DIY Soap Scum Remover For Glass Shower Doors

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases made on our website.

One of the most frustrating parts of cleaning your bathroom is keeping your glass shower doors free from soap scum. Luckily, there are a few tricks to help you keep the doors sparkling clean — and you can even make a soap scum remover yourself.

Make an effective DIY soap scum remover for glass shower doors with any of the following: white vinegar and dish soap; baking soda, borax, and water; or ammonia and water. Prevent future scum buildup by using your DIY mixture regularly, drying the doors after you shower, and using liquid soaps.

Once you’ve prepared you’re very own scum-removing mixture, you’ll be ready for whatever grime appears in your shower. Let’s look at some of the most common cleaning ingredients and how to use them to clean the glass shower doors in your bathroom.

How to Remove Soap Scum From Glass Shower Doors 

Sprays the product onto the dirty glass door

When it comes to soap scum that builds up on your glass shower doors, removing it can be somewhat overwhelming. This is especially true if you’ve allowed it to build up over a long period.

Those who have glass shower doors are always looking for the best ways to remove this soap scum and keep it off. But, is it even possible to remove soap scum that has built up over time?

The answer to this question is a resounding yes, since there are a variety of methods that can be used to remove soap scum from your glass shower doors. These methods include using products specifically designed for soap scum or household products like ammonia, vinegar, baking soda, and borax.

What Exactly Is Soap Scum? 

If you have glass shower doors, then you’ve probably experienced a white chalky film that can be seen after you shower. Left unattended, this film can build up and leave your shower door look dirty and uninviting.

But what exactly is soap scum, and where does it come from? Many different types of residue can build up on your glass shower door over time. Soap scum is unique because it’s the only residue that’s caused by the soap you use when it gets mixed with hard water.

One thing to keep in mind about soap scum is that, in the beginning, it’s typically only a thin film. However, over time, if you don’t clean it regularly, it can build up and turn hard, making it very difficult to remove.

How to Make DIY Soap Scum Remover 

Now that you know what soap scum is, let’s take a look at how to get rid of it. There are several decent options, so you can see which one works best for you.

The Vinegar Method

It’s common knowledge that various types of vinegar have different purposes including cleaning difficult surfaces in your bathroom. This method is especially useful for removing hard water stains from your glass shower door.

What You’ll Need 

Before you get started using the vinegar method to clean your glass shower doors to remove soap scum, you’ll need to purchase a few items. While many of these items are typically sitting around your home, you may need to go to the store for some of the other ingredients.

Here’s a list of ingredients you’ll need for the vinegar method of cleaning your glass shower doors:

How to Apply It

To use this method, all you have to do is mix the vinegar and dish soap — one part of each — into a spray bottle. Then, gently shake the bottle to ensure that the mixture is combined thoroughly.

At this point, you can spray the shower door with the mixture until it’s dripping with the solution completely and let it soak for about 30 minutes. Then, take a soft cloth and scrub the glass shower door area thoroughly and dry it with another cloth.

Baking Soda and Borax Paste

Another effective cleaner that will help to remove soap scum from your glass shower door is a mixture of baking soda and borax. While this method uses harsher chemicals, it can be effective in removing the residue.

What You Need

For this method, you only need a few ingredients to attempt to remove soap scum from your glass shower door:

How to Apply It

The first step to cleaning your glass shower doors with Borax and baking soda is to mix the ingredients until a paste forms. Once this is done, you can use the damp sponge to apply the mixture to the glass shower door.

After the mixture has been added to the surface, rinse the area with water to ensure that it’s removed from the shower door. Once thoroughly rinsed, you should use the microfiber cloth to dry the surface completely.

Ammonia

If you tried some of the previous methods to remove the soap scum from your glass shower door with no success, you may want to try using an ammonia-based glass cleaner. This powerful cleaning ingredient can be used effectively to remove soap scum from the surface of your shower door if used correctly.

What You’ll Need

Like other methods used above, you may be surprised to learn that this method requires very few ingredients. This is because the active ingredient in ammonia is a strong, powerful solution that works hard to remove soap scum.

Here’s what you will need:

How to Apply It

Before using ammonia in your bathroom, there are a few safety precautions you should be aware of and follow. The most important of these is to ensure that you’re not mixing chemicals, and always keep the area well ventilated.

To use ammonia to remove soap scum, you first need to mix the ingredients to complete the cleaning solution. In most cases, you can add one part of the ammonia solution to three parts of water to prevent any accidents.

The next step is to spray the entire surface with the solution. Then use a scrub brush to remove any soap scum that has collected on the door.

Tips for Preventing Soap Scum Buildup 

Beautiful young woman cleaning and wiping glass door in the shower at hotel room

As you can see, there are several good ways to remove soap scum. But how can you prevent it in the first place? The good news is that by following a few tips from the experts, you can prevent soap scum buildup in the long run.

Here are some of the best tips for preventing soap scum from building up on your glass shower door:

  • Stop using bar soap and switch to liquid soap or body wash since they contain fewer ingredients that can cause soap scum.
  • Keep a spray bottle of the soap scum remover in your shower area so you can spray it on after each shower use.
  • Use a towel to dry the glass shower doors and other surfaces of the shower after each use.
  • Invest in a water softening system to prevent soap scum from hard water that mixes with your soap.
  • Allow for more airflow in your shower by leaving the door open just a crack as you’re showering.

While this is not an exhaustive list of tips you can use to prevent soap scum buildup, they are the most commonly suggested ones. By following a few simple tips, you can keep your glass shower doors from becoming dingy and dirty from soap scum.

Will the Vinegar Method Work for Removing Hard Water Stains? 

Are you skeptical that vinegar will be sufficient to remove hard water stains? The great news is that you can definitely use the vinegar method to remove hard water stains in your bathroom. The key to making this happen, however, is the exact method you use and if you follow the steps exactly.

As previously mentioned, the last step in the vinegar method for removing hard water stains is to rinse the area with distilled water. This is because all of the ingredients, such as salts and other materials, are removed from the water, making it pure water to remove the hard water stains.

Final Thoughts

The bottom line when it comes to using a DIY soap scum remover on your glass shower door is that several methods can do the trick. With a bit of research and some trial runs, you can find the exact ingredients that can be mixed to successfully remove soap scum from your glass shower doors.

Leave a Comment