If you need more cleaning advice for the bathroom, you can also check out our guide to cleaning a showerhead.
There are many ways, both DIY and store-bought, to keep your shower doors looking shiny, but most importantly, prevention is key. And even though regularly cleaning your shower doors may seem like a hassle, says Kristiana Laugen, Home Expert at Handy, it can help keep soap scum from building up and leaving marks on your shower door. She recommends taking a few minutes at least every two days to scrub your glass doors after a shower to prevent soap scum from building up and leaving behind marks; cleaning the door right away will also make it easier to remove any soap or water stains vs. letting them settle in overtime.
Laugen recommends starting from the top left corner of the shower when using a squeegee to clean glass shower doors.
HIWARE All-Purpose Shower Squeegee for Shower Doors
HIWARE All-Purpose Shower Squeegee for Shower DoorsHIWAREamazon.com$16.99Shop NowThis rust-resistant, stainless steel squeegee comes in three different sizes (10”, 12”, and 14”) and four different colors. It has an ergonomic handle and comes with waterproof adhesive hooks so you can make sure it’s always within reach.
CLERET iDO Shower Squeegee
cleret iDO Shower Squeegee with Dual Wiping Edgecleretamazon.com$12.99Shop NowCleaning your shower doors will be a breeze with this lightweight squeegee, which has a dual wiping edge to help you wipe away every last drop of water. It also includes a wall-mounted holder if you want to keep it in or right next to your shower.
simplehuman Fold Away Squeegee
squeegeesimplehuman.com$25.00Shop NowIf you don’t want a big squeegee hanging in plain sight, this compact, foldable squeegee is for you. It has an angled blade to help it glide across your shower door and is made of rust-proof zinc and anodized aluminum. It comes with a suction cup to hang in your shower, and the handle folds up next to the blade so it takes up minimal space.
Hard water spots appear on your glass when water drops dry there. The first step is to try to prevent water from drying there (e.g., via a squeegee).
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
Mr. Clean Magic EraserMr. Cleanamazon.com$11.99Shop NowThese cleaning essentials are useful for cleaning everything from kitchen and bathroom surfaces to white leather shoes. Morgan Brashear, Procter & Gamble's Senior Scientific Communications Manager, says the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is a quick and effective solution for cleaning glass door shower doors because you don’t need any other cleaning sprays or products.
Just wet the Magic Eraser to activate the micro-scrubbers, squeeze out the excess water, and then wipe it across the door surface with a firm, steady wipe to remove hard water stains. After you’re done with the glass doors, you can also use this to clean other parts of the shower like your tile, grout, and metal shower tracks.
Dawn Platinum Soap
Dawn Dish Soap Platinum Dishwashing LiquidDawnamazon.com$17.64Shop NowYou can borrow something from your kitchen counter to double as a cleaner in the bathroom. The same reason why Dawn is able to make kitchen glassware shine is why it’s effective on other glass surfaces, like your shower doors, as well. Explains Brashear, “The mineral-busting ingredient specific to Dawn Platinum can help break down the calcium and magnesium minerals in those hard water shower spots. And the surfactants that are known for grease cleaning are also great at creating a ‘sheeting action’ on glass doors, helping prevent future spots from coming back as quickly.”
As tempting as it may be, don’t just squeeze Dawn directly on your shower doors. Brashear recommends that instead, you create a warm water solution in a bucket or spray bottle with a little bit of Dawn Platinum. Use a spray bottle or a cloth to wipe the solution on your doors, rinse with clean water, and then wipe dry with a soft cloth.
Rain X
Rain-X Original Windshield Treatment Glass Water RepellentRain-Xamazon.com$9.50Shop NowVera Peterson, President of Molly Maid, a Neighborly company, also recommends that after you clean and wipe down the glass after a shower, apply a hydrophobic compound like Rain X, which creates a thin barrier that repels water to help keep water spots away.
A water softener
Whirlpool WHES40E 40,000 Grain Water SoftenerWhirlpoolamazon.com$709.99Shop NowPeterson says that installing a water softener can be an expensive solution, but it can solve many other problems throughout your house by reducing mineral buildup on your shower glass as well as the insides of your pipes, faucets, dishwasher, showerheads, and more.
More ShoppingPeterson says because they’re acidic, lemons are an economical and effective bathroom cleaner, and bonus, they smell nice too.
The acid in the lemon juice breaks down dirt and bacteria found in soap scum, and if you want some extra help, dip the cut lemon in kosher salt before rubbing it on the shower door; the salt provides additional abrasiveness to scrub soap scum away.
As another alternative, Brashear recommends using a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, which has a foaming cleanser to help break down stubborn soap scum and buildup. You can get them in a relaxing lavender scent.
For another easy DIY glass cleaner with ingredients you likely already have on hand, you can use white vinegar. Laugen recommends filling a spray bottle with about a half cup of distilled white vinegar, ¼ cup of dish soap, and a cup of water. Spray the solution on the shower doors and let it sip for about 30 minutes before wiping clean with a damp cloth.
If that doesn't quite do it, Peterson suggests dipping a scrub sponge into baking soda and scrub the glass. The baking soda acts as an abrasive to remove soap scum before rinsing and drying. And if your glass is really caked with soap buildup, Peterson recommends using a mixture of: