Are you worried that your glass shower door is increasingly getting dirty and posing health risks to you and your family?

It would be best if you learned how to clean your glass shower door effectively and regularly. This helps you to minimize the health risks caused by dirt coagulations in your shower enclosure when they come to contact with your skin.

But there’s only a limited amount of reliable information on how to clean glass shower doors that you can get out there today.

If you’re in search of excellent tips for cleaning the glass shower doors in your bathroom, you came to the right place.

Below is a breakdown of all the information you need to care for and maintain high cleanliness standards for your glass shower doors.

Cleaning Your Glass Shower Door: The Common Types of Dirt Buildups

To effectively clean your shower doors, you'll need first to understand the types of dirt buildups you'll be dealing with. A glass shower door can attract various types of dirt coagulations over time.

While some are easy to scrub off, others become a nightmare to eliminate, especially when left on the shower enclosure for a long time.

Here are some of the common types of dirt buildup you’re likely to deal with when cleaning your glass shower door.

a)  Soap Scum

Soap scum is potentially the leading threat to your shower door’s lifespan as it can lead to etching and eventually damage your shower door.

Soap scum from waxy soap foams contains calcium stearate, minerals, and soap particles that react with each other. When this happens, water-insoluble stains are formed on the shower glass, piles up to corrode the glass with time.

While you can remove soap scum by cleaning, it might be challenging to reverse the etching caused by its buildup. It is, therefore, vital that you prevent the buildup of scum soap by all means to prolong the life of your glass door.

You can always wipe down the shower door clean every time you’ve finished bathing to eliminate any soap scum sticking around.

A dry microfiber cloth or a squeegee can help you get the job done effectively within a few minutes.

Always make it a routine to wipe off the glass after bathing to prevent further buildup of soap scum on your shower door glass wall.

b)  Hard Water Stains

Another significant contributor to stubborn stains on your bathroom shower enclosure is hard water. Unlike soft water, hard water has many dissolved minerals, including magnesium, chalk, lime, and calcium.

These minerals don’t form lather easily when they come into contact with soap. A reaction between soap and the chemicals leaves behind hard water stains all over the glass shower surfaces.

While regular cleaning helps to remove the stains, the solution majorly relies on softening the water. Most of the households in the US get a fair share of the hard water supply. This means many rely on the help of water softener solutions to bring their water to a usable state.

Once your water is softened, you won’t have so much to worry about hard water stains.

However, you will still need to maintain frequent cleaning to keep mildew, mold, and soap scum buildups from your shower enclosure.

Tried and Tested Glass Shower Door Cleaning Methods and Solutions

Now that you understand the type of stains and dirt build-ups you will be dealing with, you are halfway prepared to effectively clean your glass shower doors.

There are various cleaning solutions you can consider when starting your cleaning process.

The most viable solutions include:

1.   Lemon and Water Solution

The citric acid in lemons holds extraordinary cleaning properties that work best for shower glasses and other glass surfaces. The lemon juice not only eliminates germs and stains it also smells good, leaving you with little to worry about your bathroom's scent.

With two to three lemons, you can get enough lemon juice for a perfect lemon solution. You will add four tablespoons of the juice to distilled water to make enough lemon-water solution.

Put the mixture into a ready spray bottle and shake the mixture for a perfect mix. You can then spray your shower doors with the mixture, then wait for at least five minutes before you wipe it off with a dry microfiber cloth.

You can always do this every time after taking your bath so that your shower may remain clean before the next bath.

2.   Lemon Oil

Lemon oil proves to be a better cleaner for shower doors than lemon juice and water solution.

Besides cleaning glass shower doors, it is also a proven laundry stain remover. You can as well use it to eliminate stubborn stains from your microfiber cloth once you’ve used it to dry off stains from your shower door.

Please put it in a spray bottle and spray it over the stain on your shower glass door before scrubbing the stain away with a cloth.

Frequent use of this cleaning method could be harmful to your shower glass enclosure. Only apply this after every two weeks to maintain a clean and fresh-smelling bathroom.

3.   Distilled White Vinegar

White vinegar has other numerous essential uses and benefits that you already probably know about.

But did you know it is an excellent choice for cleaning out toxic chemicals, stains, mineral deposits, and other harsh chemicals from a shower door?

Distilled vinegar is a cheap and readily available solution for cleaning your shower door.

To wash your shower door clean, you’ll have to mix warm vinegar with liquid dish soap into a spray bottle and shake.

Soak a portion of a sponge into the liquid dish soap solution and use it to test a small area of the glass to ensure it won’t scratch. Only continue if you record no scratches.

Spray the solution of liquid dish soap and vinegar onto the shower door and wipe it off with a dry microfiber cloth or damp sponge. The soap in the solution will help eliminate any oily or greasy stain on the glass, while the vinegar will wash away the residues.

Apart from a mixture of vinegar with dish soap, you can also consider the following vinegar mixtures for perfect results.

·         White Vinegar and Warm Distilled Water

A solution of white vinegar and warm distilled water is the most accessible cleaning solution you can choose for your shower glass door cleaning endeavors.

Use a mix of 1:3, vinegar: warm water, ratio to clean your shower door faster and more effectively for admirably clean results. You can spray the mixture to the glass door and rinse it off with warm water before wiping it off with a soft cloth or paper towel.

·         Vinegar and Baking Soda

While each of these can be used independently for great results, combining the two works magic.

Make a paste using baking soda and vinegar and drop in a pinch of salt, not to add flavor, but to boost the strength of the resulting cleaning agent!

Use the paste to wipe off the stains from your shower door glass and leave the paste there for about 15 minutes. With the help of a paper towel or a piece of a clean, damp sponge, wipe off the paste for clear glass.

·         Vinegar and Tea Tree Oil

Here, you'll need undiluted vinegar mixed with a few drops of tea tree oil. The vinegar helps in removing soap scum buildup while the tea tree works as an antibacterial solution. It is also ideal for use on your skin and other home cleaning endeavors.

Generally, vinegar works as an all-around cleaning agent in your bathroom and even fixes hard-to-reach corners of your sliding glass door.

You can use it to clean out the soap scum stuck in your sliding door’s tracks. Use paper towels to cover the drain holes and spray or pour your white vinegar into the holes.

Leave it there over the night, and in the morning, remove the paper towels and use a dry paper towel to wipe off the leftover vinegar.

This procedure should leave your hinges and tracks clean for some time before your next cleaning.

4.  Ammonia Solution

Ammonia is a corrosive alkaline industrial chemical that can work great as a cleaning agent for use at home.

When cleaning with an ammonia solution, it is important to observe some precautionary procedures to remain safe:

Step 1

Ensure you open all openings available in your bathroom, including doors, windows, and additional ventilators.

Step 2

Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands in case they come into contact with the solution.

Step 3

Wear a mask to protect you from directly inhaling the gases. Avoid mixing ammonia with bleach, as this can create harmful vapors when inhaled.

Once you have everything set, mix the ammonia solution with water in the ratio of 1:3 in a spray bottle. Use the solution to spray clean the scum-covered glass walls until, while still damp, use a brush to scrub the glass surface.

Rinse thoroughly with clean water and dry the surface with toilet paper for admirable results.

Alternatively, you can mix distilled water and ammonia solution in a 2:2 ratio to achieve a streak-free shine on a glass with a thin layer of soap scum buildup.

5.   Hydrogen Peroxide (H₂0₂) Solution

Another outstanding solution you can use to clean shower doors is the multipurpose hydrogen peroxide solution.

It is mostly used as a disinfectant in kitchen and toilet surfaces. It perfectly helps to eliminate stubborn soap scum and water stains on your shower doors. You can use it for your weekly cleaning to achieve a streak-free shine on your shower glass.

To get rid of molds in your glass door, fill a spray bottle with hydrogen peroxide and spray the moldy areas, then let it sit there for 30 minutes.

Come back with a soft cloth and warm water to completely clean off the dead molds from the glass. Hydrogen peroxide kills the molds but doesn’t clear off the stains completely from the glass.

You can mix H₂0₂ with other cleaning solutions like rubbing alcohol, tea tree, and peppermint.

Here’s how each mixture works.

a)  Hydrogen Peroxide and Rubbing Alcohol Solution

Take half a cup of rubbing alcohol and mix it with a half cup of H₂0₂, then add a tablespoon of dishwasher rinse aid and another teaspoon of liquid dish soap.

Dilute the solution in a spray bottle using and shake to bring the H₂0₂ and rubbing alcohol into a complete soluble solution.

When mixing the solution, do it gently to minimize the chances of making foam.

Once the solution is ready, you can spray it to applicable spots on your shower glass to remove stains.

b)  Hydrogen Peroxide, Peppermint, and Tea Tree Solution

These three cleaning agents form a formidable trio for total stain eradication.

Peppermint and tea tree combination is a perfect solution for removing mold and mildew from your shower.

To create a standard solution, you will need to add ten drops of tea tree essential oil and an equal amount of peppermint essential oil.

Make the solution perfect by adding a half cup of H₂0₂ and one cup of water and use it to remove molds, mildew, and other stains from your glass door.

6.   Baking Soda Solution

It's a surprise if you lack baking soda on your kitchen shelves! It is one of the most common kitchen ingredients commonly used for baking and cleaning kitchen surfaces.

However, baking soda isn’t limited to baking and making simple kitchen cleaning solutions.

Baking soda makes a reliable solution for cleaning your shower as it is readily available in local stores at affordable prices.

Once you have your baking soda, mix it with a little water to make a thick paste. You can begin with a half cup of baking soda with a half cup of water to make a solution enough for cleaning a shower door.

Use a microfiber cloth to apply the paste onto the shower, then clean it off using white vinegar; however, if your shower has stone or travertine parts avoid using white vinegar.

Alternatively, you can create a mixture of vinegar and baking soda to remove the stains and wipe them off with a wet sponge.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the best cleaner for glass shower doors?

Depending on your budget, stain, and material used to surround your shower doors, the best cleaner can significantly vary.

However, using the readily available cleaning solutions to eliminate stains and maintain your glass's shiny status quickly can give you the satisfaction you need.

The best cleaner for shower doors is one that is readily available, reliable, and preserves your glass for prolonged life.

Lemon, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium bicarbonate should work just fine for you.

You can also buy commercial cleaners like Rejuvenate Soap Scum Remover, Clean-X Repel and CLR Calcium, Lime, and Rust Remover if DIY isn’t your thing.

What removes hard water stains from glass shower doors?

Vinegar is the most trusted cleaning solution for eliminating hard water stains from your shower glass.

With the help of a spray bottle, you can access all corners of your glass door to eradicate stains that hide in hard-to-reach places.

How do I clean cloudy shower glass?

Cloudy or hazy shower glass is a result of scum coagulation or stains from hard water. These should be cleared using vinegar, rubbing alcohol solution, or baking soda solutions. Spray any of these solutions and wipe them off with a dry cloth for perfect results.

What cleans shower glass?

Any solution that clears off hard water strands and kills mold and mildew should qualify as a great shower cleaner.

However, you should be keen to check what works best with your type of glass and doesn't affect its structure. Choose a solution that doesn't give you a lot of work to bring together and discard after use.

Final Thought

While choosing the best cleaner for your shower doors, always have some time to research how those cleaners work to eliminate stains.

Some cleaners might contain some toxic chemicals that may pose health challenges to you and your households. They can also be dangerous to your glass.

Once you have the ideal shower cleaner, maintain a regular cleaning schedule to ensure your shower doors are always clean and healthy.

If you want to read more on how to fix different things in your washroom, we have an article on fixing leaky bathtub faucet and fixing shower diverter gate.