The Surprising $7 Product That Keeps My Shower Doors Spot-Free for Weeks at a Time

published Mar 16, 2023
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Cute bathroom with clean glass shower door
Credit: Photo: Sarah Crowley; Location: Publishing House, Chicago

When moving into my first apartment, there was one thing I was the most excited about: my shower doors (I know it sounds a little silly, but hear me out.) As someone who had lived exclusively with shower curtains for years, I was ready to say goodbye to a life of drafty showers, wet floors, and money spent on shower liners. So when I toured what would become my future home, I nearly jumped for joy as I opened the bathroom door and saw two gorgeous glass doors in lieu of a curtain rod — it’s the little things, right? At first, it was paradise, but I soon discovered a tiny problem: I couldn’t figure out how to keep my doors clean. Sure, each time I cleaned my shower doors they were crystal clear, but a shower or two later and the soap scum (as well as the hard water stains) were back with a vengeance. That’s when I did some digging and found my new secret weapon: Rain X Glass Treatment Spray.

Now for those unfamiliar, Rain X is a treatment spray designed to repel water from . . . car windshields. Yup, you read that right — this bad boy is usually found in the auto care aisle. So how did I, a carless city dweller, come across this product? Well, it was right here at Apartment Therapy! A couple of months ago, I read a piece highlighting “the best cleaning TikTok of 2022,” for I am a simple woman — you put “cleaning” and “TikTok” in the title and I’m going to read it. The video in question highlighted a woman cleaning her shower doors (I was extremely proud to see we used the same combination of Bar Keeper’s Friend and a Scrub Daddy) who topped it off with, you guessed it, a layer of Rain X to prevent those unsightly shower spots. I’ve never ordered something so fast in my life.

After what was now two years of fussing and fighting with my shower doors, all that separated me from a solution was a two-day delivery window. I was eager with anticipation. When the Rain X arrived, I put on my cleaning gloves, popped on my fan (always ventilate when cleaning), and got to work. After giving my shower doors a good clean and squeegee-ing them dry, I spritzed the product onto a dry cloth and began buffing it onto the glass in a firm, circular motion, per the directions. Once applied to both doors, I let it dry and applied a second coat to ensure I didn’t miss any areas, something the brand also recommends. After this, you will notice a slight haze on the glass — don’t panic like I did; simply wipe down the doors one more time with a dry towel and your doors will be crystal clear. I stood there, mouth agape as I tested its power and watched the water bead right off the door. “Where have you been all my life?” I exclaimed to the bottle.

Reader, I’m happy to share that with Rain X in my cleaning kit, I am now able to go four to five weeks between deep shower door cleans, with my doors remaining spot-free the entire time. It is the real deal. Ready to give it a try on your shower doors? Rain X comes in at just under $7, making this one cleaning product you can’t afford to miss out on. Now if you excuse me, I’m off to scour #cleanTok to see what other gems it has in store for me.

Buy: Rain X Glass Treatment Spray, $6.87 (normally $7.49)