The Unexpected Black Tea Hack That Makes Dirty Glass Shower Doors Sparkle & Shine

Noticing dirt on the shower door can turn a relaxing morning into a frustrating ordeal. And while there are plenty of ways to get rid of soap scum and stains on your shower door, you may not have had much success with them in the past. In that case, there is one more option to try: Black tea is reportedly great for cleaning and polishing glass without the need for harsh chemicals or lingering, unpleasant smells. 

Black tea is slightly acidic, but less so than vinegar. This makes it effective at cleaning hardwood floors and other surfaces, and it's particularly good at loosening the hard water buildup, smudges of soap, and fingerprints that are left behind on glass shower doors. Meanwhile, the tannins in black tea are excellent at polishing glass, leaving the newly cleaned surface shiny and clear. There are also some benefits to choosing tea over a chemical cleaner, or even another natural alternative like vinegar. Tea won't leave behind a strong smell, for example, and it can safely be mixed with some other common cleaners. It's also worth remembering that you can use lemons to clean your home – and who doesn't love a little lemon in their tea?

To clean your shower doors using tea, start by steeping plain black tea bags in water. You can use hot water to make it steep faster, but, in that case, you'll also need to wait for it to cool down before using it. If you like collecting things for tea people, you may have a fancy kettle you can use, but plain tap water will work just as well. Fresh or used bags are fine, as the tea doesn't need to be super strong to work as a cleaner. Once the tea is made and cooled to room temperature, you can pour it into a bowl or spray bottle. Add any other cleaning additives like lemon juice or vinegar, or introduce some essential oils to give your cleaning mixture a specific smell. You should avoid some of the usual tea ingredients, though. After all, you don't want sugar or milk drying on your shower door!

Next, spray the glass or dip your sponge into the bowl and wipe the shower doors down with the tea mixture. Treat it just like you would any other cleaning solution. Rub gently but firmly, removing all the grime. Then, wipe the surface down with a dry cloth to finish the job. If you don't feel like making a full pot of tea, you can also use the tea bag itself — simply rub the used, damp tea bag over the glass door like it's a bar of soap. Since tea bags are normally smaller than a sponge or rag, this method is probably more efficient for handling smaller areas and spot treatments.