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The Spruce / Alli Waataja
A great shower tile cleaner can make your bathroom look oh-so-tidy and sparkling. We think a clean shower—free from soap scum and grime—makes your whole showering experience that much better. Even though it doesn’t seem like it, cleaning your shower tiles is really not that hard to do. The steps to clean your shower stall don’t need to be complicated but should be done on a regular basis.
“When scouring your shower tiles, use a non-scratch scrub sponge and a gentle lather. This will ensure that the surfaces are not scratched or damaged in any way,” says Angela Brown, author of How to Start Your Own House Cleaning Company and CEO of Savvy Cleaner Training for House Cleaners and Maids. “Additionally, when rinsing off the cleaning product, let hot water run over tiles to rinse any soap scum buildup after cleaning.”
The best cleaners work for multiple surfaces and tackle all of your shower messes, so you can stop obsessing over your tiles while you wash and zero in on the important stuff—like tending to your hair or practicing your singing! So what are you waiting for? Let’s get scrubbing!
Best Overall
Scrubbing Bubbles Disinfectant Bathroom Grime Fighter Spray
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Amazon
Cleans and disinfects
Easy to use
Mild scent
Clinging foam good for vertical walls
Requires rinsing or wiping
This popular spray tackles surface messes, such as visible soap scum, dirt, and residue. It also gets rid of 99.9% of viruses and bacteria, earning it our best overall rating for its great cleaning power. Besides displaying a cute and appealing drawing of a cartoon scrubbing brush, the spray bottle has a trigger nozzle that emits foam. It allows you to direct the application wherever you need it and keeps the solution on the affected area. Because showers have vertical walls (of course!), the clinging properties are a super-nice feature (and a big reason we love it) to make the most of your cleaning solution.
Even with a strong formula, the Scrubbing Bubbles' rainshower isn’t an overwhelming scent. It’s also available in citrus, lavender, and floral fusion. The foam is ideal for shower tiles, but it’s also safe for other areas in the bathroom. That includes glazed ceramic tile, stainless steel, chrome fixtures, fiberglass, vinyl, glazed porcelain, glass, laminate, Corian, sealed granite, and quartz.
One note: There's a second step with this cleaner. You'll need to rinse or wipe the solution away after it cleans. For daily use, this can be done within just a few seconds. If you're going for a deeper clean or tackling older soap scum and dirt, you may need to let the solution sit on the surface for a few minutes. To get the full disinfecting power, let it sit on the surface for a full five minutes before rinsing or wiping. You'll see that the solution is powerful and effective!
Price at time of publish: $10
Type: Foam spray | Amount: 32 fl.oz. | Scent: Rainshower, citrus, lavender, floral fusion
Best Daily Cleaner
Clean Shower Daily Shower Cleaner 2 Pack
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Courtesy of Target
Gets rid of stains
Works without rinsing or wiping
No bleach or ammonia
Not great on stubborn stains
This spray cleaner from Clean Daily delivers a powerful clean and gets rid of mildew and hard water stains—two common shower complaints. It also handles soap scum and dirt. With daily use, it can even prevent these annoyances from coming back. For the best results, use it after taking a shower when the surface is still wet and warm. If you let soap scum and dirt build up, you may need a solution that’s even stronger.
While it admittedly has a chemical fragrance, we love that the formula is bleach- and ammonia-free, which is great for households with people who may be sensitive to harsh chemicals. Because bathrooms tend to be enclosed spaces, having a cleaner that doesn’t require a lot of ventilation during application can make the entire process of cleaning much easier.
Price at time of Publish: $12
Type: Spray | Amount: 32 fl.oz. | Scent: Fresh clean
Best Without Bleach
Clorox Plus Tilex Daily Shower Cleaner
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Walmart
Gets rid of hard water stains and soap scum
Prevents new build-up
Safe for multiple surfaces
Requires daily routine use
Clorox is known for powerful cleaning, and its Daily Shower Cleaner is no exception. You’ll need to use it routinely for the best results. When sprayed daily, this cleaner gets rid of hard water stains and soap scum. It’s also great for prevention by keeping your shower tiles in tip-top shape.
You won’t have to worry about the bleach-free option on tiles that have color or intricate designs. With any new cleaner, it’s always smart to test it on an inconspicuous area before spraying it over the entire surface of your shower. The cleaner is safe for glazed ceramic tile, vinyl, fiberglass, and plastic. You can even use it on fixtures, although it may be better to spray it on a cloth and wipe the fixtures for effectiveness.
Price at time of publish: $4
Type: Spray | Amount: 32 fl.oz. | Scent: Unscented
Best Eco-Friendly
Method Daily Shower Cleaner Spray
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Walmart
Great scent
Plant-based ingredients
No scrubbing or rinsing needed
Not effective on older messes and stains
Method’s line of natural cleaning products are effective and smell fantastic in your home. The eucalyptus mint scent of this bathroom cleaner is fresh and not overpowering. We selected it as our Best Eco-Friendly pick because it's made with plant-based cleaners that dissolve soap scum and other residue in your shower. You won’t need to scrub or rinse. All you have to do is spray it on the tile, glass, tub, or fixtures, and let it work!
It isn’t a great option for deep cleaning or tackling stubborn stains and soap scum. This biodegradable spray is designed to be used daily to take care of surface mess and fresh residue rather than clean up older tubs and showers. As long as you use it daily, it's very effective at keeping your shower sparkling clean and smelling great.
Price at time of publish: $4
Type: Spray | Amount: 28 fl.oz. | Scent: Eucalyptus Mint
Best for Grout
Soft Scrub All Purpose Surface Cleanser
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Amazon
Cleans and brightens
Can be applied in multiple ways
Good for other uses as well
Abrasive not safe for all surfaces
This scrubbing cleanser gets into the cracks and crevices of grout lines and works its magic quickly and efficiently. It's a liquid that you can apply directly to the grout or with a cloth or sponge. It can also take care of soap scum, grime, dirt, and even grease. That makes it a great cleaner to have around for multiple uses throughout the home.
It includes a mild abrasive, so make sure to only use it on sealed grout. It's especially great at brightening white grout that may have become discolored over time. You can also use it on grout in the kitchen and other spaces, as long as whatever you are cleaning isn’t sensitive to scratching from abrasive cleaners.
Price at time of publish: $14
Type: Liquid | Amount: 24 fl.oz. | Scent: Lemon
Best for Natural Stone
Granite Gold Shower Cleaner
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Amazon
Cleans mold, mildew, hard water, and soap scum
Safe for multiple surfaces
Daily use doesn’t require scrubbing
May need to scrub for deep cleaning
Not all cleaners are safe for natural stone, but the Granite Gold line of cleaners are specially formulated for this surface. The shower cleaner is meant to be used daily to prevent build up of soap scum, stains, mold and mildew, and general dirt and grime. You can use it for deeper cleaning, but it may require some scrubbing for the best results. If you use it regularly, all it needs is a quick spray.
The cleaner is free of ammonia or phosphates, and it's safe for granite, marble, limestone, and travertine. You can also use it on ceramic and glass tile as well as fixtures. So, if your shower and bathroom has multiple surfaces and materials, you can get one multipurpose cleaner that will take care of them all.
Price at time of publish: $10
Type: Spray | Amount: 24 fl.oz. | Scent: Unscented
Best Disinfectant
Lysol Power Bathroom Cleaner
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Amazon
Kills 99.9% of viruses and bacteria
Gets rid of soap scum, mold, and mildew
Effective on stains
Requires rinsing or scrubbing
This cleaner is effective against 99.9% of viruses and bacteria, including the common culprits of illness, Flu A, staph, and strep. It also cleans the surface grime of soap scum, dirt, and even limescale. It will get rid of mold and mildew and help prevent its return. The easy-to-use trigger handle can direct the spray.
You will need to wipe or rinse, especially if you use this cleaner on stubborn stains and dirt. You are left with a clean shine on everything from shower tiles to bathroom countertops. Plus, it's safe for most surfaces in the bathroom, including tiles and grout.
Price at time of publish: $21
Type: Spray | Amount: 22 fl.oz. per bottle | Scent: Fresh
Our top pick, Scrubbing Bubbles Disinfectant Bathroom Grime Fighter Spray, does away with soap scum and dirt. It also gets rid of 99.9% of viruses and bacteria, earning it our best overall rating for its great cleaning power. For an option for daily use that doesn’t include harsh bleach or ammonia, try Clean Shower Daily Shower Cleaner. It gets rid of mildew and hard water stains and handles soap scum and dirt.
What to Look for in a Shower Tile Cleaner
Ingredients
Harsh ingredients, such as bleach, may not be the best treatment for tiles, especially natural stone. Look for bleach-free options for the safest clean that won’t damage surfaces. Ingredients that disinfect surfaces are also helpful because bathrooms, as we all know, can be breeding grounds for germs. That's one of the reasons why we chose our top pick, Scrubbing Bubbles Disinfectant Bathroom Grime Fighter Spray. It not only gets rid of soap scum and dirt, but it also eliminates 99.9% of viruses and bacteria.
Surface Compatibility
Make sure that your shower tile cleaner is safe for the surface that you plan to clean. Glass, porcelain, and ceramic are common tile surfaces that need to be cleaned. You should also check to see whether your cleaner can be used on grout.
Amount
You may go through a daily-use shower tile cleaner more quickly than other deep cleaning options. Overall, daily use can cut down on the amount that you need for each cleaning, because it keeps soap scum and stains from building up. If you have multiple showers in your home, it may be easier to get a multi-pack of smaller spray bottles so that you can keep them in each bathroom.
Ease of Use
Look for a shower tile cleaner that doesn’t require scrubbing or soaking for the easiest way to clean. Gels and foams are other great formulas that keep the cleaning solution on the surface that you want to clean, and they reduce the amount of dripping.
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How often should you clean your shower tile?
Daily cleaning and upkeep can make keeping your shower sparkling much easier. Deep cleaning can be done less often.
“A squeegee on the shower should keep the tiles in top condition after each use,” says Angela Brown, author of How to Start Your Own House Cleaning Company and CEO of Savvy Cleaner Training for House Cleaners and Maids. “A deeper clean with a cleaning solution and brush can be done every other week and more frequently if needed.”
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Will using a paste scratch your shower tile?
The ingredients in cleaning paste impact where you can safely use it on your shower tile without fear of damage. “Not all cleaning pastes are equal in the surfaces they can safely clean,” explains Brown. “If your shower tiles are glazed ceramic, you will be safe with a more abrasive cleaner. If you have stone or glass, a degreasing liquid may serve you better without the fear of scratching.”
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How do you clean shower tiles without scrubbing?
The best way to keep your shower clean without scrubbing is to regularly use a daily shower spray. “If you want a 100% scrub-free shower, the shower tiles need to be cleaned thoroughly after every use with soap and a sponge and then dried with a squeegee,” says Brown. For a daily clean, we like Clean Shower Daily Shower Cleaner. It gets rid of mildew and hard water stains and handles soap scum and dirt.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This article was researched and written by Katie Melynn, a freelance writer who specializes in home and family products. Melynn has been writing for The Spruce since 2019.
She looked for shower tile cleaners that could go from tile cleaning to fixtures and other bathroom surfaces. She also talked to Angela Brown, author of How to Start Your Own House Cleaning Company and CEO of Savvy Cleaner Training for House Cleaners and Maids.