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

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 Cleaner
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
- Pour 2 cups Dawn and 2 cups vinegar into a glass bowl.
- Stir; heat 4 minutes in the microwave; remove and stir again.
- Using a funnel, carefully pour the solution into the spray bottle. *
- 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.
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!!!
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!!!
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.
Hi Christina! Tile is another ball game, and to be honest, I don’t clean mine like I should. You might google it and find a great tip!!!!
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 !!!!!
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
Worked perfectly. What do you have for tile?
You certainly can!!!! It keeps well!!
Can I save and reuse (at a later date) whatever is left of the mix in the spray bottle?
So happy that it worked for you, Germaine!!! You are most welcome!!!
Hi Holly, I am not sure why they are still hazy. You might use more vinegar and less Dawn to see if that works. Hope it does!!!
After doing this the, shower doors are still hazy what else works?
Awesome suggestion,worked like a charm,added a bit more vinegar as you said.Thank you sooooo much..
https://amzn.to/3kek7uU is the best mop ever!!!!! I love it!!!!
Love your recipes, tips and information. Thank you.
What is the mop that you recommended?
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!
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??
Haha thanks for clarifying!! Have a great day!!
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!!
Hi Connie, I am sorry it didn’t work for you. Thanks for sharing!
Alesia, I am so happy it worked so easily for you!!! Yes~my mistake!!! LOL need to edit that out:-)
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????
I have fiberglass shower doors and it did not work.
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!
Oh my goodness this is amazing!!! How did you get it on the windows~ a large water hose sprayer? I need to do this.
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!
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.
Hi Donna, I have not tried on those but think it would work. Maybe test a small section at the bottom before you try the whole thing?
Does this work well for fiberglass shower walls?
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!!!
Hi Vanessa! I am so happy you found the solution!! Thanks for sharing your positive experience!!!
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!
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?
I don’t think it could hurt, although I’ve never tried it myself!! Let me know if you have good results!!!
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
Hi Mare, I am so sorry that this didn’t work for you! I hope you find something that does. If so, please let me know!!!!
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.
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!!!
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
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!!!
Does this only work with Dawn dishwashing liquid? I have been unable to buy this brand in Australia. Thanks for your help.
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
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!
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?
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.
Hi Prudence! I wish I had learned this tip sooner also. It is a game changer for sure!!!
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.
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!!!!
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.
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!!!
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!
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!!
It this solution ok to use on the rest of the shower and tub ?
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!!!
Robin, I have heard the same thing. Natural stone is a different animal. Thank you for sharing.
P.S!!! Never ever use vinegar in any form on natural MARBLE or GRANITE!!!
IT WILL DAMAGE THE SURFACE.
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
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!!!
Probably a silly question but do I have to heat up the solution each time I use it. Ty