Top 5 Ways to Clean Shower Glass

If there’s one thing I’m known for, it’s cleaning shower glass. In the nearly two years since I started my cleaning business, I have been asked multiple times, “How do you get the shower glass so spotless!?”

For starters, let’s talk about what causes the cloudy, gunky, filmy shower glass appearance.

1. Hard Water – Hard water is full of minerals that create chalky/textured water spots on your glass.
2. Soap Scum – Over time, soap residue builds up on more than just the walls of your shower.
3. Bacteria – Mmm, that lovely pink color loves the warmth and moisture in your shower.
4. Too Much Time Between Cleans – With enough time between cleans, anything, even dust on your shower glass, can make your life more difficult.

Also, let me preface this by saying that there are multiple ways and products available to clean shower glass! The following are just MY personal favorites. They tend to be on the “greener” side, because that’s one of the focal points of my cleaning company – we don’t want to breathe in harmful toxins, and we don’t want our clients to either.

So, without further ado, my top 5 favorite methods/products for cleaning shower glass:

1. CIF Cream – Cif Cream is something you may be familiar with if you’re a Scrub Daddy fan. In fact, the first CIF Cream I ever bought was from Scrub Daddy. I thought THEY made it. But, they didn’t. Cif is a company that’s been around since the 1960’s! Unfortunately, Scrub Daddy Cif Cream is no different than the original, but it costs a bit more per bottle. I love Scrub Daddy, but they messed up with Cif Cream. Cif Cream is made from limestone particles, which is fairly natural. The smell is AMAZING. I’ve had employees buy a bottle of their own just for the smell – not even kidding. To use: apply a liberal amount of cream cleanser to the shower glass, plus a little water, and use a non-abrasive sponge of your choice (I use a Scour Daddy) to scrub. Allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes before rinsing off and squeegeeing.
2. Lemon Juice & Baking Soda – Put fresh or bottled lemon juice into a spray bottle. Liberally wet the surface of your shower glass. Then, apply a baking soda paste to the glass with your non-abrasive sponge of choice, and scrub. Allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes to let the citric acid in the lemon juice break down the minerals on your glass.
3. Dawn Platinum Powerwash – Dawn Powerwash is one of the least natural items I use in my business, but, hey, at least it’s not chlorinated bleach. Spray the Powerwash liberally onto your shower glass and use a non-abrasive sponge of your choice to scrub. Allow 5-10 minutes before rinsing off and squeegeeing. (Are you noticing the push to SQUEEGEE? It’s important!)
4. Borax & White Vinegar – Mix warm cleaning-grade white vinegar and Borax into a spray bottle. Shake it up until Borax is mostly dissolved. Then, you know the drill. Spray the mixture liberally onto your shower glass and use a non-abrasive sponge of your choice to scrub. Allow 5-10 minutes before rinsing off and squeegeeing.
5. Magic Eraser – Mr. Clean’s Magic Erasers are truly…magical! While I don’t think they should be used on just any old surface, Magic Erasers are safe for and work wonders on shower glass. AND, added bonus, you don’t have to inhale any FUMES. The eraser foam contains a substance called “melamine,” which is non-abrasive on your glass, but abrasive on soap scum, hard water, and all of the things you don’t want.

Well, there you have it! My Top 5 favorite methods for cleaning shower glass. These methods can be used on any filthy glass. However, I wouldn’t suggest using them if you won’t have a reliable way to rinse. Rinsing and squeegeeing are as important to the cleaning process as the cleanser and sponge you use. Once squeegeed, always follow up your glass with a dry microfiber cloth, or a carbon cloth (these are my favorite brand, and they’re not hard on the wallet, either), to polish and remove any excess water.

Did you like my methods? Which one(s) did you try? Do you have a favorite that isn’t listed above? Leave it in the comments!