Asked on Aug 26, 2013

How to clean a glass shower door!!!

Michelle
by Michelle

I clean houses and have one client who's shower door I just CANNOT get clean! It's a clear glass door and has that "film" on it. I've tried EVERYTHING from vinegar to CLR and soap scum removers......HELP! I just want to make it shine for them!!!! How do I clean the glass shower door?


  20 answers
  • Kellie Kellie on Aug 26, 2013
    Vinegar and baking soda paste
  • Z Z on Aug 26, 2013
    Have you tried using a Magic Eraser Sponge yet?
  • Sherrie Sherrie on Aug 26, 2013
    The Works. It is a toilet bowl cleaner the cheap one sold at Walmart and Dollar General. It has muriatic acid in it. It doesn't sound like the doors are dirty or build from soap, but etched from hard water build up. Depending on how bad the damage is I use The Works and a magic eraser sponge. Don't get it on stainless steel if you do rinse it right away. Work in small sections use rubber gloves, poor it in the sponge and scrub, then rinse. If that doesn't work saturate the area then let sit and then scrub. Worst case I have used muriatic acid but you need open windows, heavy gloves, a lot of ventilation, eye protection and a mask for you nose. Use a paint brush to brush it on, small sections then rinse. This is hard to use. It is dangerous but I have used both of these with great success. If the doors are so etched and damaged no matter what you do it might not come off. I have seen this only once. After I am done I use furniture paste wax and wax it on and buff it off. Because it will build up quickly again if I don't and it helps repell water. . The hard water will settle back into the etched glass if I dont. I have several homes that have hard water buildup. The Works is the easiest and quickest and I have had great results from it. And after this I do it monthly to keep the water from etching it even worse, the muriatic acid is a last result I had to use this in my rental house and another rental house. This isn't the correct way to clean I know. It is a last result kind of cleaning and if you clean there are times we use last resort cleaning. Let me know how everything turns out.
  • Michelle Michelle on Aug 26, 2013
    Great advice!!!! Thanks....I will try it this Fri. So it's just the Mr. Clean magic erase sponge? I think that's the brand name?
    • See 1 previous
    • Lisa Smith Lisa Smith on Aug 27, 2013
      @Michelle you can buy them at Dollar Tree. I'm a Manager for the one in Gridley Ca and we sell them like crazy. Just ask for magic eraser and for 1.00 you will have peace of mind with a lot of cleaning issues.
  • Z Z on Aug 26, 2013
    Now why didn't I think to tag you @Sherrie? I'm glad you popped in since I never think of using chemicals. I have tried The Works and it sure works, but not only on cleaning but works as giving me very painful facial pain due to my allergies. And yes @Michelle, we are talking about the Mr. C magic erasers, but you can find them with different brands names.
  • Sherrie Sherrie on Aug 26, 2013
    I use the cheap store brand magic erasers. And The Works is the brand of toilet bowl cleaner I use. Becky I clean for a living and even through I prefer not to use chemicals in this business it isn't possible all the time. I prefer to clean right first and without chemicals. But I have cleaned some of the worst rentals ever and I have had the thrill of helping clean several hoarders homes and yes I do what I have to do to get it clean. And honest most people prefer chemicals when I clean because if it smells clean it must be clean. Not true but many people believe that if they can't smell it then I must not have cleaned it. When I changed to cleaning more naturally you wouldn't believe how many complaints I received. It surprised me. I had several ask me to go back to my old way. But chemicals since I cleaned so much with them makes my hands hurt and I have to use thick gloves now. But every house keeper has shortcuts, and this is the best one I have found on cleaning etched glass. And thank you.
    • Z Z on Aug 26, 2013
      @Sherrie I used to use chemicals all the time and it never bothered me. I once scrubbed everything with Pine-Sol. I was quite obsessive about it. Then all of a sudden during my pregnancy with our now 29 year old daughter I couldn't tolerate any chemical smell, instead of the usually sneezing my body reacts with extreme facial pain which works it's way down through my jaw into my neck and upper back, and had to stop using cleaners all together. I resorted to dish soap and hot water. My idea of cleaning now is more preventative, as in clean things up immediately before it dries or bakes on and needs chemicals to get it clean again. My Mom used to clean rentals and I helped her now and then so I know what kind of messes you must get into. I was shocked at how dirty some places where. It's not easy work and it certainly takes know how to get them really clean again. I'd admire anyone that does that kind of work for a living and like you knows what they are doing. Have you ever thought to use add a natural scent to your natural cleaning products? The human mind does seem to associate certain scents with being clean and if they are not there would assume something wasn't clean. Funny really. It was all a marketing ploy and we ate it up.
  • Sally M Sally M on Aug 26, 2013
    I've used Avon's Skin So Soft on really grungy shower doors. Not sure why it works, but it does. Makes a great tar remover for your car, too.
  • Though there are various product being available in marketbut the natural way to clean the glass shower door is by the mixture of cornstarch and water. Use this paste on rubbing on door then gently scrub and use aclean damp rag to wipe off the paste and then a third clean rag to polish. Itreally works well on glass and mirrors.
    • Sherrie Sherrie on Aug 27, 2013
      @Window Replacement Orange County My step grandmother taught me to clean windows this way but she made sure the water was cold and we only used newspapers. And it's true it does work. Except I use what ever I have to dry stuff. But she is cleaning etched shower doors. Have you tried this on something etched? I never thought about doing this so now it will have to be something I try to see if it works. : )
  • Kelly Meigs Kelly Meigs on Aug 28, 2013
    I have used the shower cleaner in a squirt bottle from Dollar Tree. For some reason, we have horrible soap scum problems in our shower. You squirt it on and rinse it off. For tough areas, use a magic eraser with some of the liquid poured on. I have found nothing that is as easy or works better.
  • Wet & Forget Wet & Forget on Aug 28, 2013
    Hi Michelle, Have you heard of Wet & Forget Shower? It's a once a week no scrub shower cleaner that cleans and prevents soap scum, grime, body oil and mold & mildew. Here's a little video on the product as well as a review from a Hometalker named @Home Repair Tutor http://www.homerepairtutor.com/wet-and-forget-shower-experiment/
  • Peg Peg on Aug 28, 2013
    I keep a squeegies in the showers for everyone to wipe off walls when done. Cuts down on build up and allows more time between cleanings!
  • Kelp4Less Kelp4Less on Aug 28, 2013
    Also - Flylady purple rags in a bag. They're freakin' amazing.
  • JanB JanB on Aug 28, 2013
    It's possible the glass may already be etched.
  • Debi Martin Debi Martin on Aug 29, 2013
    I also clean homes and the best product I found is from Norwex. They make a pink mitt for glass that takes soap scum (or anything else for that matter) off like a breeze and all with no chemicals. You dampen the glass, use the somewhat abrasive side, no scrubbing really just go over all the glass, then use the soft side to dry and polish. I can clean double shower doors in and out in two minutes flat and they look like the day they were bought! Best money I have spent for cleaning materials ever. My mitt is almost two years old and there is no sign of wear. They are a tad pricey but overall cheaper and safer than chemicals!. Good luck, Debi
  • Olive Jani Olive Jani on Aug 30, 2013
    I clean for a living. The one thing that works: Bon ami. You can get it at target for a dollar a can. Spray water on the glass, scrub with bon ami. Wipe with your cleaner or even a dry cloth; polish. It works like a charm.
    • Olive Jani Olive Jani on Aug 30, 2013
      @Olive Jani p.s. it's about as eco and people friendly as you can get, and oddly not-abrasive for a scouring powder. It's so finely powdered and benign it can be used on any surface, and has just enough baking soda in it to react with vinegar if you need that *fizz* to work into grease, etc.
  • Rhonda Nusom Rhonda Nusom on Oct 03, 2013
    Non abrasive Lysol bathroom cleaner elbow grease and then rain-ex.
  • Donna Gallagher Donna Gallagher on Oct 03, 2013
    mr. clean magic eraser!!
  • Alternative Here’s my grannys favorite scrub ; -3/4 cup baking soda - liquid soap to form a paste -5 drops tea tree oil -5 drops of treetea oil Directions: Add liquid soap to baking soda slowly until paste is formed. Then add tea tree oil. Apply scrub to sponge for use on shower doors. Allow paste to stay on glass for 5-10 minutes. Spray with vinegar and water solution, and wipe off with sponge. Rinse off and then dry. The results are really remarkable. See the difference for yourself!
  • Chloe Crabtree Chloe Crabtree on Jun 12, 2023

    Get rid of grime on the interior of your glass shower door by following these simple steps:

    1. Mix one part vinegar with two parts distilled water in an empty spray bottle and shake well.
    2. Spray the surface of the shower door with the solution and let it work its magic for 10 minutes.
    3. Use a microfiber sponge to wipe away the grime. If you see streaks once the door has dried, use your microfiber cloth to buff them out in a circular motion.


  • Mogie Mogie on Jun 16, 2023

    Many hotels use ammonia-based cleaning solutions because ammonia readily cuts through dirt and soap scum. Because of the way it dries, ammonia also decreases the possibility of streaks on glass.