I wasn’t planning on writing a blog post about this. It really isn’t that interesting. But then again, we have lived in this home for a couple of years and for whatever reason, until now I’ve accepted the fact that soap scum and hard water stains build up on our glass shower doors. I’ve scrubbed, used countless cleaning agents, magic erasers, dryer sheets (I found that idea on Pinterest… It didn’t work), and have fallen back on using an all-purpose cleaning spray every couple of days to wipe the doors down to a “clean enough” level. People… Why didn’t you ever tell me how to clean these doors? It is SO EASY it’s ridiculous. Maybe everyone in the whole world knows this trick, but if you’re like me and still deal with this problem, the answer is: white vinegar.

This is the easiest, no-elbow grease, cheap, eco-friendly solution to stubborn water stains ever. We use vinegar to clean in this home all the time. It kills most mold, bacteria, mildew, and when used in combination with baking soda can pretty much replace every type of cleaning product you’d ever need without introducing gross chemicals into your house. Did I mention it’s dirt cheap? I got that gallon jug of white vinegar for $3 and it lasts a long time. Usually I dilute it when cleaning, but in this instance I used it full strength right out of the bottle.

So, here’s what worked for me:

1. Put on some rubber gloves and grab a soft sponge or rag. (Don’t use a scrubber sponge- it could scratch your glass.)

2. Soak your sponge or rag in vinegar and smear it onto the door. Get every inch, and let it sit.

3. When it starts to dry (after 3-5 minutes) apply another coat of vinegar.

4. Walk away for 5 minutes and get yourself an iced tea. Or check emails. Or pet your cat. You just want the vinegar to have time to really work its magic.

5. Come back and rinse the doors with warm water.

6. Give the doors a final spray (I used Method’s Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Spray) and dry with a paper towel.

7. You’re done. Admire your work.

I plan on doing this on a regular basis from now on. Since vinegar can have a strong smell, I recommend opening windows and using a bathroom fan so it dissipates quicker. Rinsing out the shower afterward and using an all-purpose spray at the end helps too. Anyway, hopefully you had the same luck as me and your doors look like new!