How to Make the Best Shower Door Cleaner Ever with Dawn & Vinegar

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Here’s how to make the best shower door cleaner EVER using Dawn & vinegar~a powerhouse combo to leave glass shower doors sparkling clean.

DIY Dawn Vinegar Shower Door Cleaner

 

Update: I recently discovered that the Dawn-Vinegar solution also works to clean the greasy gunk from oven doors.  I’ll share this great discovery at the end of this post!

Why shouldn’t I use a traditional shower cleaner?

Using a store-bought shower cleaner often exposes you to harsh chemicals. The traditional cleaners will effectively clean your shower, but if you are wanting to avoid harsh chemicals and intense smells, then this homemade shower cleaner is a great option for you! It is much easier on your nose than many store-bought alternatives. 

Can I save money by making my own shower cleaner?

Absolutely! These two basic items are almost certainly already inside your house. By using these, you can save yourself from having to buy a new cleaner and just use these instead. SUPER easy and perfect for when you need to clean your shower in a rush. 

What are shower doors made of?

Most shower doors are made of tempered glass, a special type of glass that is safer if broken than regular glass. In this post, I have only tested this solution on glass shower doors. I am not recommending it for any other shower door or for any tile, stone, or marble.

What causes white stains on shower doors?

Most white stains on shower doors are hard water stains, sometimes called soap scum.  It is what remains on shower doors when hard water mixes with dirt, soap residue, and body oils.  If allowed to build up over time, the deposits harden and can be very difficult to clean.  The most common place for soap scum to cling is to the shower doors that are used regularly. The steam, water, soaps, shampoos, and other bathing products eventually end up causing a cloudy film on the shower doors that is very unattractive.

What dish soap works best to clean shower doors?

Dawn is the only dish soap that I ever use for dishes and for cleaning shower doors. Why? In a word~grease. Dawn is the only dish soap (to my knowledge) containing a special grease-fighting agent that almost melts grease into oblivion.

What is the best vinegar to clean shower doors?

The vinegar that works in this dynamic Dawn & vinegar duo is plain white distilled vinegar.  It is the least expensive vinegar you can buy, and it is also the best one to tackle this and other household cleaning tasks. Distilled white vinegar is the “workhorse” or all vinegar!

What tools do I need to clean my shower doors?

The tools that I use to clean my shower doors with the Dawn & vinegar solution are a microfiber cloth or clean washcloth to wipe down the shower doors after they have been sprayed with the solution, a good spray shower to rinse the solution, and a squeegee (if I can find it) to wipe the shower doors dry.

Dawn & vinegar works better than store-bought cleaners.

I’ve tried myriad cleaners specifically for bathrooms~from Rain-X to scrubbing bubbles and beyond. I’ve never had any store-bought cleaner work better than this easy, inexpensive, DIY Dawn vinegar solution. 

 

Dawn vinegar shower door

 

What is so special about Dawn and vinegar?

  • Dawn breaks down grease and grime. Of all the dishwashing soaps you can buy, Dawn is the best at removing oils. In oil spills, it is the best solution for cleaning the birds’ feathers without harming their skin. The reason? Dawn contains petroleum. It sounds counterintuitive, but it works.
  • Vinegar removes residue and imparts shine. It is a nature’s wonder that can be used for so many purposes. My dermatologist Dr. Jo Herzog shares what it does in this post on Listerine vinegar foot soak.

How effective is vinegar as a cleaner?

Vinegar is extremely effective as a cleaner, besides just removing residue, vinegar is also pretty effective in killing mold. Bleach does this as well, but vinegar is a much safer alternative while being just as effective. Vinegar is a great solution for a mildewy shower. 

Which Dawn should I use for shower door cleaner?

 If you want the breakdown of the different Dawn dish detergent options, I list them below. In my opinion, any Dawn will do a beautiful job, along with vinegar, of cleaning shower doors.

  • The New and Improved Dawn Ultra Blue contains “3X More Grease Cleaning Power.” It is 3 times stronger than non-ultra Dawn (regular Dawn).
  • 3X Dawn is 50% stronger than the 2X varieties.
  • Note that some other varieties of Dawn Ultra still say “2X Grease Cleaning Power.”

The recipe for Dawn & vinegar shower door cleaner.

  • Use equal parts Dawn + vinegar. You can also cut the Dawn if your mixture is too thick.
  • Heat the solution in the microwave for 2 minutes (do not boil). Stir well, and pour into the bottle when not too hot. This is key for the effective mixing/blending of the mixture.
  • Put the solution into a good spray bottle.  These clear spray bottles come in a set of 3 and are less than $20.
  • Use a funnel for mess-free pouring.  Collapsable funnels like these are ideal as they don’t take up drawer space.

How to clean shower doors with Dawn + Vinegar.

  • Spray the Dawn + Vinegar solution liberally on dry shower doors. Wet shower doors dilute the mixture. Also, the solution clings to dry shower doors better than wet ones.
  • Leave it on for at least 2-3 minutes. I shower while the solution is on my shower doors which takes about 5 minutes.
  • Wipe shower doors with a wet washcloth. I toss an extra washcloth into the shower with me when I plan to wash the shower doors. I let it get wet while I am showering, and it is ready to use when it is time to wipe the Dawn + Vinegar solution off the shower doors.
  • Rinse shower doors with warm water. My shower head is handheld, so I start from the top and rinse all the doors until they are crystal clear.
  • Wipe the doors down with a squeegee. This white Oxo squeegee is something I love and keep it in the shower just for this purpose. If you don’t wipe the doors with a squeegee, the doors will still be clean, but they won’t dry as crystal clear.

Baking soda also works to clean shower doors.

Baking soda acts as an abrasive, and combined with vinegar, can be very effective at dissolving many hard water spots and soap scum. If you want to try this method, simply saturate a sponge or cloth with vinegar, then coat it with baking soda.  Use a little elbow grease to scrub until the soap scum disappears. Rinse with warm water to remove any remaining residue.

Watch me use this to clean my shower doors.

In the short video below, I mix up a solution of Dawn & vinegar and show how quick and easy it is to clean shower doors. It really takes no scrubbing~just a tiny bit of elbow grease and a good shower head sprayer.

Note: If you do the process while showering, be prepared for a strong vinegar smell. This doesn’t really bother me at all since vinegar is natural and non-toxic.

Dawn Vinegar Oven Door Cleaner
Dawn Vinegar for Oven Door Gunk

Watch me use Dawn & vinegar as an oven door cleaner.

I recently discovered that Dawn & vinegar shower door solution is hugely effective at cleaning oven doors. If you have an oven, you know how the doors get covered in “gunk” made of grease. See below how effective this solution is at removing oven door gunk.

Dawn vinegar shower door

Dawn & Vinegar Shower Door Cleaner

Yield: 4 cups
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Active Time: 6 minutes
Total Time: 9 minutes

How to make the Dawn-Vinegar shower door cleaner that works better than anything store bought.

Materials

  • Original (blue) Dawn
  • white vinegar
  • spray bottle

Tools

  • funnel
  • 8 cup glass measuring bowl

Instructions

  1. Pour 2 cups Dawn and 2 cups vinegar into a glass bowl.
  2. Stir; heat 4 minutes in the microwave; remove and stir again.
  3. Using a funnel, carefully pour the solution into the spray bottle. *
  4. Shake well to mix the solution. Use as needed on shower doors.

Notes

* Be careful not to burn yourself if the solution is hot.

** If Dawn is a thicker, commercial type version, use 2 parts vinegar to one part Dawn so that it won't be too thick.

© Family Savvy
Category: Life

What to do if your Dawn-Vinegar gets thick.

If your your Dawn vinegar solution gets thick or is difficult to spray from the bottle, there is an easy solution. First, empty your bottle that is too thick, and rinse the sprayer well with water to flush out the sprayer. Second, mix a new solution following different proportions that I share in the short video below.

So there you have it~my favorite cleaning hack for the bathroom~Dawn + Vinegar Shower Door Cleaner. I hope you try this; if so, please comment so the rest of us can hear your thoughts!!!

As always, thanks so much for stopping by. Be blessed, and stay (shower door) savvy!!!

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166 Comments

  2. This homemade cleanercof Dawn and vinegar is amazing!! I do housecleaning fffor many snowbirds, and with the high lime content in our area I have always struggled with getting and keeping shower doors truly clean. This mixture saves me SO much hand scrubbing!! I have also used it on tempered glass shower doors, ceramic tile shower walls and plastic tub surrounds. It works great on all of them and has not damaged them in any way. I have not tried it on an oven door yet, but I definitely will when I get a chance! Thank you so very much for sharing this fabulous recipe with us!!!

  4. Dear Jamie,
    Quick questions: Does the dawn/vinegar solution have to be heated each time I use it?
    Also, does the solution work for tile and fiberglass showers/tubs?
    Thanks.
    Sincerely,

    Margarett Moore

  7. Hi Karen, thanks for sharing this! I have used less than the 1:1 ratio, and the results were still great!!!! You are right; this should NOT be used on natural stone. I just use for my shower door!!!

  8. This works wonderfully, but I use less of the Dawn. Also, something I recently found out that your readers should know, this should NOT be used on any natural stone because of the vinegar. So be careful if you have marble or granite or limestone shower tile. Works great on my porcelain.

  10. Owen, I loved reading your comment and was laughing so hard!!! I am thrilled that the shower door solution of Dawn + Vinegar was so life changing for you! Happy to have you as a follower and e-friend. Best to you and yours !!!!!

  11. I am sooo in love with your right now. YEARS of ‘cleaning’ my glass shower door with gunky results! I didn’t have Dawn. I didn’t even have white vinegar. (I’m sure my wife will love that I used a tablespoon of Rice Vinegar on my shower, door, but the results are worth it!) I didn’t have a squirt bottle. (I dipped a small solution onto my plastic scrubby lady!) I am so “in” with your blog.

    I am NOT your target audience. I am not a woman. Rarely cook. Am not fit and will NEVER be chic. But I’m a follower now! If I get one more tip from you in my lifetime, I’ll be grateful! (Okay. It’s a shower door, I know, right? But sometimes the right thing in the right way!) I am a blogger but until now, not a follower of blogs.

    If you ever want to know anything about Ontario, Spirits, Wine or Beer, go to ontariocrafts.wordpress.com I’ll guide you to the right source for great libations!

    Mu-ah! Mu-ah! Mu-ah!

    Owen

  14. Can I save and reuse (at a later date) whatever is left of the mix in the spray bottle?

  18. Awesome suggestion,worked like a charm,added a bit more vinegar as you said.Thank you sooooo much..

  21. Hi there! White film on tiles is common and can be caused by many things. I suggest maybe scrubbing bubbles or something that is made for “soap scum” or “lime scale.” Hope this helps!

  22. hi! i tried this in my shower and now the dark porcelain like tiles on the floor have a white film on them. the white film goes away when wet but reappears when it’s dry. any way to fix that??

  24. oops! I couldn’t edit my comment with my error. I meant to say testing not texting.
    I was referring to myself laughing at how I need to clean my oven more often than every few years. LOL!! I do property management and cleaning and love this solution. Thanks Again!!

  27. I used this on my oven glass. And it worked so good with me just texting it after a while and wiping with a paper towel.
    I was laughing at the part in your video when you said after a few weeks. I was like, you mean a few years????

  29. This is definitely not an ad or sponsored post. Not sure why it didn’t work for you, but it has never failed me yet!! Nonetheless, thank you for sharing the solution that worked for you. It may help someone who needs another option like you did!

  31. Use this 50/50 Blue Dawn & Vinegar on outside windows and screens. I did it in no , let set for 5-10 min and rinsed with hose. Beautiful, no water spots and clean and shiny!! Also, it cleaned the window and slider tracks!

  32. This must be an ad for Dawn. I saw this recipie yesterday and tried it on my nicely hard water scummed shower doors. It does nearly nothing but ‘search’ the term “Dawn + vinegar” and look at all the sites !
    Try this: Dilute CLR or similar 50/50 with the Dawn-Vinegar mix. It works, and 10X better.

  35. Hi Katherine! I don’t recall the brand and don’t see it on the showerhead BUT I know it came from Bed, Bath & Beyond. Hope this helps!!!

  37. Came across this post in search of a solution for my glass shower doors and I am so glad that I did. I used the dish soap that I had on hand to make the solution and it worked beautifully! Easy to do while I was in the shower. I loved it so much that I shared it with my sister who has glass shower doors as well. This is going to be my go to when it comes to cleaning my shower doors!!!! Thank you!

  38. I’ve Been looking for a really good showerhead that has a hose attachment and I noticed yours was exactly what I’d like. Do you recall the company or where you bought it?

  40. Does this only work for glass? I have a clear plastic showerhead shower caddy that I’m considering tossing because the soap scum build is so bad. Would this solution work?

    Thanks

  42. this seemed to work at first, but because I don’t have smooth glass shower doors like you in the video have, as soon as the doors dried, I could still see a film on them, so this did not work for me.

  43. Hi Jane! I’ve never left on that long but don’t know why it wouldn’t work. Maybe try an hour first and see if that works? Let me know!!!

  44. Hi Jamie,

    We have a shower door that’s heavily soiled by hard water and soap residue. Would it work better if I leave the Dawn vinegar mixture overnight on the glass?

    Thank you so much for your recipe!

    Jane

  45. Hi Jude! Dawn has a unique component that most other brands don’t have that dissolves grease. I’ve only used Dawn, so I can’t say if anything else would work. Best of luck to you in finding something!!!! Let me know!!!

  46. Does this only work with Dawn dishwashing liquid? I have been unable to buy this brand in Australia. Thanks for your help.

  47. Hi Roxanne! I am so glad that the shower door cleaner is a game-changer for you!!! So glad I have been helpful to you in some way!!! Thank you for reaching out!!! XoXo

  48. Hi Jamie!
    I’m so glad I stumbled across your web site and watched your video! Just mixed up your recipe of Dawn and vinegar to clean glass shower doors. Where have you been all my life? Cleaning my glass shower has never been so easy! Gone are the days of scrubbing and scrubbing with Windex, only to find that streaks and soap scum were left behind. Glad I discovered your site!

  49. Hi Sandy, did she use real Dawn (that makes a difference) with pure white vinegar? A ratio of equal parts (or 2 parts vinegar 1 part Dawn)?

    I’ve always had great results……this is perplexing to me. I would def try this on a small space before spraying on the entire surface. Would you let me hear back if you get a resolution? I would not mix a ton of other chemicals. Maybe try straight vinegar?

  50. My cleaning lady used this Dawn-vinegar solution on my shower doors, and now I think they are ruined. When they dried they were covered with a white residue with patterns where the solution had run down. I scrubbed it two times this morning trying to get the residue off, letting it dry each time after each scrub with Scrubbing Bubbles and Tylex Shower Cleaner and each time the white residue reappeared when the glass dried. My cleaning lady came over this afternoon with 5 or 6 shower cleaners and tried them all in various spots and nothing removed the white residue. When the glass had dried it returned. I don’t see how Dawn and vinegar could harm my class doors, but I think they’re ruined. I would not advise using this until you have tested it more.

  52. I can’t believe how long it took me to try this tip. It’s amazing. My shower doors have never looked so shiny and sparkling. Thank you so much for sharing.

  53. Hi Jackie, sorry for the confusion! If I am thinning out an existing solution that has gotten thick, I only heat/add vinegar. If I am making from scratch, I heat the Dawn and vinegar together. You would probably be fine just heating the vinegar and adding it to the Dawn. The main objective is to have one hot liquid to help the two solutions “melt” together and not separate. Hope this helps!!!!

  54. I have a question about the video verses written instructions, they conflict. So do you heat vinegar and dish soap or just the vinegar? Going to try it out and thanks for the great tip.

    Thank you.

  55. Hi Katey, I am so happy you discovered the formula! It is AMAZING how effective it is and with such simple, inexpensive, common ingredients. Glad you are a follower. I hope my content continues to be helpful!!!

  56. Brilliant! We have tried vinegar and baking soda, and WD40 – along with various products on the market. We tried your method today & our shower doors are actually clean!!!! I’m so happy I found your blog. This was a lot less expensive than the products I bought and took less time and elbow grease! I’ll be keeping an eye on your site. Thank you!

  57. Hi Jamie! I only recommend this for the shower doors, as I haven’t tested it on other materials. It may damage some natural stone. It works great on the shower doors, though!!

  59. Hi Robin, I suggest giving this Dawn Vinegar a try. My doors have been VERY cloudy and dried on before, and this worked! Just leave it on the doors longer, and try to let the bathroom get some steam in it by running the shower hot. LMK if this works!!!

  61. P.S!!! Never ever use vinegar in any form on natural MARBLE or GRANITE!!!
    IT WILL DAMAGE THE SURFACE.

  62. Hello! I’ve heard of this treatment for shower doors, I clean homes for a living and I have to say, your doors didn’t look very dirty to start off with!! What about doors with more hard water build up than soap scum, or so neglected that you cannot see thru them anymore?
    Thanks

  63. Shelley that is a great question!!! I have found that after a week or two, my solution gets separated a bit and also thickens. I put it in the microwave for a couple of minutes to get it back to normal. If it is really thick, I add a bit more vinegar before microwaving. Hope this helps!!!

  65. Hi Carolyn, I have not used the foaming. For some reason, I don’t think it would work as well as the regular, but maybe some others will weigh in.

  66. I buy Dawn foaming soap, have you experimented or had anyone else ask trying that particular type of Dawn Dish soap?

  67. I am not sure about granite cleaning, so I can’t advise. I wouldn’t use this solution unless you do some research. Granite is its own animal.

  68. How to get “smears” from granite and also the black covers on my appliances/oven, microwave, etc

  71. Hi Penelope, I don’t have marble so cannot answer this question. If it etches your marble, personally, I would not use it. I would consult a marble or stone expert for the best way to clean marble. Hope this helps!

  72. If this solution splashes on the marble in my shower, it etches the stone and destroys the surface. How do you protect the stone or marble in a shower using this method.?

  73. Hi Tina! I am so glad it worked! I am surprised that it worked so well minus the vinegar. Thank you for sharing your experience with us!! It is super helpful!!! XoXo

  74. Thank you for this. I hate cleaning the tub but had to give it a try at 11:00 last night. I did skip the vinegar because I read in BHG years ago it can harm enamel on tubs, but the regular Dawn worked like a charm! Egads! It really worked! Passing this along to my daughters.

  75. Hi Janis! I had this happen once in the Winter when my bath space was colder. Cold makes liquids more firm. I added a bit more vinegar and zapped a few minutes in the microwave to mix. Worked like a charm. Hope this helps!!!

  79. Hi Sheila! Personally, I would not spray this on a shower curtain (I wash showers curtains in the washer and put them out to dry). But if you try it, please let us know how it turns out!

  81. Hi Carol, thanks for sharing your good results! We have hard water too and also have great results with this solution. Have a great day!!!!

  83. Kathleen, thank you so much for letting us all know that this works on frosted glass. It is super helpful when readers share comments. Thank you for taking the tine!!! XoXoXo

  84. Yea, it worked to remove those awful streaks on the frosted shower doors. Thank you!!

  85. Kathleen! I honestly don’t know because my glass is clear. But I don’t know why it wouldn’t work. The ingredients are natural so shouldn’t hurt. If you try it, please let us hear how it turns out. Xoxo

  86. Will this work on frosted glass? I used some cleaning product I shouldn’t have and it’s streaked really badly. Help!!

  88. Great and quite useful recipes! I’m recently trying to use more natural cleaning solutions and your pieces of advice seem to be quite effective for me. Definitely trying and recommending this post to some friends. Greets!

  91. Hi Susan! I spray mine all over the doors before getting in the shower. Leave on during shower. Wipe down with wet washcloth after shower. Rinse. Let air dry. I am sure you could do it any other way; that is just my routine. XoXo

  92. A little confused…do you spray this on wet shower doors before the squeegy? Is it ok for granite?

  93. This worked great for me. Used dollar store sprayer and dollar store scrub brush and the shower walls look great again. I didn’t heat the vinegar…used a couple pumps of dawn…..very small sprayer. Rinsed afterward with shower nozzle.

    Another dawn tip. I’ve stopped buying spot cleaners for laundry…just used very watered down dawn. No grease stains!

  94. Hi John! I just spray it on before stepping into the shower and let it sit while I shower. Then I spray it off and wipe it down after showering. It is about 3 -5 minutes for me. Just see what works for you!

  96. Hi Tracy! I typically get about a month’s worth out of my bottle, but it just depends on how often you clean. If you clean daily, it might not last that long. So glad you love it. It is one of my all time fave tips:-) XoXo

  97. I have tried the vinegar and Dawn mixture, and its the best, I just wondering how long the mixture last
    Also thank you

  98. Suhana, I just saw your comment; I apologize for being so late to reply!! Thank you for your kind words. I’ve never had shower iron so can’t be any help in this area. If you find out a solution, please let me know!!!! Have a wonderful day!!!! XoXo

  99. Hi Patti! It is amazing, isn’t it?! Thank you so much for the marketing suggestion:-) It is all natural and just a savvy tip that I love sharing on the blog! Happy you’ve found it!!!:-)

  100. I couldn’t believe how your solution worked. It cleaned the scum right off, but the magic part is that the shine LASTS for a long time. It’s better and certainly cheaper than anything else I’ve tried. You should market this somehow. Thank you!

  101. Helpful recipe and informative. Helpful Information. I Appreciate your hard work. It will be helpful for every housekeeper. I benefit so much from your knowledge! Love your style! How can I remove shower iron?

  102. I thought Dawn wasn’t toxic being they use it on birds and animals to clean oil off them.
    Maybe mixed with something it is worse

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  104. Hi Marsha, that must be maddening! I wonder if leaving the solution on overnight might work? It definitely works for soap scum; hard water spots might require another formula. Please let me know if you find something that works. Comments are super helpful. Good luck!!!

  105. I have stubborn hard water spots on my shower door. I tried Dawn and vinegar and it didn’t work all. I have also tried everything under the sun and nothing has worked. Very frustrating.

  106. Hi Angela! I let the solution sit while I shower (or work for a few minutes), then I wipe the glass down with a wet cloth. You can squeegee or dry after that. So, yes, you do rinse:-)

  107. I tried this do I rinse off prior to squeegee?
    Because I didn’t and it looks like soap still on the glass

  108. Jamie,

    Your solution was absolutely amazing! My shower glass doors never looked better. I am a recently divorced man and I must admit I never cleaned a shower I became single in August of 2017. I like you tried soap scum removers… spray and walk away lies from many products. All of them full of chemicals and I felt stoned after using a lot of them. Your Dawn and Vinegar solution was absolutely the best… it worked the first time on my caked on soap scum shower doors!!! I am extremely happy with the results. Thank you so much! Mark

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  110. Wendy – what is the product that you use on your glass / windows?
    Wendy
    APR 24, 2016 @ 04:13:55
    I have a car washing product you spray on after you have cleaned your screens and it will stop anything clinging onto your glass. Only needs doing twice a year, smells great too. I am a professional car detailer and can guarantee success, all natural products. Many other household uses as well,

  111. Hi Anita! I would not recommend using vinegar on marble; I fear that would cause etching:-( Perhaps find a reputable marble dealer and call and ask for best cleaning products. Hope you find what works for you!!

  112. I have marble walls in my shower, no doors. Is it safe to use the dawn/vinegar solution on the marble or will it pit. If so what do you recommend?

  114. Now see, the Mix I read, said 32 Oz spray bottle, 1 cup Dawn. and fill the rest of the way with the white vinegar . In other words 1 part dawn, and 3 parts vinegar .
    So do you think 1/2 and 1/2 is better?

  115. Hi Gina, I have honed travertine walls and floor in my shower also. I just make sure to rinse the solution each time. I’ve been told sealing once a year is the best way to take care of travertine, so I haven’t made any other modifications. Hope this helps!!!

  116. I have honed travertine on my shower floor, and would like to try to use the vinegar -Dawn cleaning idea for my glass shower door, however will this cause pitting in my travertine floor if I rinse off the door with water ? How do you get the mixture off the glass without it hitting the shower floor ? Are there other suggestions. Thanks

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  118. Hi Cynthia! I’ve never used anything but the white. You can certainly give it a try; however, since apple cider vinegar is sometimes brown, I wonder if it might stain? Let us know if you try it!!!!

  119. Will apple cider vinegar work as a substitute for white? I have the cider vinegar on hand already.

  121. Heating the vinegar just speeds up the reaction between the vinegar and the Dawn. For every 10 degrees C one raises the temp of a chemical reaction, you double the speed of that reaction. It does not change the reaction. Dawn has a pH of 9. Common vinegar has a pH of 2.4 Some or all of the alkaline part of the Dawn will be neutralized by the vinegar.
    If this combination actually did improve the cleaning action of Dawn, you can be guaranteed that P&G would formulate a Dawn shower spray. Likely, you would get the same result with Dawn diluted 1 to 1 with water. Dawn is a very strong cleaner. I use it to clean automotive grimes from my hands.

  122. NEVER Spray any vinegar on granite! Nor any mixture with vinegar in it. It will pit granite.

    For a 22oz. spray bottle (I reuse cleaned out Spic n Span spray bottles) here is the recipe I use:

    1c. White Vinegar
    1\2c. Dawn (any kind)
    Rest water
    Plastic scrubber

    I have a plastic coating on my shower walls (Bath Fitter Shower) and can’t use Comet, etc. This works like a charm. First time I cleaned with the Dawn mixture got about 90% of the scum off. I cleaned it a 2nd time about a week later and the walls were like new. I did not heat the vinegar, just mixed it after I put both in the bottle with water. (Gently rock bottle back and forth. If you shake it, it’s going to suds up!)Some say to use apple cider vinegar. I don’t think it makes a difference. I have not tried this on glass, but it does work on plexiglass\acrylic shower doors. I spray it on and let it sit for about 10 minutes, then spray it again when I start scrubbing.

  123. Hi Debbie! I have the glass shower doors but have heard from some friends that it works on their acrylic. Give it a try; it can’t hurt. Let me hear how it works!

  125. Harvey, I certainly apologize for misleading anyone, and I’ve made the changes in the post. Thanks for pointing out that Dawn is neither natural nor non-toxic. That being said, the solution of Dawn and vinegar works beautifully to clean shower doors. We will just use for that purpose. Thanks for sharing all of this info!!!

  127. I use this Dawn + vinegar mixture regularly and like what it can do. However, there are a couple of factual errors in your post that you should perhaps revisit. Firstly, this is NOT a non-toxic mixture. To say, “..it does so with completely natural, non-toxic ingredients” is grossly misleading (and, some might say, irresponsible). Vinegar is natural and non-toxic, but should still be treated with some care since it’s an acid. Acetic acid, to be more precise. Dawn dish soap is a chemical soup that has never claimed to be either natural or non-toxic.
    Proctor & Gamble have listed some of the ingredients on their website (https://www.pg.com/productsafety/search_results.php?searchtext=Dawn&category=ingredients&submit=Search)
    Please read them so you know what you are exposing yourself and family to. Do some Google searches on the ingredients and you will quickly find that Dawn contains many nasties, some of which are banned in other countries. This doesn’t mean that the cleaner combination shouldn’t be used (as I say, I use it) but people do need to be aware of exactly what they are using.

    Secondly, heating the vinegar doesn’t make it “bond” better. Heating vinegar slightly makes the acid effect a little stronger. Most people wouldn’t notice any difference. If you use cleaning vinegar there is no need to heat at all since cleaning vinegar (usually 6%, sometimes as high as 12%) is stronger than the typical kitchen 5% vinegar.

    Don’t use this mix on granite, travertine, marble, or any natural stone/tiles. The acid of the vinegar will cause pits in natural stone products. For this reason, care must be taken with the spray bottle and cloths – don’t put them down onto natural stone materials.

    Please change the claims of this being non-toxic and natural. If it gets on a child’s skin or is ingested this mix has really horrible consequences. Ingested, it can kill.

    I hope this helps your readers.

  128. It is so nice to have specific, detailed instructions for this type of cleaning solution. Shower doors can be tricky to clean, especially when they are mostly glass. This seems like a very easy solution to try, so I will be going to the store to buy a professional sprayer soon. Thank you for a helpful and informative article!

  130. I use the mixture you posted, but I also use another mixture I found on Pinterest, but altered it a bit. Where I live we have pretty hard water that leaves hard water deposits on the tile. I use this mixture 2-3 times a week and yours for the once every week or two since I live alone.
    It called for 24 Oz of water. I put in 8 Oz vinegar and the rest distilled water. 1/2 c hydrogen peroxide, 1/2 c rubbing alcohol, 2 T Blue Dawn dish detergent, 3 tsp Jet Dry rinse. I spray it on about 5 minutes or so before I start my shower. While I’m in the shower I have a tile scrub brush and hit any areas that might need it, which is not very often. I have an old wash cloth that I’ll lightly scrub the tiles with. When I’m finished with my shower I’ll rinse the tile and bathtub out. I’ll do this the 2-3 times a week. By doing this, it cuts down on the heavier cleaning.

  132. I have been using Zep Professional Sprayers for years. I worked at Home Depot and came across them there around 1997-98. I will only use them because they work. I would say the average sprayer lasts at least 10 years, which is about how often I have moved. As it has been said, nice larger spray handle, that is easy to grip, larger spray area, having to spray less often. The Ace Hardware near me sells them for $4.50, Home Depot $3.28. Ace is across the street from me, Home Depot is a 10-15 minute drive.

  133. Pingback: Homemade Shower and Tub Cleaner – Home Hints

  135. I use Sunlight dish liquid for my dishes. I’ll give it a try with this, and let you know how it goes.

  136. Pingback: How to Remove Deodorant Stains on Dark Clothes - Family Savvy

  137. Having a handheld shower head would be the trick…which I don’t…so went out and bought a squeegee…thanks for your reply! Really does work on the scum..

  138. Hi Nan! I wipe mine down with the washcloth that I shower with, then I rinse with the handheld shower head. It comes off easily for me. Hope this helps!

  139. Works on soap scum, but definitely a lot of effort to get the soapy dawn mixture off the doors….think I will get a squeegee and try that…

  141. I have a car washing product you spray on after you have cleaned your screens and it will stop anything clinging onto your glass. Only needs doing twice a year, smells great too. I am a professional car detailer and can guarantee success, all natural products. Many other household uses as well,

  142. Peter, thanks so much for letting us know that it works for shower walls too! I have travertine, so I need to make sure it won’t harm the natural stone. Will report back when I find out! Blessings!

  143. I found this same recipe elsewhere for the entire shower. I used it, and it works. You just let it set for a few minutes and rinse.

  145. Hi Lee! So glad it worked beautifully with a generic dish soap! Now that you have your doors squeaky clean, all it takes it a few days a week maintenance. Thanks so much for sharing this with us. Blessings to you!

  146. Hi Jamie! I just tried this with a generic dishwashing soap and it worked like a charm! I sprayed and rinsed the inside of my glass shower door about 3 times to make sure to get the scum off. The third time, I let the solution sit on the glass for a few minutes and then rinsed it off. The glass is sparkling! Thanks for the all-natural tip! :)

  147. Hi Sarah, this is for shower doors only. I am sure that another type of mixture would be better for walls depending on the type of material. Hope this helps!

  148. I have always liked shower enclosures a lot, but have always found the glass to be difficult to clean. Hopefully this is going to be able to work for me, because then I won’t have to deal with scrubbing so much. Does this help with cleaning the rest of the walls too, or is it just a glass door cleaner?

  151. It’s a very simple and efficient recipe. My sister is trying recently to quit using harsh chemical detergents and to clean more naturally, so your post will be of a great help for her. I’m definitely recommending your tips to her and to some friends too. Greets,

  152. Hi Amber! I’ve never used any other brand except Dawn. When doing the research for the formula, everything that I read said to use Dawn. I hope this helps!!!

  156. Hi Gretchen, I usually just spray it before I shower, then use my washcloth after showering to wipe it down before rinsing. It is much easier than using a squeegie:-) Thanks for commenting!

  157. Do you spray it and let it “set” and then rinse? Or spray then wipe? Do you think once a week would keep it clean?…I’m not a squeegie-after-every-shower kind of girl…

  159. Do you think this solution would work on the inside and outside of car windshields? It is so hard to cut the grease etc. on the glass.

  163. Hi Jennifer! I have new shower tile~honed travertine~and am not worried at all about the solution. Since I spray it and leave it on just while showering, I think it is fine. I just make sure to rinse well after using.

  164. Can this solution cause any problem with granite, ceramic tile or grout? Under the shower door is a granite threshold and we have small grouted tiles on shower floor.

  166. Can this mixture sit until the next use or do you have to mix a fresh mix every time you need to clean?

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