How to Make No-Rinse Daily Shower Cleaner—Cheaper Better Faster
The only thing better than making my own cleaning products is when what I make turns out to be cheaper, better, and faster than something I might buy in the store to accomplish the same goal. Today’s spray-and-walk-away No-Rinse Daily Shower Cleaner is the perfect solution to keep tubs and showers sparkling between major cleanings.
Background
More than 25 years ago, I learned how to make a powerful Tub and Shower Soap Scum Cleaner that tackles soap scum and beats any commercial product I have ever tested. It rocked my world and it’s done the same for thousands of readers I’ve shared it with through the years (I have included it at the end of this post).
But we needed to find a way to keep our tubs and showers looking that beautiful every day, without a lot of effort. While homemade Tub and Shower Soap Scum Cleaner works really well—like magic!—it’s not for daily maintenance. And that is what prompted this homemade, No-Rinse Daily Shower Cleaner:
No-Rinse Daily Shower Cleaner
Once that tub and/or shower is sparkling clean, use this Daily Shower Cleaner to keep it that way. Effortlessly!
- 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide
- 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
- 1 teaspoon liquid dishwashing soap, like blue Dawn
- 1 tablespoon dishwasher rinse aid, like Jet-Dry
- 2 cups water
- Pour all of the ingredients into a large spray bottle (24-ounce or larger). Mix gently.
- This no-rinse, no wipe, no scrub shower cleaner spray is safe to use on glass, glazed tile, stone, marble, granite; tubs, doors, and shower curtains. The gentle formula contains no bleach, ammonia, or harsh chemicals and it won’t scratch surfaces, damage sealant, or leave behind a dull residue.
- Store your daily shower cleaner in a dark cupboard, as hydrogen peroxide begins to break down quickly in the presence of light.
To use: Just before you step out of the shower, spray the walls, doors, fixtures, curtain with No-Rinse Daily Shower Cleaner and walk away.
No-Rinse Daily Shower Cleaner
Ingredients
- ½ cup hydrogen peroxide, make sure it is a fresh bottle
- ½ cup rubbing alcohol, 70% or 91%
- 1 teaspoon Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid no substitutes, please
- 1 tablespoon Jet-Dry dishwasher rinse aid or similar rinse-aid product
- 2 cups distilled water
Instructions
- Pour all of the ingredients into a large spray bottle (24-ounce or larger). Mix gently.
- This no-rinse, no wipe, no scrub shower cleaner spray is safe to use on glass, glazed tile, stone, tubs, doors, and shower curtains. The gentle formula contains no bleach, ammonia, or harsh chemicals and it won't scratch surfaces or leave behind a dull residue.
- Store your daily shower cleaner in a dark cupboard, as hydrogen peroxide begins to break down quickly in the presence of light.
- Use within 6 months.
To Use:
- Once you are done showering and just before you step out of the shower, spray the walls, doors, fixtures, curtain with Daily Shower Cleaner. Do not rinse—just walk away!
Tub and Shower Soap Scum Cleaner
I have never found a commercial tub and shower cleaner that comes close to this homemade product. Tub and Shower Soap Scum Cleaner 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 the first time they used it.
- Blue Dawn (no substitutes, please)
- White vinegar
- Pour one cup blue Dawn into a 32-ounce spray bottle (1/2 cup blue Dawn if you are using a 16-ounce bottle).
- Fill the bottle the rest of the way with white vinegar.
- Apply sprayer top; shake gently to mix.
To use: Open a window to make sure the area to be cleaned has good ventilation. Spray liberally on the tub, shower, floor, walls, fixtures, and doors. Allow to sit from 30 minutes up to overnight, depending on the severity of the problem. Just close the door and walk away.
All of the offensive scum, gunk, mildew, and grime will break down and become soft and gooey. Rinse it away.
For especially challenging situations—or if this is the initial treatment—use a sponge or brush to gently scrub the surfaces before rinsing.
Caution: Do not use on stone, marble, or granite, which are porous materials treated with a sealant. Vinegar is acetic and can etch, pit, dull, or otherwise negatively impact the sealant and appearance of your stone.
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Stone, Marble, Granite Cleaner
Natural products like stone, marble, and granite require extra special care. These porous materials must be sealed upon installation, and then resealed at least once annually with a good sealant made specifically for stone, granite and marble and available from the manufacturer or any home improvement store.
Soap and scum must never be allowed to build up on the stone, marble, or granite surfaces or around the fixtures. Not only will that dull and harm the sealant, but it’s also a bear to remove without taking the sealant with it.
The best approach is to prevent any kind of build-up by using our No-Rinse Daily Shower Cleaner after each use. Then use this cleaner weekly to prevent hard-water marks and maintain these natural products’ beauty.
- 1 cup 70% isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol
- 1 cup distilled water
- 3 drops Blue Dawn or Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile soap
Pour rubbing alcohol, water, and soap into a spray bottle. Mix gently. Spray down stone surfaces, clean with a non-abrasive brush or sponge. Wipe dry with a clean soft cloth.
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This daily shower cleaner is an excellent formula. Better than store bought imo. I only added some lemongrass oil so instead of my shower smelling like a martini, it smells like limoncello.
Nice touch, Susan! Thanks for sharing your love for this simple recipe!
Can you use the daily spray on the chrome fixtures ? Thanks!
Yes
Do you have a recipe that has a fragrance free detergent? The reason I’m looking for a DIY cleaner is I need one that is fragrance free.
You can substitute the fragrance-free option for the ingredients. For example, Dawn now offers a free and clear dishwashing liquid. It’s not blue (it’s clear), but that would be a reasonable substitution.
Hi. I’d love to make the daily shower cleaner but I’m in Australia and we don’t have dawn here. What’s so different about that one compared to other dish soaps?
Scroll down to the bottom of this post where you will see “Where to Find” : 25 Remarkable Ways to Use Blue Dawn Outside the Kitchen
Mary, will this work in an RV shower, where everything is basically plastic? The shower doors, too? Don’t want to ruin the finish on any of it…..please advise. Thanks!!
Give it a try! I wouldn’t be surprised if tht works … let us know!
I have used your cleaning recipes for a long time and they work GREAT! I just finished making laundry detergent and am sure it’ll work wonderfully too. I am allergic to most detergents and just walking up the detergent aisle makes me sneeze, so I am excited about trying this detergent. I just gave the granite and window cleaning recipes to a friend of mine who cleans for a living. I know she is going to love them too!
This is so much better than store bought. I just made it and sprayed my moderately dirty shower, waited 30 mins and ran hot water. Most of the soap scum just flaked off and ran down the drain. Going to do the vinegar/Dawn on the rest. Once all is clean, I’ll use this spray religiously. You’re a miracle worker!
Wow, thanks Ian. It IS good stuff!
Why is Blue Dawn the most recommended dish cleaner for everything?
It has more surfactants than any other liquid cleaner out there. Surfactants are what remove dirt and grease. Add to that it’s gentle—even gentle enough to clean oil from wild birds and other animals that get stuck in oil slicks, etc. Nothing out there cuts grease and tackles stuck on dirt like Blue Dawn. Not even the other colors of Dawn you might see on the shelf.
I have a ceramic tile shower with an acrylic floor base. And I have an acrylic whirlpool tub and ceramic tile walls around it. I read not to use alcohol on acrylic as it can cause tiny cracks in it. What do you recommend for my situation?
I am unable to confirm what you read. But if you are still concerned, you can clean acrylic with lemon or lime juice. Just rub the cut side of either as you would rub the surface with a sponge. Then rinse well
How much dawn to marble cleaner recipe
Just a tiny bit … 3 drops.