My shower door looked like frosted glass, and not in a nice way. Soap scum had built up for months, and every cleaner I tried just smeared it around. Then my sister, who cleans houses for a living, handed me a recipe that costs about a dollar.

The magic combo is white vinegar and dish soap. Vinegar dissolves the soap scum, and the dish soap cuts the grease from body wash and shampoo.

The Two-Ingredient Spray

Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle, then add a squirt of dish soap. Shake gently, and spray the whole door. Let it sit for five minutes so it can actually break down the scum instead of just wetting it.

Scrub with a non-scratch sponge or a magic eraser for the stubborn spots. Rinse with warm water and squeegee the door dry.

Why the Squeegee Matters

Here is the part I used to skip: squeegee the glass after every shower. It takes twenty seconds and stops hard water spots from forming in the first place.

I keep a squeegee hanging on the shower head. My sister swears by it, and after three months of doing this, my door still looks like new glass.

When the Door Is Really Bad

If the buildup is years old, sprinkle baking soda on the wet glass and scrub with a damp sponge. Baking soda is a mild abrasive that handles what vinegar alone cannot.

One warning: do not mix vinegar and baking soda in the same bottle at once. Use them one after the other, vinegar first, then soda, and let them fizz.