How To Clean A Bathtub And Shower

best tested badge with clawfoot bathtub in modern bathroom

Stocksy

We could all agree that there's nothing more restorative than a luxurious, bubbly soak in the bath. The just problem is that our tubs aren't e'er in the nigh welcoming shape. Because let's exist honest, soap scum, mildew, and dirty grout stains don't create the most relaxing environment to kick dorsum and unwind in.

Even though it'due south a cleaning chore most don't practise nearly as often equally they should, tubs should exist spiffed up with an effective bathtub cleaner on a regular ground. Luckily, we searched high and low to find the all-time bathtub cleaners to make your bathtub cleaning routine as like shooting fish in a barrel as possible — but not all cleaners are created equal, and they don't all do the aforementioned thing. We're breaking down everything you need to know virtually cleaning your bathtub and how to continue it in a constant state of sparkling clean.

The Best Bathtub Cleaners

The Right Way to Make clean Your Tub

To tackle this dirty job, we asked Briana Short, the president of Quotient Cleaning, a Washington-based domicile cleaning service with 14 years of feel in cleaning homes (and bathtubs specifically), for a few pro tips. She says, "The best way to thoroughly clean your bathtub is to first spray the tub with an all-purpose cleaner. If you have lather scum build-up — check this by running your hand along tub walls while dry out — utilize a powdered nonabrasive cleanser to scrub the tub."

But if you're looking to give your tub a truly thorough cleaning, at that place are a few more steps to have. Short says to "turn on the water to rinse the production downward the drain and utilize a dry microfiber cloth to dry the tub to forbid watermarks. Once this is washed, use a microfiber cloth with one or 2 sprays of cleaner and smoothen your fixtures."

Brusque recommends that this kind of deep clean exist done every 2 weeks. If y'all're pressed for fourth dimension, a quick spray and wipe-down once a week tin assist prevent buildup and stubborn stains from forming.

What to Consider

Information technology'due south important to continue in heed that depending on the products you utilize, you may exist cleaning your tub but not disinfecting it (yep, you read that correct!) Products that contain bleach, isopropyl alcohol, or hydrogen peroxide can kill germs and mold, while other soaps and surfactants may remove stain-causing grime and germs from the surface but not impale them. Vinegar has antibacterial properties, too, and it can kill some (merely not all) common household molds.

Without a doubt, chemic-based cleaners (peculiarly those with bleach) are going to clean your bathroom more thoroughly, but they may be hard for people with sensitivity to their indoor air quality to use on a regular ground. Gentler all-purpose cleaners tin can be used for lighter, weekly bathroom cleaning to keep the tiles and floor complimentary of visible grime and build-up, but chemic cleaners should be used for deeper cleans. If you clean with bleach, remember to practise information technology safely by keeping your surface area well-ventilated, wearing mitt and face protection, and never mixing information technology with other cleaning chemicals.

Our guide to the best bathtub cleaners covers products with a range of potencies, so y'all tin can go your desired level of cleanliness every fourth dimension. Read on to acquire more.

Experience the wonder of bathing outside via edifice your ain DIY forest-fired hot tub. Learn how by joining Pop Mech Pro!

Get The Footstep-By-Step Plans

Best Bleach-Based Cleaner

Clorox Tilex Mold & Mildew Remover

• Set of 2

For the quickest, surest make clean, the Clorox Plus Tilex Mold & Mildew Remover is ane of the all-time bathtub cleaners with bleach you tin find. While this production has a very potent smell, it works as an effective deep cleaner — exactly as information technology should.

You may not be able to loosen tough lather scum and grime in just 1 wipe, but its bleach assures y'all that the harmful bacteria and germs are eradicated on your surfaces.

More: Everything You Need for an Organized Home

Best Long-Lasting Sanitizer

Microban 24 Bathroom Cleaner and Sanitizing Spray

Microban 24 is a sanitizing and disinfecting bathtub cleaner that kills up to 99.9% of bacteria and keeps surfaces bacteria-free for upwardly to 24 hours. Its formula forms a bacteria-fighting layer that binds to a sprayed-down surface when it is left to dry out completely.

Information technology's a potent cleaner, though it may still take a little effort to scrub into your grout (it isn't a stain remover). Its scent is citrusy but not overwhelming — the kind of cleaning smell that lasts for a shower or two.

iii

All-time All-Purpose Cleaner

Mr. Clean Clean Freak Deep Cleaning Mist

• Fix of iii

It's convenient that Mr. Clean's Clean Freak Deep Cleaning Mist comes in a set because you can utilise them in other areas of the house! It contains cleaning surfactants, so it doesn't disinfect, but it'll elevator crud and messes from the surface.

Its nozzle releases a spray of solution over a large surface area to cover your tub, shower walls, and fixtures without any effort. Reviewers are obsessed with using this bathtub cleaner and say that it leaves their infinite looking (and smelling) better in a short time without needing to scrub away at trouble areas.

Best Cleaning Fix

The Pink Stuff Cleaner Bundle

• Includes Cleaning Paste and Cream Cleaner

TikTokers already know all about The Pink Stuff Cleaning Paste — its hashtag has over 222 meg views lone! The Pink Stuff Paste is an abrasive cleaning agent that contains blistering soda, quartz, and soap. It's best for scrubbing out tough grime (preferably with a Scrub Daddy sponge) without the need to pull out the bleach or potent cleaners.

Users love cleaning their ovens, sinks, cookware, and bathtubs with the Paste, but if you prefer using something gentler in your bathroom, the Miracle Bathroom Foam Cleaner in this ready is the amend product for that.

The Foam Cleaner is a liquid, non-abrasive version of the Paste, working on all tub materials, tile, and grout to get watermarks, lather scum, and mold out of your bathroom. Reviewers also say that unlike the Paste, which has no olfactory property, the Cleaner has a pleasant, "fruity" odour.

Best Hydrogen Peroxide-Based Cleaner

Lysol with Hydrogen Peroxide Multi-Purpose Cleaner

• Set of two

This bathtub cleaner from Lysol is powered by hydrogen peroxide instead of bleach, making it a gentler merely no less effective sanitizer. It may not work as well on catchy stains (so gear up to apply some elbow grease), but it's a skilful 1 to reach for when it's time to deep make clean.

Unfortunately, it has a strong "chemically citrus olfactory property" that reviewers with scent sensitivities don't similar. Brand sure you rinse thoroughly later on using this to help dissipate the smell.

All-time Cleaning Concentrate

Blueland Bath Starter Prepare

• Includes bottle and three cleaning tablets

Blueland'due south bathtub cleaner is neat for weekly spiff-ups, and you'll get lots of mileage out of this prepare. All of their cleaning kits, which encompass the entire home, come with durable acrylic bottles and dissolvable, concentrated cleaning tablets that users mix up with water from their own sink.

The ingredients list of the Blueland bath cleaner contains both natural and synthetic ingredients, most notably citric acrid and sodium lauryl sulfate, which work to consume away at grime.

It'll assistance go your tiles and stainless steel fixtures shiny, only information technology's of import to notation that this bathtub cleaner is not meant to disinfect or impale mold.

Best Stain Remover

Bar Keepers Friend Liquid Cleanser

Bar Keepers Friend is an oxalic-acid-based cleaning solution that is bleach-free, chlorine-free, and as well biodegradable. It doesn't disinfect, but it is a very effective stain remover, and it'due south corking to use on congenital-up hard water stains, soap scum, and any discoloration in your tub acquired by pilus dye.

It's also versatile enough to utilize on a variety of surfaces like stainless steel, glass, ceramic, and stovetops, making it appeal to those who similar to use the same product in multiple areas of the home.

Though yous should wearable protective gloves when cleaning with this acidic solution (and never let it sit for as well long), it doesn't have a strong aroma, and in that location's no scrubbing involved to meet results.

Melanie Yates Senior Dwelling Decor Editor Melanie is the senior home decor editor of Best Products, where she'southward been researching and testing out domicile and bedding products since 2015 — her work can also be found on Firm Beautiful and Women'due south Wellness.