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The best bathroom cleaners can make the unpleasant chore of deep cleaning a bathroom more manageable and efficient, leaving you with a sparkling clean space. This typically humid and high-traffic environment can be a breeding ground for germs, bacteria, and viruses, which is why it’s important to find effective bathroom cleaners that can properly clean, sanitize, and/or disinfect your space.
To find the best bathroom cleaners, we spent hours researching several options and top-rated products while considering factors like type, ingredients, and compatibility on surfaces. We also asked Angela Brown, CEO and founder of Savvy Cleaner and host of the daily show Ask a House Cleaner, for her tips and insight on what to look for when choosing a bathroom cleaner and how to keep your bathroom clean.
Our top pick is the Kaboom With OxiClean Foam-tastic Bathroom Cleaner because of its impressive cleaning power, surface versatility, and unique color-changing action to show when a surface is clean and ready to be wiped or rinsed.
Here are the best bathroom cleaners to keep your bathroom sparkling clean regularly.
Who it's for: People who want an effective and versatile bathroom cleaner for multiple surfaces.
Who it isn't for: People who want a natural all-purpose bathroom cleaner.
Getting your bathroom squeaky clean requires a powerful and effective cleaner like the Kaboom With OxiClean Foam-tastic Bathroom Cleaner. Unlike other bathroom cleaners, you can see this one working before your eyes—the foam sprays on blue and turns white when it’s ready to be wiped away. The OxiClean stain-fighting bubbles power through stains, dirt, grime, soap scum, and hard water scale, leaving a deep clean and fresh citrus scent. Although some customers note that the foam nozzle can be a bit messy, most love this product for its versatility in use on tubs, tile, sinks, toilets, chrome fixtures, and even vinyl shower curtains. For best results, let the foam sit for a few minutes once it has changed colors and wipe or rinse away.
Price at time of publish: $5
Who it's for: People who want a bathroom cleaner with natural, eco-friendly ingredients.
Who it isn't for: People who prefer unscented cleaners.
Our top eco-friendly choice is the 9 Elements Bathroom Cleaner for its natural formulation, EPA Safer Choice certification, and A rating from the EWG. This cleaner features vinegar (along with eight other plant-based ingredients) and is safe to use on tile, ceramic, porcelain, chrome, glass, and more. We love that it comes in three scents made with essential oils—lemon, lavender, and eucalyptus.
This natural cleaner can cut through soap scum, hard water buildup, and grime for a spotless bathroom without harsh ingredients, artificial preservatives, dyes, or bleach. For best results, spray the desired area, let sit for a minute, and rinse or wipe clean.
Price at time of publish: $5
Who it's for: People who want a cleaner that’s designed to remove soap scum and limescale.
Who it isn't for: People who want a shower cleaner for mold and mildew.
Shower tubs and tiles notoriously accumulate soap scum, hard water scale, and other grime that may be difficult to clean. Our recommendation for shower tubs and tile is the Zep Shower, Tub & Tile Cleaner. This rich foam cleaner has a fresh morning rain scent, quickly dissolves nearly every type of residue in your shower, and is safe to use on acrylic, laminate, glass, cultured marble, fiberglass, and most ceramic tiles and porcelain.
This acid-based formula is well-known for its impressive cleaning power. For best results, spray this cleaner thoroughly and let it sit for up to three minutes, then wipe the area with a damp sponge or cloth and rinse. It’s a bit more expensive than other cleaners, but its incredible effectiveness makes it worth it.
Price at time of publish: $14
Who it's for: People who need to get rid of or prevent mold and mildew.
Who it isn't for: People who don’t want a cleaner with bleach.
Since bathrooms are typically humid, they can be breeding grounds for mold and mildew. To combat this issue, opt for the Lysol Mold & Mildew Foamer With Bleach. This cleaner kills 99.9 percent of mold and mildew variants, disinfects non-porous surfaces, whitens and shines, and removes soap scum, limescale, and grime. When used as directed, it can also prevent mold and mildew regrowth for up to a week. To sanitize, wipe the desired area, spray, and let sit for 30 seconds before rinsing away. To control the growth of mold and mildew, let the product sit for five minutes before wiping or rinsing, and repeat weekly if necessary.
Price at time of publish: $4
Who it's for: People who want a daily shower cleaner for maintenance and prevention.
Who it isn't for: People who want a shower cleaner for heavy-duty messes.
The best way to prevent heavy-duty messes in the shower and extend the time between deep cleanings is to clean your shower daily. With some diligence and the help of Clorox Plus Tilex Daily Shower Cleaner, your shower can stay fresh. Unlike the Clorox Plus Tilex Mold & Mildew Remover, this cleaner does not contain bleach and or ammonia. It prevents soap scum, hard water, and mildew without any wiping, scrubbing, or rinsing required and is safe on several surfaces including glazed and unglazed ceramic tile, grout, and plastic.
For the best and most convenient results, spray this product over your tub, tile, and glass shower doors immediately after showering. Since this cleaner is best suited for maintenance and prevention, showers with severe grime may take up to four weeks for the buildup to loosen.
Price at time of publish: $4
Who it's for: People who want to get rid of grime and soap scum on a bathroom sink and other surfaces.
Who it isn't for: People who prefer an unscented cleaner.
Bathroom sinks accumulate several types of buildup and grime, like soap scum, toothpaste, and hard water scale. Our favorite cleaner to get a bathroom sink sparkling clean is Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Grime Fighter Bathroom Cleaner. This product removes grime and soap scum from several bathroom surfaces and kills 99.9 percent of viruses and bacteria when used as directed. We also love the scent options: citrus, floral fusion, lavender, and rainshower.
As the name suggests, the scrubbing bubbles do the work for you, which means you can wipe or rinse the product away after a couple of minutes. The manufacturer recommends spraying six to eight inches from the desired area and letting the product sit for at least five minutes before wiping or rinsing.
Price at time of publish: $5
Who it's for: People who want an effective whitening cleaner for their toilet bowl. Who it isn't for: People who prefer a toilet cleaner without bleach.
With the Clorox Toilet Bowl Cleaner Clinging Bleach Gel, cleaning the toilet can be a simple task. To keep your toilet bowl fresh, bright, and white, apply the gel with the angled nozzle under and around the rim to let it coat and cling to the rest of the bowl. The bleach effectively tackles odors and stains in hard-to-reach places. Then, scrub the entire bowl with a stiff toilet brush, allow it to sit for up to five minutes to sanitize, and flush.
In addition to its cleaning power, Clorox Toilet Bowl Cleaner Clinging Bleach Gel is a disinfectant that kills 99.9 percent of germs. For best results and maintenance, reapply this gel weekly.
Price at time of publish: $3
Who it's for: People who want an ammonia-free cleaner for glass, mirrors, and windows.
Who it isn't for: People who prefer a vinegar-based mirror cleaner.
Water spots, spit splatter, fingerprints, and condensation marks on a mirror can make a bathroom look dingy. To bring the sparkle and shine back to your bathroom mirror, we recommend Windex Ammonia-Free Glass Cleaner Spray. The ammonia-free formula means no harsh fumes while leaving behind a streak-free shine and fresh, crystal rain fragrance. As a bonus, the bottle is made from 100 percent recycled ocean-bound plastic. For best results, spray on a mirror, glass, or window and wipe immediately with a dry paper towel or lint-free cloth.
Price at time of publish: $6
Who it's for: People who want a natural, scented concentrated cleaner for several bathroom surfaces.
Who it isn't for: People who want a spray-and-go solution.
With concentrates, you can tailor the strength of your bathroom cleaner while reducing product waste. For those who prefer concentrated cleaners, we recommend Grove Co. Multi-Purpose Cleaner Concentrate. This is our favorite multipurpose cleaner concentrate for bathrooms because it cuts grease and grime. When used in the shower, rinsing or wiping is not required. It is also made with 89 percent plant-based ingredients, including essential oils and plant extracts, and does not contain harsh chemicals like parabens, phthalates, phosphates, or chlorine bleach.
Additionally, this concentrated cleaner is packaged in recyclable glass and 100 percent recycled paper. You can also receive a prepaid packaging label to send the concentrate and spray bottles to Grove Co. for them to recycle. While we love the lemon and eucalyptus scent for the bathroom, this concentrate also comes in a variety of great scents like orange and rosemary, a limited edition mulled apple, and in a free and clear scent-free formula for those with fragrance sensitivities.
Price at time of publish: $7
Who it's for: People who want a multi-purpose bathroom cleaner that’s EPA Safer Choice-certified.
Who it isn't for: People who want a bathroom cleaner formulated for a specific surface.
Sometimes, having one cleaner for the entire bathroom is the most convenient option. To effectively cut through dirt, calcium, lime, hard water deposits, and soap scum on bathroom surfaces, we recommend the CLR Brilliant Bath Foaming Action Cleaner. This cleaner is EPA Safer Choice-certified, has a B rating from the EWG, and is safe to use on glass, porcelain, chrome, ceramic, white grout, and more, leaving your bathroom sparkling clean. As a bonus, CLR is women-owned and made in the U.S.
CLR Brilliant Bath Foaming Action Cleaner is formulated without alcohol, phosphates, ammonia, or bleach and is septic-safe and biodegradable. For best results, spray six to eight inches away, let sit for up to three minutes, wipe with a damp sponge or cloth, and rinse. For heavy-duty messes, use a scrubbing brush before rinsing.
Price at time of publish: $4
Our top pick is the Kaboom With OxiClean Foam-tastic Bathroom Cleaner for its effective, versatile cleaning power and unique color-changing action to show when a surface is clean and ready to be wiped. For a cleaner with natural, plant-based ingredients, we recommend 9 Elements Bathroom Cleaner.
Like most household cleaning products, bathroom cleaners come in various forms, including spray, foam, gel, and concentrate. To choose the right one, consider factors like how often you need to clean and compatibility on certain surfaces. Sprays and liquid products are best for cleaning large surface areas, as they can be applied more liberally in one go. For those who hate missing a spot, opt for a foam formula so you can easily see what areas still need to be cleaned. Gel formulations cling to the surface you apply them to, making them ideal for areas that need a deep clean like shower walls, toilet bowls, or the bathroom sink.
Bathroom cleaners are often formulated to clean specific surfaces like shower tile, porcelain toilets, and chrome fixtures. Some products are formulated for one or two surfaces, while multipurpose options can be used on nearly every surface in your bathroom. Brown recommends noting whether your bathroom cleaner can target specific stains such as toothpaste, soap scum, and mold.
Harsh chemicals are common in bathroom cleaners, so Brown recommends checking the ingredients list before buying and deciding which ingredients are best for your desired level of cleanliness. Certain harsh chemicals can cause irritation if used incorrectly, so it’s important to follow the instructions carefully (never mix cleaning products!), ensure the space has proper ventilation, and use a mask and gloves if necessary.
“The key with choosing bathroom cleaners is to use the right chemical for the type of soil you are trying to remove,” says Brown. “Heavy-duty cleaning products like straight bleach or ammonia can be used sparingly and are not necessary for everyday use.”
When looking for eco-friendly ingredients in cleaning products, Brown suggests referencing the Safer Choice Products list by the EPA. Checking for A and B ratings from the EWG can also be a helpful guide in learning about eco-friendly ingredients.
Cleaning the bathroom daily can make deep cleanings more infrequent and less exhausting. Small tasks like regularly wiping the mirror and spraying your shower with a daily shower cleaner are simple ways to keep your bathroom tidy and sanitized. For more thorough cleanings, Brown suggests a bathroom cleaning checklist. “Simple habits will keep your bathroom from heavy buildup while also making weekly cleaning like dusting, scouring, vacuuming, and mopping an easier task,” she says. Brown recommends the following bathroom cleaning tips: “After showering, squeegee the walls and floor to remove standing water that can cause mold and mildew; use a toilet brush each morning for ten seconds to clean the bowl and under the rim; rinse the basin of the sink after each use; take the trash out of the bathroom a few times a week and more often if needed.”
According to the EPA, cleaning involves removing organic matter (such as dirt) from surfaces using a soap or detergent; sanitizing means killing bacteria but not viruses; and disinfecting kills both viruses and bacteria.
“While many all-purpose cleaners on the market can clean, sanitize, and disinfect, fully disinfecting is often a two-step process,” says Brown. “Clean first and then reapply the cleaner to allow the disinfectant the proper dwell time.”
While certain types of cleaners, like multipurpose concentrates, can be used on several surfaces throughout the home, it’s safer to use bathroom cleaners for their intended purpose. As a general rule of thumb, Brown advises against using a bathroom cleaner on other rooms or surfaces not stated on the label. You can also do a spot test on an inconspicuous area to ensure the surface is safe to clean.
This article was written by L. Daniela Alvarez, contributing writer for Real Simple with nearly three years of experience writing about lifestyle content and product reviews. To compile this list, she spent hours researching bathroom cleaners and considering factors such as type, ingredients, and compatible surfaces. She also received tips on how to shop for bathroom cleaners from Angela Brown, CEO and founder of Savvy Cleaner and host of the daily show Ask a House Cleaner.
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