Vinegar?? I know what you’re thinking, vinegar…in the Bathroom? It’s a budget friendly option for a natural cleaning agent. I use vinegar to disinfect in the Kitchen, so why not in the Bathroom? Specifically cleaning the shower with vinegar.
Vinegar has acetic acid which makes a great cleaning solution to help remove stains, mold, odor, and grime. I’m going to focus specifically on shower cleaning with vinegar.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.
One of the most common questions is can I use vinegar to clean my shower? Short answer: YES!
Long answer: There are a few different kinds of showers, shower tub combo, free standing showers, glass door showers, fiber glass tub or tile that can be cleaned with vinegar. Whatever is in your shower, I got you. I’ll talk about how to clean each one of these showers with white vinegar.
Cleaning a Bathtub-Shower Combo with Vinegar
It’s really simple to clean a shower with white vinegar. All you really need is vinegar and hot water, maybe an abrasive sponge or cloth. The differences lie in the surface you are trying to clean.
Fiberglass Tub
First up, let’s talk about how to clean a fiber glass tub. This technique works with a free standing bath, bath shower combo with fiber glass tub and tile, or a full fiberglass tub shower surround.
- Boil the white vinegar
- Add vinegar to a spray bottle
- Spray any fiberglass surface
- Use the shower head to wet the vinegar every 5 minutes for a half hour
- Put some of the vinegar solution on a microfiber cloth
- Sprinkle baking soda
- Scrub the shower to remove grime, hard water stains, and mold
Pro Tip: For more stubborn spots, consider making a paste of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Apply it to the spots and let sit. After about 30 minutes, take a cloth soaked in vinegar and cover the paste.
Let sit for another 30 minutes, so about an hour in total. Scrub off with a sponge or new cloth. I use a tooth brush to get in the hard to reach areas.
This process is very similar to cleaning paint brushes with vinegar.
Tile and Grout
Some tubs and shower combos have an entire fiber glass surround, and others are lucky enough to have tile. Unfortunately, that means dealing with cleaning the tile and grout.
The way to clean with vinegar is very similar, but it doesn’t require boiling the vinegar first.
First, take the same spray bottle with vinegar and spray the grout with the white vinegar solution. Let the vinegar sit for 20 minutes.
Use a scrub brush to get into the grout lines and scrub the dirt off. Rinse it clean.
Related: Cleaning a Toilet with Vinegar
Shower Curtain
Now, don’t forget the shower curtain. It’s overlooked a lot when cleaning the shower, but can get just as moldy and grimy as the rest of the shower. Here’s how you can use vinegar to clean it as well.
The easiest way to clean a shower curtain is to throw it in the washing machine. This works for plastic or fabric shower curtains, and the plastic liner as well.
- Add your detergent and some baking soda
- When it gets to the rinse cycle, pop in a half cup of white vinegar
- Remove the plastic before the spin cycle, Fabric can finish the cycle
- Hang Dry the plastic shower curtains
- Fabric can go in the dryer on medium heat
Cleaning Glass Shower Doors with Vinegar
Now that we know how to clean grout and tile with vinegar, let’s do the glass shower doors. We are lucky enough to have a free standing shower with glass doors. The biggest pain about them is cleaning off all the hard water stains.
This time, vinegar isn’t enough to fight hard water spots on the glass shower doors. The vinegar needs to be diluted with some water in a ratio of 1:1 water and vinegar.
Next, get your trusty spray bottle (you should be best friends by now), and fill and mix. Spray the doors thoroughly with diluted vinegar and water solution.
With paper towels or micro fiber cloths, wipe the doors until they shine. Some elbow grease may be required if the doors are extra dirty, like mine were (shhhhh).
Pro Tip: For the best streak free shine, clean the doors with a squeegee tool.
Shower Head
Shower heads, faucets, anything where water comes out seems to be a breeding ground for mold, grime, and build up.
Cleaning the shower head with vinegar involves filling a plastic bag with the white vinegar and wrapping it around the shower head itself. Secure it with a rubber band or zip tie.
Let it sit overnight. Remove the bag and scrub with a scrub brush to remove any residue or left over deposits.
Voila! Good as new!
Cleaning an Acrylic Tub with Vinegar
Now for those of you that are lucky enough to have a free standing tub, it may be made of acrylic. While this is a better material to use for making tubs, they are a little bit more high maintenance to clean.
Acrylic tubs can’t take harsh chemical products, so this cleaning method is a great option. Fill the tub with hot water and add two cups of white vinegar. Leave it to sit for 20 minutes.
Once the tub is drained, sprinkle baking soda around the tub and scrub a dub dub really well with a microfiber cloth.
Pro tip: clean the faucets with a bag around them filled with vinegar and let sit overnight
What about the Drain?
Did you know you can clean and unclog the shower or bath drain as well with white vinegar? For a curly haired girl with a lot of hair, this is good news to me!
First, boil a big pot of water. Once boiling, pour half of it down the drain. Save the other half for another step.
Next, pour down the drain a half cup of baking soda and a mixture of equal parts hot water (use from the boiling water) and white vinegar. Wait 10 mins for the solution to unclog any debris and blockages in the drain.
Finally, bring the rest of that pot of water back to boiling and pour the rest of it down the drain once more to wash thoroughly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the Smell be Masked?
Yes! The smell can be masked whether using apple cider or white distilled vinegar. Either way these liquids have a distinct SMELL!
The easiest way and most natural way to cover the smell is to use essential oils. Some of my favorites are lemon, orange, or pine. You can also hang fresh herbs in the shower like mint or eucalyptus.
Another way is to use dish soap which segues perfectly into the next most asked question.
Combonation of Vinegar and Dawn?
It is a popular choice to use vinegar paired with a dish soap, like dawn when cleaning. I’ve heard it called the Miracle Shower Cleaner.
Mix equal parts dawn and vinegar. Shake well and place in a spray bottle for easy cleaning. Really shines up best on chrome fixtures.
Can a Mirror Be Cleaned Using Vinegar?
YES!
It is very easy to clean a mirror with vinegar also, and why not since you have already cleaned most of the bathroom at this point.
Use the same spray bottle for cleaning the mirror except the solution calls for 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water. Spray and wipe clean with a paper towel or cloth up and down, not in circles.
Is There Anything That Can’t Be Cleaned With Vinegar?
Yes, believe it or not, there are things that vinegar should never touch.
- An Iron
- Electronic Screens
- Countertops-granite or marble
- Wood furniture
- Flooring
- Any egg related mess
- Knives
Final Thoughts
Vinegar is a great natural way to clean most of the parts of the bathroom: showers, tile, tubs, grout, shower heads and faucets, and shower curtains. If the smell is a bother, it can easily be masked with some essential oils or dish soap.
I was really impressed with the results, and I love I can now clean my bathroom without harsh chemicals in case my children around. Let me know what you think and if you would try this in your home.
Leave a Reply