these tricky situations. If you want to add even more to your mixture, you can put some dish soap in. But this creates a paste that can tackle these stains. 

    1. You can mix equal parts of white vinegar and baking soda and it will create a scrub or paste that shouldn’t damage your glass shower doors. Let it dissolve a little as you don’t want it to be too abrasive. 
    2. You can now use a damp microfiber cloth or a sponge to scrub the paste with o the hard water stain to trick and get up the mess. It may take a little bit of time but it should naturally fade. 
    3. If you want to go a step further and clean it like a professional, you can use a window squeegee to make sure there are no left-behind streaks. 


      What Do Hotels Use To Clean Shower Doors?

      To find out what hotels use to clean their shower doors you would have to talk to the cleaning department at that specific hotel directly. The reason being is that the answer can vary quite a lot. Bigger brands and corporations may have their own cleaning supply lines just like they have their own scents. It’s possible that they do use products that have chemicals, but more and more hotels are steering away from this because their guests don’t want to shower with them. 

      It would be no surprise to learn that a lot of hotels use homemade solutions like white vinegar and dish soap. Or at least something that is eco-friendly or organic. Nowadays, more and more hotels are writing on little cards what they do to clean the room in an earth-friendly way. You may also find the product lists they use as well. 

      Some Cleaning Solutions and Methods You Should Try 

      Here is a quick list of different tricks and tips for cleaning your shower doors. These are the most commonly asked questions and methods you will come across when trying to clean your glass shower door so let’s explore them. 

      How to clean glass shower doors with vinegar

      If you want to know what is the best cleaner for glass shower doors then you have come to the right place. 

      1. Mix two parts of distilled water (no harsh water to present hard water stains) and one part of vinegar to create an easy-to-use cleaning solution.
      2. Mix together well and put into a spray bottle. 
      3. Grab a sponge or a soft microfiber cloth that you can use to wipe the glass doors. We love to use a sponge (that doesn’t disintegrate) and then use a dry microfiber cloth to wipe up any solution that is left behind. 

      That’s it. It’s as simple as that and this solution can be used as a daily cleaning solution or every few days. 

      How to clean glass shower doors without vinegar

      Ok, so what happens when you don’t have any vinegar handy or you just hate the smell? No problem, you can use a number of already pre-made cleaners from commercial stores, or there is even one more at-home remedy you can consider. This is how to clean shower doors with lemon.

      1. Grab pre-squeezed lemon juice and place it into a bottle as a part of your cleaning solution. It acts similar to vinegar. 
      2. Mix this with a cup of distilled water and put it into a spray bottle. If you don’t have pre-squeezed lemon juice, you can use three lemons and remove the seeds. DO NOT use lemonade. This is sticky and will not clean up your mess. 
      3. This time, spray the shower glass door and leave the solution on for five minutes to let the acid soak into the stains. Then wipe it down with a cloth or sponge to get it up. 

      How to clean glass shower doors with baking soda

      Baking soda is an easy solution to use that is slightly more abrasive than a simple spray-on. The past is incredibly easy to make, considering you only need that and some distilled water.

      How do you remove buildup from glass shower doors with this solution?

      1. Mix together two-part baking soda with one part distilled water. This will create a nice paste that you can rub all over your glass doors.
      2. You can also spot treats by putting the scrub on the specific areas where scum and grime have taken over. 
      3. Let the baking soda sit on the area for at least five minutes, so it soaks. Then you can take a damp sponge or microfiber cloth and wipe it up. For a squeaky clean, you can rinse with water after. 

      How to clean glass shower doors with dryer sheets

      Now, this is one you may not have heard before but it’s a great trick and someone we love to share. Dryer sheets have chemicals in them that not only give off a fresh scent but combat tricky and sticky grime. Here is what you need to do. 

      1. Take a dryer sheet and moisten it slightly with water. 
      2. Start rubbing your dryer sheet over the affected area and watch the scum start to come off gently. 
      3. The chemicals work to remove stains even though it’s not their primary job in the dryer. 
      4. While this is an amazing little trick, sometimes people don’t love using this method because of the chemicals that are in dryer sheets. You can opt to try and buy more organic or eco-friendly dryer sheets, but they may have a more difficult time getting the dirty spots up. It’s an easy solution if you are in a pinch.

      How to Clean Shower Door Tracks

      Your shower door tracks are often neglected, as with everyone else. But this is important to pay attention to because there can be a lot of grime and debris built up in there that can eventually break the track altogether. You also don’t want to deal with any kind of rust that develops if the space never dries. Good news! You can still use vinegar. 

      • Mix 1 part vinegar with 1 part water and mix. You don’t have to put this in a spray bottle as you will dampen the cloths you use. 
      • Grab an old toothbrush and scrub the door tracks while using a microfiber cloth to wipe and dry the tracts after. 
      • If you have noticed rotting or rust, you may need to call a professional to get a remodel done on this part of the shower. 

      How do I make my shower glass sparkle?

      So when it comes to making your glass door to your shower sparkle it really just means being consistent with your daily cleanings and your big deep cleans. When you make it a part of your routine there is no room for the shampoo suds and soap to stick to the walls. It’s a big commitment but it is the best way to keep your bathroom looking professional like the hotel ones do. That’s because they clean them every day! 

      If you notice that you have a build up this means you are waiting too long to do your light cleans. This is a soft organic cleaner that can just wipe away smudges. The deep cleans are once a week to make sure that you get up the hard spots that got past you. And finally, use a protective coating to keep any gross soap or bacteria from sticking to the glass wall. 

      Do What You Can

      It may seem like a lot of work which is why some people call into professionals to do the deep clean once a week. The shower is one of the most essential parts of the bathroom to keep clean because it is where you end up cleaning yourself. Good hygiene can be a direct result of how well you maintain your shower and believe it or not the glass doors play a big part. And from an aesthetic point of view, it’s nice for them to look sparkly clean as well. 

      You can check out our blog on the top cleaners you can use to get some ideas of which cleaners work well for you. It may take trial and error as not every cleaner works well for every household.