How to Clean Shower Doors with Vinegar: 5 Quick Steps

We spend about 8 minutes taking a shower but way less time (at times zero minutes) cleaning it up afterward. One of the reasons is the difficulty of getting cleaning items together and doing the job. Luckily, common household items such as white vinegar can make cleaning surfaces like glass shower doors quite easy.

Vinegar has many benefits that make it an excellent choice for cleaning your shower, including the ability to cut through soap scum, disinfect without chemicals or harsh fumes, and remove stains on porcelain fixtures. In my effort to go green in my home, I’ve found this a very handy method that works very well without any chemical effects.

To clean shower doors with vinegar, warm vinegar for 2 minutes, then mix 1 part vinegar with 3 parts warm water in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture on the shower doors, then wait for 15 minutes before scrubbing, rinsing with water, and drying the shower doors. Repeat this cleaning routine weekly.

How to clean shower doors with vinegar

You need clean water, white vinegar, a spray bottle, a microfiber cloth, a squeegee, and a soft-bristled brush; then follow the steps below:

1. Warm vinegar in a microwave for 2 minutes.
2. Mix 1 part white vinegar and 3 parts warm water, then put the mixture in a spray bottle.
3. Spray the mixture on the shower doors while massaging it into the door with microfiber clothing. Let it sit for 15 minutes. 
4. Scrub the hard water or soap scum stains with a soft brush. 
5. Rinse with water, then dry it with the squeegee. 

Vinegar is easily available and won’t be harsh on your shower doors, whether they’re made of glass, plastic, wood, or other materials. As such, vinegar can be used to clean glass shower doors with hard water stains or soap scum, as shown in the steps below. 

Don’t use too much pressure while cleaning because this can be damaging or even leave streaks instead of clear surfaces. Always start from the top of the door downwards for ease of cleaning.

How to clean glass shower doors with vinegar and Dawn

You can also combine Dawn dish detergent and vinegar to clean your shower doors. Besides these two, you need a bowl, a spray bottle, a squeegee, and a soft-bristled brush; then follow these steps:

1. Heat 1 cup of vinegar in a microwave for 2 minutes, then pour it into a bowl.
2. Add a cup of Dawn dish soap into the bowl, then stir well to create your own homemade glass shower door cleaner. 
3. Pour this mixture into a spray bottle, then spray it on the shower door.
4. Massage the Dawn vinegar cleaner into the shower doors using a soft-bristled brush. 
5. Let the solution sit for 15 minutes, then rinse it off with clean water. 
6. Dry up the shower doors with a sponge or squeegee. 

You can also use Dawn, vinegar, and water to create a DIY shower door cleaner. The vinegar and Dawn ratio used here is 1:1, and it’s the best for tough stains on your shower doors. 

This homemade shower glass cleaner works great for both glass shower doors and mirrors in your bathroom but with better results than if you only use vinegar. Like plain vinegar, a shower cleaner with dawn takes only a few minutes to use.

How to clean glass shower doors with vinegar and baking soda

Besides using the Dawn vinegar bathroom cleaner, you can combine vinegar and baking soda to clean your shower doors too. You need vinegar, a sponge or rag, baking soda, paper towels, and Dawn dish soap (optional), then follow the steps below:

1. Warm 1½  cups of vinegar in a microwave for 2 minutes. 
2. Slowly pour the warm vinegar into 1/2 cup of baking soda while stirring until you make a consistent paste.
3. Apply the paste to the glass shower doors using a brush, then wait 15 minutes. 
4. Rinse off the paste with warm water, then dry the glass doors with a squeegee or dry sponge. 

A vinegar and baking soda mixture provides an inexpensive and easy way to clean glass shower doors without any harsh chemicals or abrasive scrubbing. You can also use it on your glass sink, windows, or other glass surfaces. 

You’ll want to clean your shower door in stages so it doesn’t take too long. Cleaning any one part of the shower at a time will ensure you don’t miss anything when wiping down the whole surface with this mixture. 

The baking soda in the mixture acts as a gentle scouring agent, removing all the dirt and grime from your glass showers. The vinegar fights mold growth on surfaces while also preventing soap scum build-up when mixed with water. You can also add vinegar to shower curtains and liners to kill mold.

You can use this method for cleaning not only shower doors but other fragile items, such as windows that are prone to streaks at well. The vinegar and baking soda mixture is also used to clean shower drains and other parts of the home.

How to clean a shower door track with vinegar

The track of your shower door can be dirty and hard to clean. You could also be simply ignoring it since it’s not easily visible. However, germs in this area can spread to the rest of the bathroom and, eventually, the home.

With vinegar, baking soda, a spray bottle, microfiber cloth, cotton balls, and old toothbrush or grout brush, you can clean the tracks each time you clean the shower doors. The steps are as follows:

1. Dip cotton balls in the vinegar then apply it to the shower door tracks, then wait for 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Use the brush to scrub away any dirt from the shower door tracks and the space between the sliding shower doors.
3. Fill the spray bottle with clean water, then spray it on the shower door tracks.
4. Wipe the tracks dry with the microfiber clothing.

Repeat the procedure until you get the desired results.

Why use vinegar in cleaning glass shower doors?

The benefits of cleaning shower doors with vinegar include the following:

• Avoiding the harsh chemicals that are sometimes used to clean shower doors.
• Vinegar usually does not need any scrubbing or wiping and will be removed with a towel after dripping on the door for 20 minutes. 
• Vinegar is also environmentally friendly because it can be disposed of down the drain, unlike some other cleaning products, which require disposal in hazardous waste containers. 
• It works well as an all-purpose cleaner and has been shown to kill harmful bacteria such as E coli when combined with water. 
• Vinegar kills mold and can also be used to kill mold on bathroom sealant.
• No strong odors that may linger from more potent cleaners (such as ammonia). 
• Easy to use. 
• Cost savings due to being inexpensive.
• Readily available at most grocery stores. 

With most people having white vinegar in their homes, the cleaning process will be quick and easy. Besides vinegar, you can also use WD-40 to clean shower doors.

How to keep glass shower doors clean

You can keep your glass shower doors clean between cleaning sessions as follows:

• After every use, wipe the shower doors dry using a squeegee or microfiber clothing. 
• After cleaning with vinegar or other solution, spray the shower door with Rain-x which prevents the buildup of dirt on your shower doors. 
• Use a commercial cleaner to clean the glass shower doors at least once a week. 
• Mix your own cleaner using vinegar and baking soda and use it to clean the shower doors at least once every week. 
• Use soft water or soften the water you use in your bathroom. Calcium buildup on the shower doors is part of the reason your shower doors get dirty. Using soft water prevents this. 
• Change your bathing soap from bar soaps to shower gels, body washes and liquid soap in general. Bar soap has paraffin wax and talc which contribute to the soap scum on your shower doors. 
• Use waterproofing agents to prevent water from sticking to the surface of your shower doors and walls.
• Let the bathroom remain dry after each use by running the fan, airing it out or wiping water off the walls. 

In all the cleaning steps, avoid using harsh cleaners as they might damage the surface of the shower doors making them ugly.

FAQs

Is vinegar good for cleaning shower doors?

Vinegar is good for cleaning shower doors especially when used at full strength. Simply put a sponge in the vinegar then wipe the shower door. You can also combine it with Dawn dish soap to create a Blue dawn and vinegar cleaner for better results. 

What removes hard water stains from glass shower doors?

Mix warm vinegar and dawn soap to create a vinegar and dish soap cleaner in a spray bottle. Spray the cleaner onto the door then wipe it off with a non-abrasive sponge. 

Does white vinegar clean glass shower doors?

A shower door cleaner DIY project using white vinegar to clean shower glass doors yields great results in a short time. Fill a bottle with equal parts of white vinegar and water then spray it on the glass shower door. After 15 minutes, rinse it with water then dry it up.

What is the best thing to use to clean glass shower doors?

Mix white vinegar and dawn in equal parts in a spray bottle then spray it on the glass shower door. Wait for 15 minutes then wipe it off with a clean cloth. The vinegar and dawn soap cleaner will break down the dirt for easy cleaning. 

What is the best homemade Shower Cleaner?

Mix 1/3 cup of ammonia, 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup baking soda and 7 cups of water in a spray bottle. Spray the shower with the mixture then wait for 15 minutes before rinsing and drying the surface.