How to Remove Icky Soap-Scum Stains From Your Shower Door in 5 Easy Steps

Cleaning the bathroom can be a struggle, especially when you can't seem to wipe away soap scum on your shower doors. This grayish-white residue occurs when ingredients in bar soap react with hard water left behind after showers. However, one of the most annoying things about soap scum is that it builds up over time, making it even harder to clean if you let it sit untouched for too long. But if you want to keep your entire bathroom looking spotless and beautiful, you can clean those annoying soap stains off your shower door with these five simple steps.

Before you decide on how to tackle cleaning your shower door, it's important to look at how much soap scum you actually have. If the buildup is light, there's no need to use an industrial-strength glass cleaner — a damp dryer sheet works wonders for getting your door squeaky-clean. If you don't have any dryer sheets on hand, Magic Erasers and melamine sponges can also help make that grunge disappear. However, if your shower door needs a little TLC, there are other alternatives to alleviate the issue.

Vinegar and baking soda may seem like a strange combo, but it actually works wonders as a cleaning agent, especially on soap scum. In order to make this cleaning solution, simply mix half a cup of baking soda and a fourth a cup of white vinegar together in a bowl. Using a spoon, stir the ingredients until they become a paste that has a similar consistency to pancake batter. If you're struggling to turn your mixture into a paste, try adding a bit more baking soda or vinegar until you get the desired consistency.

Once you've made your cleaning paste, it's time to get to work on your shower door! Dip a clean sponge in your paste mixture, and spread it all over your shower door, paying special attention to the areas that have the most scum buildup. While it may feel tempting to immediately wipe the solution off your shower door after applying it, be sure to let it sit for at least 15 minutes so it can work its magic.

After you've let the mixture stay on your shower door for 15 minutes, wipe it off using a microfiber cloth. This type of cloth is best to use in this situation since it is gentle and won't scratch or damage your door. After you remove all of the cleaning solution residue from the shower door, you'll be impressed by how spotless your door looks.

If you hate cleaning a month's worth of soap scum all at once, you can prevent it from building up in the first place. While switching to body wash instead of bar soap is an easy way to prevent scum buildup, cleaning your shower door with a squeegee or clean towel after every shower helps a ton. It may seem a bit excessive, but you'll love how much time you'll save when you don't have to do a major cleaning session!