How to Clean a Tub or Shower—and Keep It Clean
The only thing better than making things myself 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. Learning how to make and use powerful tub and shower cleaners—one for a miraculous deep clean, the other for daily maintenance—rocked my world. I have a feeling they are about to rock yours, too.
Quite possibly one of the best tips to ever land my mailbox arrived more than 25 years ago and yes, I’m talking about pre-Internet. This letter was from a loyal reader of my print newsletter, Cheapskate Monthly, a professional property manager. He handles rental apartments in a college town and lots of them. As an apartment is vacated, his job is to see that it is thoroughly cleaned and made ready for the next occupants.
This reader told me that the biggest challenge is always the bathroom, specifically the tub and shower. He kindly left specific details to my imagination but let me know that “gross” is not strong enough to describe what he often finds.
And that’s when he gave us his super magical potion—the only product he uses to return showers, tubs, tile, enclosures, faucets, and doors to their sparkling clean, and sanitized selves.
Years later I added a second protocol to my bathroom cleaning routines: a Daily Shower Cleaner that does a great job to keep our showers super clean much longer.
Complete printable recipes and instructions for both of these cleaners follow:
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 was the first time they used it.
You’ll need:
(See full printable recipe below)
- Blue Dawn
- plain white vinegar
- Pour one cup blue Dawn into a 32-ounce spray bottle (1/2 cup 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. Simply 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 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.
MORE: How to Remove Yellow Sweat Stains—It Really Works!
Daily Shower Cleaner
While Tub and Shower Soap Scum Cleaner works really well—it’s simply amazing—it’s not something you are going to want to use for daily maintenance. Instead, use this Daily Shower Cleaner to keep your shower sparkling clean.
You’ll need:
(See full printable recipe below)
- fresh hydrogen peroxide
- rubbing alcohol
- Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid
- dishwasher rinse aid, like Jet-Dry
- 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, 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: Just before you step out of the shower, spray the walls, doors, fixtures, curtain with Daily Shower Cleaner. Do not rinse—just walk away!
DIY Tub and Shower Soap Scum Remover
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
- 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.
- 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.
No-Rinse Daily Shower Cleaner
Materials
- ½ cup fresh hydrogen peroxide
- ½ cup 70% or 91% rubbing alcohol
- 1 teaspoon Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid
- 1 tablespoon Jet-Dry dishwasher rinse aid or similar rinse-aid product
- 2 cups distilled water
Instructions
- Pour all ingredients into a 24-ounce (or larger) spray bottle. Mix gently. No shaking needed.
- Store your spray in a dark cupboard to protect the hydrogen peroxide from light, which can break it down over time. Use within six months.
- After showering, spray the walls, doors, fixtures, and curtain with Daily Shower Cleaner. No rinsing, wiping, or scrubbing required. Just spray and walk away!
Notes
Everyday Cheapskate participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.
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I have a housekeeper come in 1x a month to mostly dust, floors and bathrooms. I keep the house clean in between. That said, I use a squeegee in my shower for the walls and glass doors, and tub to get most of the water gone. My husband doesn’t do the same thing. He goes in, and out. Done. My housecleaner said his shower usually takes her more time to really scrub it. I stumbled upon this recipe he sprays just before getting out and leaves it. EASY and he does it. No more scrubbing his shower. He’s been using it almost a year now and no more complaints. In fact, she asked for the recipe I was glad to print out for her. Thanks Mary.
These DIY tub and shower cleaner recipes are fantastic! We always appreciate effective and budget-friendly cleaning solutions. I love how simple yet powerful these mixtures are—it’s great to have options that actually work without harsh chemicals. Thanks for sharing these practical tips; I can’t wait to try them out!
Will it hurt a refinished tub? (take the refinished stuff off?)
I have no way of knowing the details or care instructions for your tub. Please check with the company that did this refinish work. And carefully read the warranty, care, and maintenance information.
Mary,
I’ve been using this Dawn/vinegar mix for years now since you originally mentioned it. I love it! However, I just noticed that I always use 2 cups vinegar to 1 cup Dawn. I may have misread it, but I think THAT was the original recipe. Am I wrong? Thanks.
Love,
Maria
p.s. This also works great to clean the stainless sink, glass stove and it’s a great sugar ant killer!
Hi Mary
Thanks for shower cleaner advice. I have nothing but tile and tile has grout and it gets mildewed fast. I’m a stickler for clean but I can’t seem to get this clean unless I use bleach. I think that breaks down the grout. Please help.
Kathy Thomas
Read this, Kathy! Got Dingy Dirty Grout? This Product Will Clean It and Lots More (It’s Just $1)
Does this work on fiberglass and if not, what does?
Yes. Vinegar is a safe alternative for harsh chemicals to clean fiberglass.
It is like magic! Mary is not exaggerating in the slightest. I have 3 full baths and 6 adults in my home. I literally NEVER SCRUB my bath/showers anymore and they sparkle. This works on the shower curtain liner as well.
I used this for quite a few months until I noticed it was taking the finish off the shower fixtures. They actually started to rust at the base where attached to the shower wall. It worked great but I had to stop using it, and now I need to replace the fixtures.
What are these fixtures made of?
Love this!