How To Make Your Own Shower Cleaner

While housework, in general, is not a favorite hobby of mine, cleaning the shower is probably my least favorite chore. Unfortunately, you can’t avoid using the shower so I can’t hide from it. It’s hard to feel like you are getting clean when your shower is dirty so I eventually cave. Although to be completely honest (and please no judging), it needs to be cleaned well before I get around to it. But regardless of if I want to clean it, my bathroom shower needs to be cleaned!

Before Pictures
Dirty shower floor

Like I mentioned above and as these pictures prove, I unfortunately usually delay in cleaning the shower well past when it should be cleaned. I try to follow my Cleaning Schedule although, continuing the honesty theme, I am struggling to stay on the schedule right now since we are in the process of preparing to move. If I stayed on my schedule and made sure I included the bathroom shower in my bathroom cleaning day, it wouldn’t come to this!

Easy, Homemade Shower Cleaner

Since I hate cleaning the shower, I am always willing to find the perfect product to make the cleaning process easier. I even have a cabinet full of cleaners to prove it. Unfortunately, none of the products ever seemed to live up to their claim. Thankfully, I came across an amazing shower cleaner that I can make with a couple of ingredients I already have in my kitchen. Those are my kind of cleaners! The cleaner is simply Dawn dish detergent and vinegar.

Bottle of Dawn detergent, empty spray bottle and bottle of vinegar on smooth stove top.

Ingredients and Process

It really is a simple recipe and an even simpler process to clean your bathroom shower. You will need equal parts of Dawn dish detergent, vinegar, and a spray bottle. (Here’s a spray bottle on Amazon if you don’t have any). Here’s the process, as well as a couple of tips to make your shower sparkle!

Dawn and Vinegar

I use a spray bottle that has measurements marked and I pour 6 oz of Dawn. (For my shower it usually takes about 12 oz of cleaner)

Bottle of Dawn and a spray bottle with Dawn in it on a counter top.

I then pour the vinegar into the bottle. For a stronger cleaner, warm your vinegar in the microwave before adding to the spray bottle.

Glass measuring cup with vinegar in it with a bottle of vinegar behind on a counter top.

Slowly mix the Dawn and vinegar together by gently shaking or moving the spray bottle. Be careful how hard you shake the mixture as it will produce lots of bubbles and be hard to spray. If this does happen, just let the bottle sit for a couple of minutes. It may require a few extra pumps before the mixture sprays out.

Spray bottle filled with Dawn detergent and vinegar on a counter top


Spray

Hand holding a spray bottle spraying a shower wall.

Once your mixture is ready, spray generously everywhere in your shower. It will start to slowly run down the shower and that’s what it is supposed to do. The next step is my favorite….

Shower surround with blue detergent sprayed on it

Now that you have sprayed your shower, you just wait 🙂 You can leave it for an hour or if your shower is like mine, I let it sit all day. Your bathroom will smell like vinegar so you may want to either open a window or run your fan.

Wipe

After you have let the shower cleaner solution sit, simply take a sponge and wipe down your shower. Even a shower as dirty as mine takes a simple wipe down for most areas. The problem areas in my shower, such as the ones pictured, still only take a few extra wipes with the sponge.

Hand holding a sponge wiping a shower surround


Rinse

After I have wiped everything down, I simply rinse the shower and voila! You are done!

Clean Shower seat
After Pictures
Clean shower surround

It’s that easy!

I know this shower cleaner sounds really simple and that’s because it is! I look for the easiest cleaning solutions and this is a great one. And as much as I hate a dirty shower, I love a clean, sparkling shower.

If you are looking for an easy shower cleaner or a chemical-free cleaner, this checks off both boxes. Trust me, you won’t regret trying this shower cleaner.

I would love to hear how this cleaner works for you. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comment box below.

46 thoughts on “How To Make Your Own Shower Cleaner”

  1. 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.

  2. I’ve use the same for cleaning everywhere in my house and it does work great especially for the shower. Here’s another tip for the shower after your done cleaning & wiping it dry then spray it with a solution of: Jet Dry & Water (made for the rinse cycle in a dishwashers). This makes the water from every shower bead off. Spray it on about once a month after a good cleaning.

  3. Mary Beth Alexander

    I’m going to try this .. sounds like a GREAT WAY TO CLEAN THE SHOWER!! I hate the chemical cleaners; you inhale them and half the time they don’t work.
    I found a great stain remover on clothes using blue dawn and hydrogen peroxide. 1 dawn to 2 hydrogen peroxide. Put in spray bottle and spray stains on your clothes; works better than store bought!

    Just a FYI!

    1. So I too hate to clean my shower. Today’s motivation is my adult daughter coming by tomorrow. ?? otherwise it would be as long as I could stand it!!! Yuck! I’m trying Dawn and vinegar mis for the 1st time and I will follow up with results!! LOVE YOUR TIPS AND THE JET DRY TIP AS WELL!!!!

        1. I have used it on textured doors and shower curtains with good results but I have not tried it on clear glass doors. If you try it, I would love to hear your results.

        2. It works very good removes scum easily. You may want to scrub glass door if it’s stuck on. I recommend everyone spray glass door after each shower.

  4. My husband used this cleaner on the shower / tub today. He didn’t know what it was but I had it in the bathroom so he thought he’d give it a try. He didn’t know to just let it sit so he scrubbed it and got it shiny clean! Bless his ❤️

    1. I’ve used this concoction with great results for years. I’m out of white vinegar and only have cider vinegar. Is it safe and effective like white vinegar?

  5. Im trying this for the first time on my shower and tub. Am i the only one who noticed a very strong odor. It felt it was burning my nostrils. By the way i did warm the vinegar first.

    1. Unfortunately, it does have a strong vinegar smell. I usually try to use it when I won’t be around 🙂 I still do prefer vinegar over other harsh smells. I would love to know how it worked for you.

  6. I have to admit that I tried cleaning the bathtub with just white vinegar once and it didn’t do a thing! It never occurred to me to mix it with Dawn but now I totally get why it works! Pinning this one for future use since I really want to go “green”!

  7. This was so easy todo and I love that it is child safe! Definitely issuing this on my showers when I run to the store to get dawn!

  8. This looks so insanely easy and I love the fact I can just leave it sitting all day. I have a 2 second memory and forget when I start cleaning something and have to let it sit for a few minutes.

  9. This cleaner is so great, I’ve been using it on my shower and fixtures for years. I was just recently telling my brothers about this DIY cleaner, I’ll have to share this post with them! 🙂

    1. I know! Not only does it save me money since I don’t have to buy a separate shower cleaner, but it saves me time by not having to make a trip to the store!

    1. I purchased many shower cleaners and I still find it amazing that this simple solution works better than all the ones I purchased! I would love to know how it works for you.

  10. I love tips for DIY cleaners! They are a huge help for us as we are trying to move away from using so many chemicals in our home. Looking forward to trying this one! Thanks!

    1. Let me know how it works for you. I love the fact that I spray the shower cleaner and walk away. The cleaner does the work instead of me 🙂

    1. I am realizing there are a lot more cleaning solutions I can make with household ingredients I already have and I love it! And I agree, the easy ones are the best ones.

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