How to Clean Shower Doors [2023 Guide]

If you're living in an apartment, you know that no matter how small the space is, cleaning it can seem like a daunting task. One spot that’s especially challenging to keep clean are shower doors — film, grime and rust can build-up quickly on metal or plastic surfaces if not regularly taken care of.

Fortunately, with some simple steps and helpful tips, learning how to clean shower doors doesn't have to be such a chore! In this guide, we'll show you all the tricks for keeping your shower doors sparkling and bacteria-free so you can enjoy fresh looking bathroom year-round. Let's dive in and discuss how to clean your glass shower doors!

What You’ll Need

Before cleaning your shower glass doors, you'll need to gather your supplies. Here are the items you'll need:

• Sponge
• Microfiber cloth
• Toothbrush (optional)
• Paint scraper (optional)
• Razor blade scraper (optional)
• Distilled white vinegar
• Dish detergent
• Water
• Lemon (optional)
• Baking soda (optional)

Once you have everything you need to start cleaning your glass shower doors, you need to pick a schedule you can stick to.

Shower Door Cleaning Schedule

It's a good idea to put you and your roommates on a shower door cleaning schedule to reduce the grime and make them easier to clean over the long run. Here are a few schedules to consider:

• Daily: Pick a time every day to spray down your glass shower doors to help keep them looking fresh in between deep cleans. Consider cleaning immediately after your morning shower or before you go to bed.
• Weekly: Your shower door glass may not get much build-up and look fine with a weekly clean. Schedule ta shower door cleaning with your usual weekly chores or rotate with your roommates.
• Monthly: A monthly schedule alleviates the pressure to regularly clean your glass shower doors, but the longer you go, the more likely you'll need to do a deep clean to remove build-up.

You may need to experiment to figure out a schedule that works best for you, so keep it realistic and see how it goes.

How to Clean Shower Doors With Vinegar

One of the best ways to clean shower door glass is with a simple homemade shower cleaner of dawn and vinegar cleaner. The combination helps you disinfect the glass and break down any soap scum, keeping your glass shower doors from streaking..

Here is an easy step-by-step process that takes a few minutes to complete.

1. Combine vinegar and dish detergent: Mix two parts of distilled white vinegar, two parts of distilled water, and 1/4th teaspoon of dishwashing liquid and pour into a spray bottle.

2. Spray DIY shower cleaner onto doors: Spray your homemade shower cleaner generously onto your shower doors.

3. Rinse and dry thoroughly: Rinse the glass shower doors with a wet sponge or damp rag before drying with a lint-free towel.

Cleaning shower glass is straightforward, but your doors could streak during drying. Rinse your shower doors again and try a squeegee to get things extra dry and streak-free. Or you can try a powerful lemon juice cleaner to make your glass shower doors look and smell extra fresh.

How to Clean Shower Doors With Lemon Juice

If you love a lemon-fresh scent, you’ll love this easy shower cleaner, which uses lemon and baking soda. The antibacterial qualities in lemon can help break down harmful bacteria and clean surfaces.

Here are the steps to make your own lemon-based shower glass cleaner:

1. Cut a lemon in half: Grab a fresh lemon and cut it in half with a sharp knife and cutting board.

2. Dip the cut sides into baking soda: Take your lemon and dip it into a bowl of looser baking soda until it's well-coated.

3. Rub both sides of your shower door: Take your baking soda-powdered lemon and rub down both sides of your shower doors from top to bottom.

4. Rinse and dry thoroughly: Use a wet sponge or spray bottle of water, rinse your doors through, and dry with a lint-free towel.

If you feel any residue left behind, rinse your shower doors and dry them again. You may have also noticed your shower door tracks aren't as clean as they should be, so let’s tackle those next!

How to Clean Stubborn Shower Door Tracks

If your shower door tracks are filled with soap scum, dirt, or mold, it's essential to attack the problem before it worsens. Here's an easy way to clean your shower door tracks:

1. Use a toothbrush to scrub the metal frame: Grab an old toothbrush and scrub down the metal frame of your tracks with a glass cleaner or your favorite DIY cleaner.

2. Remove gunk with a paint scraper: Get rid of any gunk by gently using a paint scraper to remove build-up, but avoid scratching the track while you're working.

3. Scrape mineral spots with a razor blade scrapper: If you see mineral spots left behind, gently use a razor blade with special care not to cut yourself.

By now, your shower doors and tracks should look new again. On the other hand, you may still notice some strange spots. These water stains build up over time but don't worry; you can still remove them with some elbow grease.

How to Remove Water Stains from Shower Doors

Believe it or not, water can stain and leave unsightly spots on your glass shower doors. Water droplets dry and leave behind mineral deposits that may appear chalky, white, brown, or rusty, depending on your water type.

Here's a quick fix to address water stains and refresh your glass shower doors.

1. Soak paper towels: Soak a paper towel in a warm vinegar solution and place it over the water spots, spraying occasionally.

2. Wipe shower doors: Remove your paper towels after 30 to 60 minutes and wipe down your glass shower doors with a damp sponge and a healthy sprinkle of baking soda.

3. Rinse: Rinse everything with a cup of distilled water or with the help of a spray bottle, and dry with a microfiber towel.

If you notice any residual spots, you can go through the process again. However, any hard water stains should dissolve if you make cleaning your glass shower part of your cleaning routine.

Final Thoughts

Knowing how to clean shower doors with the help of a simple DIY shower cleaner, a sponge, spray bottle, towel, and a few simple ingredients, is a good skill to have. Keep in mind that prevention is key. When you tackle dirt, grime, bathroom mold, and water stains before they get out of control, it's easy to clean your shower.

Now that you're enjoying your clean and tidy apartment, you may realize you need a fresh start, a new space, or a bigger bathroom to enjoy. Need help finding a new apartment? Take our quiz to find your dream place.