How to remove limescale from glass shower doors
To remove limescale from glass shower doors, spray the glass with warm white vinegar, let it sit about 15 minutes, and scrub with a non-scratch sponge. For heavy spots, add a paste of baking soda. Rinse with warm water and squeegee it dry. After that, a squeegee after every shower keeps the glass clear.
Limescale is what's left when water dries on the glass and leaves its minerals behind. Soap scum sticks to it, and the two together make that cloudy film.
What do you need?
- White vinegar, warmed in a microwave-safe cup for 30 seconds or so
- A spray bottle
- Baking soda
- A non-scratch sponge
- A squeegee
- Microfiber cloths
- Rubber gloves
Before you start
- Check for a coating. Some shower glass is factory-treated to shed water. Look up the maker's care instructions, and go gentle.
- Protect stone. If the shower has marble or travertine, keep vinegar off it. Cover the stone ledge with a towel or use a cleaner made for stone.
- Ventilate. Open the window or run the fan.
How do you remove limescale from shower glass, step by step?
- Rinse. Wet the glass with warm water to loosen soap scum.
- Spray warm vinegar. Coat the glass, inside and out. Warm vinegar works faster than cold.
- Wait. Give it 15 minutes. Spray again if it starts to dry.
- Scrub. Work the non-scratch sponge in small circles, top to bottom.
- Paste for the stubborn spots. Mix baking soda with a splash of vinegar into a paste. Rub it on the cloudy spots, let it sit a few minutes, and scrub.
- Rinse well. Leftover vinegar or paste dries as streaks.
- Squeegee and dry. Pull the squeegee from top to bottom, wipe the blade between passes, then go over the edges with a dry microfiber cloth.
What about the door track and the frame?
Scale and grime build up in the bottom track. Vacuum loose dirt with the crevice tool, spray the track with warm vinegar, let it sit, scrub with an old toothbrush and wipe it out. Wipe the metal frame and handle with a damp cloth afterward so vinegar doesn't sit on the finish. For the faucet and trim, see our chrome fixtures guide.
What if the glass stays cloudy?
If the glass is still cloudy once it's clean and dry, the surface itself may be etched. Running a fingernail over it helps tell: buildup feels rough and comes off with scrubbing, etching feels smooth.
How do you keep shower glass clean?
- Squeegee the glass after every shower.
- Leave the shower door open or the fan running until it dries.
- Spray the glass with a vinegar and water mix once a week and wipe it.
- Keep bottles off the floor of the shower, where they leave rings.
The rest of the shower is in our shower cleaning guide.
Want the bathroom deep cleaned?
Book Deep Cleaning online. If the shower glass is a priority, ask about it when you book and put it in your booking notes.
FAQ
What removes limescale from shower glass? White vinegar, warmed and sprayed on, softens limescale so it scrubs off with a non-scratch sponge. For thick buildup, a paste of baking soda and a little vinegar adds gentle scrubbing power. Rinse well and dry the glass.
How do you keep glass shower doors clean? Squeegee the glass after every shower, top to bottom, and leave the door open or the fan on so the shower dries. Water that dries on the glass is what leaves the spots.
Can you use a scouring pad on shower glass? No. Steel wool and scouring pads scratch glass, and scratches hold scale and soap scum. Use a non-scratch sponge, and check whether your glass has a protective coating, which needs the gentlest cleaner.
Where should you not use vinegar in a shower? Keep it off natural stone like marble and travertine, which it etches, and wipe it off metal trim with a damp cloth when you're done.
Book a cleaning
Our service area: every Philadelphia neighborhood, plus the Pennsylvania suburbs within about 30 miles of Center City, in Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks and Chester counties. Book online at phillyscleanteam.com/book-now, or call or text (215) 798-7576, 9 AM to 9 PM, every day.
