The Best Bathtub Cleaners Buying Guide

Oct 27, 2024

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Step into a sparkling-clean tub or shower with these top-performing cleaners.

In This Article

Better Homes & Gardens / Alli Waataja

Though cleaning the bathtub isn’t very glamorous, it’s a necessary chore that’s likely on your regular to-do list. And with a dizzying number of bathtub cleaners out there, including spray, foam, powder, disinfecting, and plant-based options, picking the best one for your bathtub relies on a variety of factors.

You want to consider a few things about bathtub cleaners before deciding on one. First, you’ll need to determine what material your bathtub is made from because not every cleaner can be used for every type of bathtub.

Debbie Sardone, owner of Speed Cleaning, advises, “Never use harsh powdered cleansers or abrasives on fiberglass as it will scratch.” Be sure to consider whether you need disinfection or if you have stains that may need some extra cleaning power, too.

We surveyed over 3,000 people about the cleaners they use and evaluated the top product options for their effectiveness, ease of use, scent, and overall value.

This foaming spray can be used on multiple surfaces and works well as an everyday cleaner, but it also disinfects and can clean limescale and mildew.

It’s not suitable for vinyl or marble surfaces.

This multitasking spray is our top choice overall. For everyday cleaning, just spray the tub and rinse the cleaner away. It disinfects, which is an important consideration for bathroom surfaces.

It also foams, so it makes quick work of any limescale or soap scum buildup in your tub, meaning you don’t have to put in a ton of elbow grease. Just spray it on, and let it sit for up to 20 seconds before wiping it away.

If you’ve got mold or mildew in your tub, this cleaner takes care of that, too. After cleaning the tub, just spray it on and let it stand for five minutes. You may need to repeat this once a week if the mildew comes back.

Keep in mind, while this is a multi-surface cleaner, it isn’t safe to use on vinyl, so you’ll want to keep it away from shower curtains or vinyl flooring. It’s also not recommended to use on marble, copper, brass, or wax surfaces.

Product Details: Type: Spray | Scent: Ocean | Recommended Surface: Porcelain, shower doors, glazed ceramic tile, chrome fixtures | Size: 32 ounces

In addition to killing germs, it works well on mold and mildew.

It smells strongly of chemical odors, which our survey respondents didn’t like.

Bathrooms can get quite germy, and this option is the best option for disinfecting. It’s a bleach-free spray with Clorox’s signature cleaning power that kills 99.99% of viruses and bacteria, including salmonella and staph. Keep in mind, to disinfect, you’ll want to let the product sit for 10 minutes before wiping it away.

To use this on your tub for regular cleaning, just spray it on, let it stand for a few minutes, and wipe it away. For soap scum buildup or mildew, you’ll likely want to repeat the process a second time. On tough stains, completely coat the area and let the foam sit for a longer period of time before rinsing it clean.

Though it makes a great tub cleaner, you can also use the spray to clean toilets. Our survey results indicated that this spray cleans and disinfects well without leaving behind residue or making surfaces too slippery, so you can even use it worry-free on your tile flooring.

Product Details: Type: Spray foam | Scent: Unscented | Recommended Surface: Multi surface | Size: 30 ounces

The foaming bubbles reach into crevices and between tiles to power away soap scum without the need for scrubbing.

The container is smaller than our survey respondents would have liked.

If you’re looking to avoid scrubbing, we recommend this pick from Scrubbing Bubbles. It’s specifically designed to be used on large items like bathtubs and showers because the foam gets between tiles and into crevices for a deeper clean without the elbow grease.

The rainshower scent wasn’t especially loved by our survey respondents, and the bottle size felt a bit too small. However, it earned high marks for its effectiveness, ease of use, and overall value, even though the price is a bit higher than other tub cleaning products.

The spray can be used on other bathroom surfaces, including glazed ceramic tile, stainless steel, chrome, fiberglass, vinyl, and glass. It also disinfects for a more thorough cleaning.

Product Details: Type: Spray foam | Scent: Rainshower | Recommended Surface: Glazed porcelain, fiberglass, glazed ceramic tile, stainless steel, chrome fixtures, and vinyl | Size: 32 ounces

This spray works well as an everyday tub cleaner and is plant based.

It doesn’t work quite as well on hard water stains or buildup.

Bathtub cleaners can have a harsh smell, so this eucalyptus mint scented option from Method is a refreshing find. Survey respondents enjoyed the peppermint smell, making it our top choice when it comes to scent.

Beyond its pleasant smell, respondents said they didn’t have to scrub their bathtub when using the spray. It also cleans quickly when used as a daily cleaner. However, those with hard water may find this option isn’t very effective on hard water buildup.

It’s a plant-based cleaning option that isn’t tested on animals, so it’s cruelty-free as well as a little easier on the environment. Plus, it’s free from parabens, phthalates, and dyes, and it’s biodegradable. It can even tackle mold and mildew stains, making it a solid option for cleaning tubs and showers.

Product Details: Type: Spray | Scent: Eucalyptus mint | Recommended Surface: Multi surface | Size: 28 ounces

The spray turns into a foaming cleaner to remove grime with less scrubbing.

The lemon scent can be too strong for some people.

Designed to be hard on soap scum because of the OxiClean it contains (which uses oxygen to clean), this spray turns into a foaming cleaner to fight grime without extra elbow grease. It’s lemon scented, but some may find the scent overpowering.

It can be used on tile, sinks, and toilets as well as bathtubs and showers. It’s suitable to use on ceramic, fiberglass, glass, plastic, tile, and vinyl, so it’s a good choice for the more common types of bathtub materials.

It cleans away soap scum well, but it also works on grease and grime. Plus, it’s a good choice for homes with hard water buildup.

Product Details: Type: Spray foam | Scent: Lemon | Recommended Surface: Ceramic, fiberglass, glass, plastic, tile, and vinyl | Size: 32 ounces

The cleaner includes essential oils, offering a more pleasant smell.

You’ll need to scrub when using this cleaner, and it doesn’t work well on soap scum, according to our survey results.

This is the best bathtub cleaner that doesn’t contain bleach. Instead, it includes plant-based ingredients and essential oils for cleaning multiple bathroom surfaces like tiles, toilets, sinks, and, of course, tubs and showers.

The spray is Leaping Bunny certified, so it’s a cruelty-free pick. It’s also non-toxic, so it’s a safer choice for using in homes with little ones or pets. The lavender scent gives the cleaner a more pleasant smell than some cleaners on the market that have a harsher or overpowering chemical smell.

However, our survey respondents didn’t feel that the cleaner was as powerful as other options. They needed to do some scrubbing to clean a bathtub, so using this cleaner takes a little more effort.

The brand indicates it clears away soap scum, but respondents felt it actually didn’t work well on soap scum in tubs. Because of this, you may want to only consider this cleaner if you have soft water and don’t typically struggle with a lot of soap scum.

Product Details: Type: Spray | Scent: Lavender | Recommended Surface: Multi surface, including glass | Size: 33 ounces

An affordable pick, this cleaning powder is expert-recommended for removing bathtub stains but also works well as a kitchen cleaner.

The powder may etch or dull delicate surfaces like fiberglass.

The best bathtub cleaner for stains may be something you already have in your cupboard.

“One of my favorite store brand cleaners for getting stubborn stains out of an old bathtub is Bar Keepers Friend, which has been around since 1882," Sardone says. "It works miracles on old, stained porcelain tubs and stainless steel sinks.”

It uses oxalic acid as its main cleaning ingredient and can be used on stainless steel, porcelain, ceramic, copper alloy, fiberglass, Corian, brass, bronze, chrome, and aluminum surfaces.

However, you’ll want to use caution on more delicate surfaces, like fiberglass, because it can actually etch the surface. If in doubt, it’s best to use just a small amount of powder and very light pressure in a spot test.

The powder is also great for kitchen and outdoor cleaning. Combined with the lower price, it makes for a budget-friendly cleaner that’s great for removing bathtub stains but also handy for cleaning dozens of other household surfaces.

Product Details: Type: Powder | Scent: Unscented | Recommended Surface: Stainless steel, porcelain, ceramic, copper alloy, fiberglass, Corian, brass, bronze, chrome, and aluminum | Size: 12 ounces

Lysol Power Bathroom Cleaner received high marks for effectiveness, ease of us, and value, making it our top pick overall. Plus, it disinfects and can clean limescale and mildew from bathtubs and other surfaces.

To find the best bathtub cleaners, we analyzed survey responses about cleaning products from 3,216 people. From more than 92 cleaning products in 20 categories, we evaluated the top products in the bathtub cleaning category.

We asked survey respondents to answer questions about how often they use the cleaner, how effective it is, what the scent is like, whether it’s easy to use, and the value. Combined with research on each product’s details, this survey helped us find the seven options on our list.

Bathtubs can be made from a variety of materials, including fiberglass, steel, cast-iron, and newer composite materials like porcelain enamel. Sardone advises you should know whether your tub is porcelain or fiberglass before shopping. She cautions, “Never use harsh powdered cleansers or abrasives on fiberglass as it will scratch.”

If you’re not sure of the material, a quick way to test is to push on the side of the tub. If it moves just a bit, it’s likely an acrylic or fiberglass material because they’re more flexible.

It’s important to understand what ingredients are in a bathtub cleaner before you begin using it. Some cleaners have harsher ingredients than others, which may require extra protection like safety goggles or gloves.

“Always read the label for instructions regarding ventilation when cleaning with shower cleaners,” Sardone advises. She also recommends “the use of rubber gloves to protect hands against acid-based cleaners.”

She adds that bleach can work wonders on removing stains from porcelain bathtubs while a rust remover can help with some types of rust-stained metal tubs.

Some bathtub cleaners may have a scent added to make the cleaner more pleasant to work with. “If you can smell it, you are ingesting it,” Sardone says.

“Be careful around cleaning products with strong fumes that make you cough," she warns. "Ventilate the area if possible or wear a protective mask.” If your household tends to have sensitive noses, you may want to consider the Method Bathroom Cleaner as it has a more pleasant scent.

Bathtub cleaners come in a variety of forms, including spray, foaming spray, and powder. Choosing the application type comes down to your tub material and how you prefer to clean. Powder cleaners like Bar Keepers Friend can be more abrasive, so they are often not suitable to use on fiberglass tubs.

Foaming cleaners tend to cling to surfaces easier, making them a helpful pick for cleaning shower walls. “Always use cleaning products for their intended purpose and never mix them together to avoid toxic fumes,” Sardone says.

Sardone says bleach won’t damage a bathtub. “Powdered cleaners with bleach work great on stubborn stains in porcelain tubs,” Sardone says.

However, it’s always best to read the owner’s manual that came with the tub if it’s available. You may also want to spot test a new cleaner on your tub before cleaning the entire bathtub, just to be sure.

If you’d rather not scrub your bathtub, you may want to look for a cleaner that foams. “Spray a foaming scum cleaner for tubs and showers on the grimey surface, let it soak just a few minutes, then use a melamine sponge to wipe off with just a little pressure," Sardone says.

Depending on the cleaner and whether the tub is stained or has a lot of buildup, you may want to repeat this process.

Some cleaners may be formulated for only certain types of bathtub surfaces, while others may be safe to use on more than one material.

“Some multi-purpose cleaning products are safe on most surfaces, but can damage marble, natural stone, and any surface finished with a varnish or polyurethane,” Sardone says. “Follow the bottle instructions carefully and only use where recommended.”

Brittany VanDerBill is a travel and lifestyle writer whose work has been published with several Dotdash Meredith brands. To find the best bathtub cleaners, she researched a variety of options, keeping in mind application type, ingredients, purpose, and more. She also consulted Debbie Sardone, owner of Speed Cleaning, via email for additional insights.