best soap scum remover cleaner pink midcentury contemporary tile shower

Best Soap Scum Remover: DIY Solution for a Spotless Shower

/Updated /179 Comments/in , , /by Mary Hunt
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Tired of battling soap scum that just won’t go away? This DIY solution might be the best soap scum remover you’ve been looking for. Made with Blue Dawn and white vinegar, it tackles years of stubborn buildup in showers, sinks, and more. Whether it’s on the walls, doors, or floors, this homemade cleaner will leave your bathroom sparkling.

best soap scum remover cleaner pink midcentury contemporary tile shower

When three messages landed in my inbox on the same day, all asking about how to remove years of soap scum, mildew, and hard water buildup, I knew it was time to take action! These are common problems that plague many of us, and when multiple readers reach out with the same issue, I know thousands more are likely dealing with it too.

How do you remove soap scum from shower walls and floor—and the hard water spots from shower doors? Diane

My shower mat has turned almost black. I have tried to clean it, but unsuccessfully. Can you help me? Ronnie

We recently remodeled our kitchen with stainless appliances. We have treated well water. The very first week we had a large water stain in the water dispenser area that I can’t get off. It looks terrible! Is there any way to remove it? Help! Pat

A Pro’s Secret to Banishing Soap Scum and Mildew for Good

One of the best tips to ever hit my inbox came from a professional property manager. His job? Turning over rental apartments, and lots of them! As soon as a tenant moves out, it’s his responsibility to make sure the place is spotless for the next occupant.

He shared with me that the toughest part of the job is always the bathroom, specifically the tub and shower. While he spared me the gory details, he made it clear—“gross” doesn’t even begin to describe the soap scum, mildew, and grime he encounters.

That’s when he shared his magic potion—the one and only product he swears by to make showers, tubs, tiles, enclosures, faucets, and doors sparkle like new. It’s simple, effective, and best of all, DIY.

I gave his unbelievably easy recipe a try, and here we are, over 25 years later (we’re talking pre-Internet, pre-Pinterest… practically the Stone Age!), and I still haven’t found anything better. This homemade cleaner works wonders on tubs, showers, sinks, toilets, patio furniture—you name it! If it stands still long enough to be sprayed and rinsed, this will do the trick. Just remember—it must be rinsed off!

What You’ll Need for the Best Soap Scum Cleaner

best soap scum remover ingredients blue dawn vinegar water bottle

Ready to make years of soap scum, mildew, and hard water stains disappear? You only need three simple ingredients:

  • An empty spray bottle
  • Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid
  • White vinegar

That’s it! No fancy, hard-to-pronounce chemicals—just these pantry staples that pack a powerful punch.

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Dawn Dish Soap Ultra Dishwashing Liquid, Dish Soap Refill, Dish Detergent Liquid, Original Scent, 56 Fl Oz (Pack of 2)
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Heinz All Natural Distilled White Vinegar 5% Acidity, 32 fl oz Bottle
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How to Make Your DIY Soap Scum Remover

soap scum cleaner diy remover vinegar blue dawn solution in water bottle

Mixing up your own soap scum cleaner is as easy as 1-2-3. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Pour one cup of Blue Dawn into a 32-ounce spray bottle (or 1/2 cup if using a 16-ounce bottle).
  2. Fill the rest of the bottle with white vinegar. For any bottle size, just use one part Dawn to three parts vinegar.
  3. Pop on the sprayer top and give it a gentle shake to combine.

That’s all there is to it! Now you’ve got a powerful, homemade soap scum remover that’s ready to tackle even the toughest grime.

How to Use Your Homemade Soap Scum Cleaner

Spray generously on the areas you want to clean—whether it’s shower walls, tub floors, doors, or faucets. Let it sit for 30 minutes to overnight, depending on how bad the buildup is. This gives the cleaner time to break down the gunk, making it soft and gooey. Then, simply rinse it away.

For tougher spots, especially if this is your first time cleaning with it, use a sponge or brush to scrub the surface gently before rinsing. You’ll be amazed at the results!

Treating Mildew with This DIY Cleaner

While this cleaner does a fantastic job on most mildew, if you’re dealing with a lot of black mold or mildew growth, you’ll want to pretreat with full-strength liquid chlorine bleach. Let the bleach work its magic before you move on to the Dawn and vinegar cleaner.

How to Maintain a Sparkling Clean Shower—No Scrubbing Required

Here’s the best part: use this cleaner once a week, and you’ll never need to scrub again! During your weekly shower, spray down the walls, doors, tracks, faucets—everything. Before stepping out, rinse it all off using your handheld sprayer. No need to grab a towel or squeegee—just rinse, and it’ll dry sparkling clean, completely watermark-free.

This DIY soap scum cleaner also works wonders in other areas of your home! I’ve used it to remove water stains from my refrigerator’s in-door water dispenser and clean up my sinks and faucets, too.

Important Safety Tips for Using Your DIY Soap Scum Cleaner

Before you start spraying away, let’s cover a few essential safety tips to keep your cleaning routine both effective and safe.

Caution #1: Never Mix Bleach and Vinegar—It’s Dangerous!

Never, ever mix chlorine bleach with other products—especially vinegar. When combined, these can create dangerous chlorine gas, which is toxic. But don’t worry! Just be sure to thoroughly rinse away any bleach before using this homemade cleaner, and you’ll be good to go.

Caution #2: Use a Non-Slip Mat to Avoid Accidents

Always use a non-slip rubber mat in the shower or tub before you start cleaning. In-shower maintenance is super convenient, but you don’t want to risk slipping while spraying down those walls!

Caution #3: Don’t Use Vinegar on Granite—It Can Cause Damage

Avoid using this cleaner on granite shower walls or countertops. The vinegar can break down the sealant that keeps granite looking beautiful. Granite needs to be re-sealed annually to stay in top shape, so don’t forget! If you’re cleaning granite, you can swap out the vinegar for rubbing alcohol, but be prepared—while it’ll still clean, the results won’t be quite as magical.

Share Your Experience!

I can’t wait for you to try this easy, powerful cleaner. Be sure to send me your feedback—and if you can, snap some before and after pictures! You won’t believe the difference.

best soap scum remover cleaner pink midcentury contemporary tile shower
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4 from 3 votes

DIY Tub and Shower Soap Scum Remover

I have never found a commercial tub and shower cleaner that comes close to this homemade product. This DIY Tub and Shower Soap Scum Remover is like magic and I'm not the only one who thinks so. I've had thousands of responses over the years from my readers who were as astonished as I was the first time they used it.
Prep Time2 minutes
Total Time2 minutes
Category: DIY Household Cleaners
Yield: 32 ounces

Materials

  • 1 cup Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid
  • 3 cups white vinegar

Instructions

To Mix:

  • Pour 1 cup of Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid into the spray bottle. If using a 16-ounce bottle, use 1/2 cup of Blue Dawn.
  • Fill the rest of the spray bottle with white vinegar, leaving some space at the top to prevent overflow.
  • Attach the sprayer top and gently shake the bottle to mix the ingredients.

To Use:

  • Spray the solution liberally on the areas to be cleaned—shower and tub walls, floors, doors, and faucets.
  • Allow the cleaner to sit for 30 minutes to overnight, depending on the severity of the soap scum and mildew.
  • Rinse thoroughly with water. For tough spots, use a sponge or brush to scrub before rinsing.

Notes

Maintenance: For weekly upkeep, spray the cleaner on surfaces while in the shower, then rinse off. No scrubbing needed!
Note:
  • Do not use on natural stone, marble or granite, which are porous materials treated with a sealant. Vinegar is acetic and will damage that sealant, dulling the surface over time.
Safety Tips:
  • Never mix chlorine bleach with vinegar to avoid toxic gas. Rinse away bleach completely before using this cleaner.
  • Use a non-slip rubber mat in the shower or tub to prevent slips.

 

Question: What’s the toughest cleaning challenge you face in the bathroom? I’d love to hear your tips—or frustrations! How do you handle stubborn soap scum or that pesky mildew?

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179 replies
  1. Wayne says:

    Didn’t work for me. I left it on a good hour then scrubbed and scrubbed the floor of the shower for 20+ minutes. I rinsed off and all the soap scum streaks and splotches remain as if untouched. Like all the other “tips” I’ve tried this probably works OK for light scum but if it has hardened on the surface this is a useless waste of time.

    Reply
  2. Deb R. says:

    5 stars
    I’ve used this in the past with great success but had to stop because the smell annoyed my husband. After he passed in September, I used it again. Oddly, only some of the scum came off. I have a lovely shiny, squeaky-clean, scum-free area of my shower stall, but the rest of the stall is a different story. I’ve repeatedly applied the mixture several times a week for several weeks, the scum just isn’t budging. I’ve also tried Magic Eraser, fruitless endeavor. Can you suggest anything else?

    Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      So sorry for your loss, Deb. As for your shower, it’s difficult to say as I don’t know the content of the floor/walls. It’s possible that the surface has become damaged in some way. If it’s natural stone (travertine, granite) vinegar can do that. For some reason the surface has been penetrated.

      Reply
  3. Ruskin says:

    I just used this. It did help a really disgusting situation but one observation. I had wayyyy too many suds from the Dawn and had to wipe to get the residue soap off many times. I’m guessing today’s Dawn is much more concentrated than when you first published your mixture proportions.

    Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      You are right, there are a variety of Dawn “concentrations”, i.e. 4x, 5x. It takes a bit of experimentation! Just keep in mind that it’s the heavy concentration of “surfactants” in Blue Dawn. That’s what sets it apart for any other similar dishwashing liquid. Even the other colors of Dawn do not have the same amount or type of heavy duty surfactants as their blue cousin. With any concentration you will end up with a lot of suds. That’s why you probably don’t want (or need) to do this treatment more than a couple of times of year, if that, with good maintenance.

      Reply
      • Andrea says:

        4 stars
        Tried it for the first time today and it worked great! However, I agree with the poster above about the suds. It was too soapy! I will dilute it before I use it again. Mary, I see you suggested using this treatment just twice a year…. any harm in doing it weekly?

  4. Micki Miller says:

    I have noticed that the vinegar does leave a smell when using this combination. I am doubtful about using it while I’m in the shower? I have had Great success using this. Thanks

    Reply
  5. Terry Medina says:

    Oh Mary…you have made me a happier woman. Typically, I would scrub about 50% of the tub/walls while I showered. Only 50% because my back cannot tolerate the stress and subsequent pain. I intend to employ this recipe immediately after the next Dog bath (not much point in doing it twice).

    Dawn is a magical product. Cheap, and by far, my all time favorite for dog baths – kills fleas on contact and leaves fur in wonderful condition.

    Thank you

    Reply
  6. Forrest says:

    Mary, is there something we can do to mitigate the scent of the vinegar. It lingers — it’s not terrible but not pleasant LOL Thank you.

    Reply
  8. Jeanne says:

    I did a test in the corner of floor of stall shower that having hard water issues. It cleared up a lot of the issues, but will need another treatment or two I think. Still was much easier than the usual product. It performed miracles in the sinks though.

    Reply
  9. Kim says:

    OK, I don’t believe that “hard water” stains are the same as rust marks. Any idea on removing the rust stains in toilet & fiberglass shower?

    Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      Rust stains in toilets tubs and shower are the result of high levels of iron in the water, a condition referred to as “hard water.” Click on the small orange search icon at the top right of every page here and type in “rust.” You’ll find all I’ve written about how to remove hard water/rust stains. Be sure to read the comments following every article, as EC readers’ collective knowledge on just about every subject is impressive.

      Reply
  11. Lindsey says:

    I used to work at Home Depot and one of my daily customers installed glass windows and doors. He came in one day buying a bunch of chemicals to clean with and I wrote this “recipe” down on a post it note. Honestly didn’t expect him to use it but then 3 days later he came in and said “Can I give you a hug please? That post it note you gave me is a miracle; I can’t believe I’ve been doing this for so many years never knowing about this!” Made my day 🙂 Whenever possible I heat my vinegar up before pouring into the bottle. Major difference!!

    Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      Oh, this story just made my day. Thanks for sharing that with us, Lindsey. Heating the vinegar really does give it a boost! Thanks for the reminder.

      Reply
  12. Victoire says:

    Hi! I made this today; does the left over spray keep on the shelf just fine? I noticed after it sat on the counter the color changed.

    Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      Only blue Dawn. The “other color” versions of Dawn are Dawn in name only. They do not contain the powerful degreasers and surfactants as Blue Dawn and Blue Dawn Ultra Platinum. Keep it BLUE!

      Reply
  15. Tapiwa says:

    Hi Mary, I am in Zimbabwe with no access to Dawn. What else can I use to replace the Dawn? Will Sunlight dishwasher work?

    Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      Hi Tapiwa … Check the last paragraphs of this post for brand names for Dawn sold outside of North America. If you cannot find those either in Zimbabwe, I sure go ahead and give Sunlight a shot, provided it is liquid for washing up dishes. Let us know how that goes!

      Reply
  16. Tracey Taylor-Petsivas says:

    Hello Mary
    As vinegar is not the most pleasant smell in the world ! and leaving this mixture overnight makes the whole house smell of vinegar, can the vinegar be replaced with lemon juice, since both are acidic?

    Reply
  17. Wendy T says:

    What, exactly, is cleaning vinegar. The acidity IS 6% rather than 5% (regular white vinegar), the one percentage point is significant, etc…. But the prices for (what appears to be) same product vary enormously. I’m ready to purchase, so eager to know which brand is best. What about Calyptus 45% acidity???? Thanks.

    Reply
  18. Lynn says:

    Well tried it , left it on an hour and I didn’t see it melting away. I even used a scrubber on it, a lot of labor and not much to see from it

    Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      One hour is not long enough. I suggest you try again, making sure you have applied a heavy coat of the mixutre, then leave it overnight. Good luck!

      Reply
  19. Joan says:

    Dear Mary,
    We recently moved into a new home and the soap scum in the master bath shower was disgusting. I mixed up a batch of your Dawn/Vinegar soap scum remover and it DID work like magic! Thank you so much for all of your wonderful tips and recipes.
    **Just a crazy note—I could never stand the smell of Blue Dawn. I thought it was horrible, so I never made any of your cleaners that used Dawn. In March I got Covid and ever since then I LOVE the smell of Blue Dawn. Crazy!

    Reply
  21. B N says:

    Just curious, how quickly must this be used once mixed to stay effective? I see you use it weekly, do you keep it premixed and use until out, or make new batch weekly? Thanks in advance.

    Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      It’s good indefinitely … however as it sits between uses you’ll see that it separates slightly. Just give it a good shake and you’ll be good to go.

      Reply
  25. Laurin says:

    I have used this cleaning “potion” for years now. My only issue was that I am allergic to vinegars. I dilute my solution by adding 2 parts ACV (apple cider vinegar) to only 1 part white vinegar, then water to top it off. I still have to wear my elbow-hi cleaning gloves, but I don’t have any of my other usual symptoms (shortness of breath, chills, hives, skin burns (chemical reaction) and tightened bronchial tubes).
    I also use “Goo Gone” to get the really hard, stubborn stuff off and “Rain-X” on glass. The next time you clean, it’ll come off easier, too.

    Reply
  26. Rickie says:

    3 stars
    hi!,I like your writing so much! share we communicate more approximately your post on AOL?
    I require a specialist in this house to resolve my
    problem. Maybe that’s you! Looking forward to look you.

    Reply
  27. Ginny Wyman says:

    I have used this exact recipe ever since Mary first published it, and it is just as good as she says. I have not bought anything to clean since then. I use it on my stove top also. I rinse it off with a wet cloth till it’s removed–on my stovetop.

    Reply
  28. Aimee says:

    Does it work on the tough stains left in a toilet bowl? I’ve had quite a problem with mine and I’ve used pumice stone which I think made it worse and every time I clean it never seems to come off.

    Reply
  29. Erik says:

    Thanks for the article. In looking to get white vinegar on amazon, I came to find there are all ranges of vinegar strength. From 5% to 30%. Any suggestions here?

    Reply
  30. Kristina m KInard says:

    This dawn solution did not work on the shower glass.
    Scrubbing Bubbles don’t work.
    Vinegar and baking soda doesn’t work.

    Reply
  31. Alberta says:

    I have white tiles with a white porcelain tub, glass doors too! I am ashamed to say, I did not notice how bad it was until my husband pointed it out. Internet searches led me to your site last night. I saw the vinegar, Dawn mixture, had it on hand mixed it up, sprayed it and left it on overnight. Today, I rinsed with the intention of scrubbing the tiles and tub but no scrubbing needed. WOW! It worked, thank you.
    I made a new solution and will use it weekly going forward.

    Reply
  34. Nicki-Brent Woodard says:

    I’m needing to mix up another bottle and couldn’t remember the exact amounts. This e-mail came just at the right time. We don’t use this every day, but when we do, my husband and I will spray the tub down after bathing and the next day it rinses out when we shower, or if he is taking a bath he rinses the tub before filling it. The vinegar smell is a little strong, but you get use to it and it is a great cleaner.

    We also invested in the Shark vacuum you recommend. We bought ours about 2 years ago, and last year when our church needed an upgrade, we bought the same one. The only drawback is it could have a longer cord in the church since we have to vacuum between the pews. We can lift it up and vacuum directly on the padded pews. Cleans beautifully.

    Reply
  35. Ruth Cox says:

    just used this on top of refrigerator and the microwave (you know that greasy grime that accumulates?) It worked amazing. Other cleaning products left a residue that was just as sticky as the grime. I am soooo in love !

    Reply
  36. April MacLean says:

    Oh my gosh– what just happened! I read all this with a little eyeroll “ya, they haven’t seen my tub”. We’ve bleached it, magic erasered it…the whole nine yards…nothing. This was so miraculous that at the first swipe I just stared in shock for a minute thinking I must have just hallucinated. Sir, you are a national treasure.

    Reply
  37. Lia Minelli says:

    I have a walk-in shower with pretty black tiles and black grout on the floor, a contrast to the white/gray tiled walls of the shower. With my hard water and probably soap scum, big blotches of light gray started forming on the black grout. I have tried every cleaning product including vinegar, ammonia, soap & water but can’t get the black grout to stay black! Your solution worked beautifully and the grout is black again, completely removed the residue and was super easy, thank you!!

    Reply
  39. Jennie says:

    i have dawn and vinegar made up in a bottle under the sink. I fill the $1 dish scrubber with it , it hangs in my shower. I scrub the shower and me in quick bath time routine!

    Reply
  40. Scott Lyons says:

    Ok, I’m talking about soap scum thick enough to make “curls” if you scratch it with your finger nail.

    Also, the bottom of my “white” shower pan has this greyish dirtyness that won’t come off with any product or amount of scrubbing.

    Will this dawn/vinegar solution work on these things? Thanks!

    Reply
      • Scott Lyons says:

        Because I wasn’t sure I had any dawn and would have gone and bought it. But I did have it and tried it.

        I wouldn’t say it’s the miracle that everyone else does. But it does work. Noticeably cleaner, but after three applications and lots of scrubbing, there is still dirt and scum.

      • Michelle Lemelle DeView says:

        You need to leave it on for a while for the real stubborn spots, but it does work. The beauty of this is once you finally get all the nasty scum off, once a week spray it all down leave for 20 minutes and rinse. You will seriously never have to scrub a shower door again!

      • Scott Lyons says:

        Well, this was a year ago. I tried this a couple times as I mentioned below, but it doesn’t really get it all. It gets it a bit cleaner, but not the magic I was hoping for.

      • Paul from Noo Zilund says:

        So I’m from New Zealand… we don’t have Blue Dawn. At all.

        So really is any detergent/dishwashing liquid fine for this process?

  42. G.Bobak says:

    I’ve got to agree. The formula is excellent. After trying to find something that cuts through the quick build up of soap scum on our new glass show doors and tile inside our shower and bathtub, without worrying about my lungs being destroyed by chemical fumes, this certainly does the trick. The Vinegar fumes are occasionally a little strong, but I’ve learned to hold my breathe a bit longer. Still no worries about the chemicals. My Arms, lungs, and family thank you!!!

    Reply
  43. Todd Bryant says:

    This was a bad idea. It may work well to remove hard water deposits, but on my black sink and black counter top it left a white soap scum that was nearly impossible to remove.

    Reply
  45. Donna Bosink says:

    I would love to use this, but my sister has physical/balance issues and is afraid of falling in the stall shower. I am afraid that the Dawn will make the floors too slippery for her.

    Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      You would definitely want to completely rinse the shower very well before her use. As with any cleaner we should always exercise caution, especially when living with someone who is disabled or other wise physically challenged! I see no reason why your sis’ particular challenge should preclude you using this cleaning method, assuming you exercise good common sense and reasonable caution.

      Reply
    • Rebecca says:

      I rinsed my full sized shower/ tub enclosure for a total of 5 minutes and it was not slippery. Are you worried about her doing it herself or it being unsafe after it is finished being cleaned? I had no slippery residue (I refuse to use shower mats)

      Reply
  47. Lesa Marie says:

    I cannot explain how amazed I am that this worked! Our tub was in such bad shape. I spent 45 minutes with straight bleach and only had one small spot scrubbed clean. After two rounds of spray (and a little scrubbing) it is cleaner than when we bought our house 8 years ago! We also have a window in our shower that had terrible black mildew-almost 100% gone after one spray. My advise though- LET IT SIT AWHILE! It’s tempting to want to rinse and see, but the second time I sprayed I waited longer and I got better results.

    Reply
  48. Tandy Harvey says:

    OMG This stuff is fantastic. I have bought and tried everything. My husband kept saying please don’t use anything else just use the soft scrub in the cabinet. I told him we need to try it. We were both amazed. 2 ingredients could do such a great job. We are now buying a bigger spray bottle to put our new found dream clean product in.

    Reply
  49. Chrysti O says:

    I use this on my son’s baseball pants. Gets the red clay out as well as grass stains. I cant wait to try it on the shower. Losing my mind trying to get the soap scum off.

    Reply
  50. Lynn Bradley Clogston says:

    Didn’t have any vinegar on hand but had some dollar store lemon juice that I had been using on rust stains (with salt) so I mixed it with the blue Dawn. Worked very well, even if the acid content might have been a little different. I imagine it wouldn’t keep as long, but might be a good alternative for those who can’t tolerate the smell of vinegar.

    Reply
  51. Angelique Denner says:

    hi im from Cape Town South Africa. We unfortunately dont have Dawn. Everyone or should i say most South Africans use Sunlight Dishwasher. Im going to try using it with the vinegar and see if it works in my bathroom. i will let u know if it works. ive been trying for months to get hard water marks off my shower doors.

    Reply
  52. Meg H says:

    This stuff works really well. For five years, soap scum has been building up in my tub. Comet, bleach, scrubbing bubbles, nothing has cleaned it until now. I honestly thought it was impossible to get off. Two applications of this stuff and 90% off the brown scum is gone. My son’s exact word’s “wow! This tub is squeaky clean! “

    Reply
  53. PattyG says:

    I found Dawn 3X and original Dawn at my store. Which Dawn does your recipe call for? Also, I used your recipe (with the 3X Dawn) on the 13-years-ground-in dirt in my shower, and it worked wonderfully!

    Reply
  54. ArtW says:

    Will this work on UNGLAZED porcelain tile without damaging it, especially the floor and walls of my walk-in shower enclosure??

    Reply
  55. Karinna Sanchez says:

    I did exactly as you suggested and it worked beautifully. My bathroom shower never looked better. I will only use this going forward. Thanks again!

    Reply
  56. Sandee Conn says:

    This sounds great! I can’t wait to try it. I have a cleaning business and the vinegar smell may to too strong for my clients liking….Can I add essential oils to help with the vinegar smell, or will they ruin the effects?

    Reply
  57. Bob says:

    Hi – All I could find was Dawn 3 in blue – states it has 3x the grease cutting power…should I be using a different ratio of this with the vinegar? Could you guys chime in on how well it works with bathtub mildew? How about shower tile grout mildew? Thanks!

    Reply
  58. GiftofGalway2015 says:

    This also works as an excellent way to kill houseflies. Just be careful where you spray it. If it happens to be the windows, when you wash it off, you get the sparkly clean results described above. Dilute it in water, wash your dog with it, let it sit a few minutes, rinse it off and the fleas go with it, plus you have a lovely shiny clean dog. Is there anything blue Dawn can’t do?

    Reply
  59. Jefferson says:

    Dawn contains Methylisothiazolinone. This is a potentially dangerous chemical, and certainly if it is inhaled. When you spray this, unlike using it as it was designed, it atomizes. You will then breathe it in. If you spray this, especially in the confined space of a tub or shower stall, I recommend you use a respirator.

    Reply
  60. Karen Cutler says:

    I don’t have the strength in my hands to use a spray bottle for the whole shower, so I mixed a big batch in a garden sprayer, pumped it up, and was able to clean two tub/shower combinations in no time. It’s a miracle!

    Reply
  62. Guest says:

    I’m allergic to Dawn and my husband,doesn’t care that our white shower looks like an abstract painting. Is there something else I can use?

    Reply
      • talula says:

        I used Persil laundry detergent because I was out of Dawn and it worked just fine. Dawn is wayyyy cheaper though!

    • Mary Hunt says:

      Citric acid kills bacteria, mold, and mildew, it’s great for general disinfecting and cleaning. It’s also effective at removing soap scum, hard water stains, calcium deposits, lime, and rust. It’s not that readily available and comes with lots of warnings, but it would work on it’s own, dissolved first in waater.

      Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      Try it … just know that the original blue Dawn has a proprietary formulation that P&G keeps secret. I don’t know why, but it’s different in a very special way 🙂

      Reply
      • Mary Hunt says:

        I’ll give that a guarded yes … with the stipulation that you test it in an inconspicuous place. I’m not certain what “vinyl” walls you’re talking about. So test, assess and if all is well, then go for it! And let us know.

  65. SteveH says:

    Kudos the the gentleman that came up with this concoction, and to you for publishing it. This stuff is nothing short of amazing. It might take a second application for particularly stubborn spots. I used this for the first time today. I sprayed down the tub at lunch time, and let it sit until early evening. Stuff that I would normally have to scrub till my arms hurt using the commercial cleaner and a brush took a minor brushing and came right up. What I like the best is that you don’t need to wear a gas mask or scuba gear while using it. Even my wife’s sensitive nose wasn’t offended in the least by it. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Jen says:

      LOL… Thank you for this comment. I thought I was the only one who needed a gas mask or scuba gear while cleaning. I hope this product works, because my tub gets seriously neglected and it is gross and embarrassing but I get bronchitis when I clean and am sick with it for MONTHS!

      Reply
  66. Marilyn B says:

    So Jules (below in thread) asked what do you use on granite. My shower has 2 large glass sides and 2 tiled walls. BUT I have a granite floor in the shower stall. My shower has had 25 years of hard well water. I can see using your formula on the vertical walls but HELP …. My floor of granite is not to have vinegar on it. (I’ll lay towels down)
    Suggestions???

    Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      This cannot damage the granite itself … but if you are careful to keep it well sealed with granite sealer (once a year is recommended) the vinegar will eat away at the SEALANT. If you don’t care about that, go ahead and use this on granite It will make it dull and even show a kind of haze like unpolished granite!

      Reply
  68. Sage0925 says:

    Well, just made my first application. The shower wasn’t too bad to start with (spent the day scrubbing it, which is why I’m now on this website), but I have one stubborn corner in the downstairs shower. I hope this stuff is as advertised, because both of my bathrooms are tile, and I don’t fancy having to spend an entire day in each scrubbing it down.

    I don’t ever take anybody’s word for anything on the internet. but I researched other sites and their comments, and seems this is the way to go.

    30 mins later, well, I’ll give you that it’s good with soap scum. Easy removal. Removed some of the hard water stains, but not most, so I’m giving it another go. In defense of this product, though, I will say that I don’t know how long that stuff has been there (just bought the house last September, and I don’t use that shower, and my husband just doesn’t pay attention to that sort of thing), nor how badly the previous owner may have scratched up the tile in attempt to clean it. Does a bang up job on soap scum though, very easy to remove.

    Reply
  70. Adam Sant says:

    Duuuuude! Thank you! 10 years of soap scum gone!!! We had tried so many products and I found this recipe, we had the ingredients on hand and whipped some up. We doused our (fiberglass insert) shower with it, waited only 30 minutes and all the soap scum that had been so stubborn for years was all jellied-up and gooey and with a bit of gentle scrubbing, it came right off! Like the couple below, we spent the rest of the day marveling at our re-born shower. And all the shower fixtures are free of hard water stains and look re-born as well! Again…thanks so very much for posting the recipe and how to use it!

    Reply
  72. WW says:

    I followed your directions and it left a white glaze, looked like soap scum. It was worse than when I initially started and it was very difficult to remove. I tried to scrub it off and I tried to scrape it off with no luck. I ended up going back over the tiles in the shower with another shower cleaner, scrubbing bubbles and it helped. Any feedback on what would have caused this?

    Reply
  75. Joy says:

    We just used this recipe and it was amazing! My husband and I kept walking back into the bathroom all day to admire the long lost white in our tub. He earned years of recognition for finding your post and giving me a “like-new” bathroom. Good for our marriage. 🙂

    Reply
    • Tracy says:

      I did some checking and found in Europe and Australia, Fairy and Texol brands are the closest. I don’t know if you have those but Dawn is formulated to cut grease and fats from dishes using just a drop or two then people found out it could do tons of other things. I have no connection to the company but do like the brand.

      Reply
    • Saty14 says:

      Dawn is liquid dishwashing soap — the kind you use when you wash dishes by hand. Dawn seems to be a tiny bit stronger than other brands here in terms of cutting grease, but it does dry out your hands more than other brands too.

      Reply
  77. Melissa melech says:

    I cant use dawn due to an allergic reaction. Its too harsh on my skin. I have used vinegar to get body oil out of bed sheets. I spary the bad spots with half water half vinegar let sit for a few hours. Then into the wash with more vinegar my normal soap and a little dish soap. I let it soak on the longest hottest setting. Then i wash normal.

    So its no shock that these two works great on bathroom. It cuts through so much. I love vinegar i use it for so many things even fabric softener.

    Reply
    • Danny Smith says:

      You can use baking soda and vinegar and it works perfectly! Just finished using it in my tub and I am blown away at how clean it is. Feels brand new! Pour some baking soda in a bowl. Slowly add vinegar to it to make a paste. It will foam up like a volcano so pour slowly and let the fizz slow down before adding more. Rub this into the soap scum and let it do its thing for 15 minutes then scrub with a soft brush. Rinse and watch it disappear!

      Reply
  80. Chippy says:

    I have used all the name brand cleaners, nothing has worked. Even the ones that burn your skin don’t work on my soap scum. I had given up hope – even thinking of buying a new tube! I found this and decided to try. WOW, two treatments and it’s like a new tube. Thank you.

    Reply
  81. AeshA says:

    Great stuff want to try asap. Just one question. Can I use seventh generation or Castile soap instead of dawn? Just wanted to be lil natural due to my lil one. Thanks in advance.

    Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      Nothing else works as well as Dawn. I wouldn’t waste my time and money on anything other than blue Dawn unless you live in a country where blue Dawn is not available. Procter & Gamble owns the formula and it is carefully held secret. So my best advice is don’t try to improve on perfection. Use blue Dawn.

      Reply
  82. Annette Krznarich says:

    Thank you! I tried today on our shower which was sooooo bad, I wish I would have taken a before pic. sprayed down and let sit a few hours. Worked great! I no longer fear the shower!

    Reply
  83. Juan R says:

    Thank you very much for this information. The soap scum on the bath tub floor melted like jelly and was super easy to clean. No more “elbowgrease” needed.

    Reply
  84. Chewbacca2000 says:

    Also, used on glass surfaces and a lot of mirrors. Used newspaper instead of papertowel. Looks like a professional cleaned. Tooth paste, hairspray, god knows what else is gone. Zip, zero nada.

    Reply
  85. Chewbacca2000 says:

    Let it sit for 10.mins on some old soap in the shower scum. I’m not going to lie, my shower looks new. 10 minutes. Perfect portion for me seems to be 1 part soap to 4 or 5 parts vinegar. I used the concentrated dawn, shook it up then squeezed out the bubbles. In flippin’ credible. I’m doing the other 2 bathrooms in the house now. Works on shower curtain, sinks, tubs, you name it I have a house of 4 females and me. Beauty products, moisturizers, hair spray you name it. This is a miracle In a bottle. Don’t recommend buying the @$ndex brand of vinegar cleaner as it doesn’t hold a candle to this concoction. There is a smell, no doubt, but it dissipates soon after rinsed away. Bravo!

    Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      Yes vinegar has a strong smell … but it is not harmful. So happy your a new fan of this magical formula. Maybe you should start a cleaning business. Haha. Just an idea.

      Reply
  86. Jodie Cohen says:

    GREAT!! took the ring right out of the bathtub, and the haze off of the wall tiles. I let it site about an hour. A little light help from a scotch brite sponge (really no muscle needed)
    Thank you!

    Reply
  87. Donna says:

    I have a stall shower with black tiles. The hard water stains and soap scum are a major chore to remove. It takes days to clean it. I tried the vinegar and dawn, scrubbed a little with a scouring pad, and the stains came off! I am amazed! Thank you so much! As an added tip, I keep a spray bottle of vinegar and water underneath the sink in my bathroom to clean the mirror, faucet and vanity. It’s cheaper than buying what’s out there and works great.

    Reply
  88. Nick the plumber says:

    As a plumber for 23 years I ve heard many tales buuuuuut using auto PASTE wax on every thing after its clean prolongs maintenance to infinity and beyond, not really, but a long time. Shower glass , faucets, ss sinks especially oil rub bronze because it’s a LIVING finish it wears off quickly leaving a BRONZE finish

    Reply
  89. Elle says:

    I have glass windows in the shower. After A LOT of hard work, using different products, they now “feel” clean, but still have the white spots. Will this take care of that?

    Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      Those are hard water marks and if they didn’t come off with this formula, you have a more serious problem—minerals in the water over a long time can actually etch the glass. But don’t give up yet: Get a can of fume-free cold Easy Off Oven Cleaner. Spray that on the glass and let it stand overnight. If that doesn’t do it … check the last letter in this post: http://wp.me/p2Emiq-3Dh

      Reply
  90. Lolliemouse says:

    I have been using this combo for EVERYTHING ever since I read this article. My elderly kitty had bowel accidents on a friend’s rug where we were staying and THIS. DID. THE. TRICK – it was magic! Now I am in an apartment where the well water runs high in magnesium. High magnesium = blue bath tub! The landlord suggested “Lime Away” but hey, I already had my handy bottle of Dawn/Vinegar mix and I cleaned every bit of blue away effortlessly. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us!

    Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      Yes! Cleaning Vinegar (you can get it at Home Depot etc. pretty cheap) is 30% acidity whereas White Vinegar in the grocery story for cooking is 5% acifidty. That means cleaning vinegar will make this magic product much more powerful. I’m talking super miracle! Just make sure you don’t try to make vinegarette with 30%. It won’t be harmful but it will be way toooooo strong. Crazy strong.

      Reply
  92. Celine Seguin says:

    Hello Mary,
    I tried this mixture in my shower which is made of 2 big glass panels and it really didn’t do a good job! I have soap marks residue from this mixture which I didn’t have before. My shower needed just regular maintenance since it’s a new house I built in 2012. Now I don’t know what to do to remove the soap marks. I tried with a gentle scrub sponge, water, windex… nothing works. I’m thinking of scrubbing bubble, but it’s really agressive, and I don’t know if I will make things worst. Help!

    Reply
  93. Jane Berry says:

    amazing! I just cleaned my 40+ year old white tile in my shower with this and they look fabulous. thank you so much!!

    Reply
  94. Michelle Clark says:

    This mixture was way too soapy. It took forever for me to rinse it out of the tub. Next time I will use a lot less Dawn.

    Reply
    • Judy says:

      Michelle if when you rinse use warm water then getting the last of the suds out, use cold water to do the final down the drain…that will get rid of any suds…you really ought to stick with the recipe that’s what makes it great…just saying

      Reply
  95. NF says:

    This works great on vinyl siding, also, as long as u don’t have a heavy buildup of algae/mildew.I’ve been told by several contractors not to heavily pressure wash vinyl siding as it could lift/damage it. We use a hose end sprayer or apply it with a hand held pump sprayer, let it sit a few minutes and rinse gently with clear water. U may have to scrub some areas before rinsing. Works great with no real damage to plants, pets and humans. Does not work well to remove lichens but does halt their growth somewhat. Dirt cheap to make, too. I always have vinegar and dawn somewhere around the house.

    Reply
    • Stephanie says:

      I love this recipe and have used it for years. If shower/tub, needs alot of cleaning- I use this recipe and will spray, leave 15 mins, spray with hot water. Repeat and then lightly scrub/wipe with a bath scrubber and it comes up easily. My friend said, she thought it worked great to, but couldn’t stand the smell. Since it takes care of soap scum, I don’t mind the smell at all – but vinegar has never really bothered me. Note that when it dries, the smell goes away and you get a clean, not chemically or ‘perfumey’ smell. It’s a great cleaner!

      Reply
    • Barbara J Pire says:

      When I used to do commercial window cleaning years ago, we were located in NJ by the ocean and bay that would leave water marks on the windows. We used Easy Off Oven Cleaner that would take away the marks.

      Reply
      • LalaC says:

        I was thinking about trying this several months ago. Does this work on old water spots on shower glass?

    • Catherine Sykes says:

      If you want a streak free, spot free crystal clear glass, do this. I use this to wash windows but it would work on the inside of a shower door. Get one of the those pump sprayers a lot of people use to spray week killer. Fill it with water cold or warm. Put a drop of the glass rinse you use in dishwashers. Once you have cleaned the glass, I usually use soapy water with a soft brush. Spray it off with this mixture in the sprayer. No need to wipe dry. Let it dry on it’s own. You won’t see one mark! It will be crystal clear and takes half the time of wiping dry.

      Reply
  97. Greta says:

    Mary, this is great stuff, but don’t forget to use Nok-out on the mold/mildew — it is MUCH nicer than chlorine bleach….ugh.

    Reply
  98. disqus_5H7xNwNl8Y says:

    I just want to say that the first time I heard about this I was simply told “dish detergent” not specifically Dawn, and it still works great (which is a good thing because I live outside the USA and can’t buy Dawn).

    Reply
  99. ABC says:

    I’ve been using this for a couple of years, but I’ve been mixing it 50/50 because that was what the “recipe” was wherever I saw it (thought it was here). I’ve always thought it was a little too thick…and it doesn’t “melt” the soap scum away, I always have to give a little more than a “gentle” scrub. Maybe too much Dawn and not enough vinegar?

    Reply
      • Carolin meadors says:

        I was told the vinegar dissolved the grout. Want to make sure it can be used on tile in my shower. It was great in my fiberglass shower though. I dreaded cleaning that shower as it never ever got that clean. Now spotless. Thanx and let me know about grout. Carolin

  101. Gena says:

    Yes! It works on fiberglss! I read about this wonder cleaner here on EC and it is all I use! Also, if you have very hard to clean area, heat vinegar first (be careful putting into plastic spray bottle… Don’t overheat!) it will literally melt the stuff away!!! I keep a bottle of the original blue dawn. Cheaper and it works great!

    Reply
  103. Qu says:

    After cleaning, I have used Gel Gloss to coat the shower. You CAN’T use it on the BOTTOM because it’s SLICK though. It helps keep the surfaces clean because ‘stuff’ doesn’t stick to it. Good on mirrors too, esp. in a bathroom. Lasts several months, takes about 15 minutes to apply, dry and wipe off to a sheen.

    Reply

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