How to Make a DIY Shower Cleaner (2 Ingredients)
Easy Dawn and Vinegar Shower Cleaner Recipe
You’re about to clean your bathroom… and you notice you don’t have any bathroom cleaner left. Well, don’t run to the store just yet! This DIY shower cleaner can get the job done just as good, and you probably already have the ingredients in your house to make it.
Keep on reading to see the simple 4-step process to making a homemade dawn and vinegar shower cleaner. I’ll also show you the in-process photos of me using it!
DIY Shower Cleaner Ingredients
- 12 oz. Vinegar (heated)
- 10 oz. Dawn Dish Soap (Blue is recommended but I already had pink in my cupboards and it worked just fine)
- Spray bottle
How to Make the DIY Shower Cleaner
This is probably the easiest DIY ever. There are literally 4 steps and you will be on your way to having the BEST homemade shower cleaner ever!
Step 1. Heat Up the Vinegar
Heat up 12 oz. of vinegar in the microwave. I heated mine up for 2 minutes and that was sufficient. The reason for heating it up is so the vinegar and soap can bond together.
Just an FYI: You only need to heat it up this one time, not every time you use it.
Step 2: Add the Vinegar to the Spray Bottle
After you heat it up, add it to your spray bottle! You will need a fairly good size spray bottle.
You could honestly take any other spray bottle from another product that you have used, wait until it’s empty, clean it out, and then use it. Or, you could just mix it all up in your measuring cup like I did.
Note: If you mix it up in a measuring cup, I still recommend storing it in a bottle if you don’t use it all.
Step 3: Add Dawn Dish Soap
Then add 10 oz. of Dawn Dish Soap (don’t substitute another dish soap, and like I said, blue is recommended) I got this bottle on clearance at Safeway for $1.00.
Step 4: Shake the Container
Shake gently or stir to combine the vinegar and soap! That is all! You are ready to use your solution. Keep in mind that before each use, you should give the container a little shake.
Testing it out
I decided before I put it on here, I needed to test it out! My tub always gets coated in soap residue and gunk so I decided that was the perfect test subject.
For being such a tough area to clean, I was completely surprised at how well it worked! I used it to clean and shine my faucets as well! I’ll probably use it in the kitchen sink next!
How to use the Dawn and Vinegar Cleaner
Step 1. Spray it
Spray the cleaner and let it sit for a few minutes! I let mine sit for about 10 minutes. Be sure to coat the whole thing! Don’t be shy with the spraying!
Note: When I got done, my solution was still a little hot and I didn’t know if I needed to wait for it to cool. I decided just to try it out while it was hot and it worked. So don’t be worried if your solution hasn’t cooled.
Step 2. Wipe it
This cleaner just melts the gunk and grime right off your tub. You don’t even have to scrub it. I just wiped it down with a dry washcloth. A sponge makes it suds too much, trust me.
I love this stuff!
All of that was done just with this little, simple Dawn and vinegar solution! I swear by this stuff. If it can clean my bathtub, it can clean anything!
Use it to get your worst gunk off and you don’t even have to put any elbow grease into it! Trust me, this works so well! My tub looks so much better, so nice and shiny!
This DIY shower cleaner cleans better than any other cleaner I’ve tried. I also love that it is just 2 simple ingredients that I always have on hand.
One thing to note, Dawn has ammonia in it so DO NOT combine it with bleach or any products that contain bleach!!
See More Inexpensive DIY Household Cleaner Recipes:
- Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Recipe
- Homemade Fabric Softener Recipe
- Homemade Laundry Soap Recipe
- Homemade Stain Remover Recipe
- Homemade Granite Cleaner Recipe
See all of our DIY cleaners here!
How to Make a DIY Shower Cleaner (2 Ingredients)
Ingredients
- 12 oz. Vinegar (heated)
- 10 oz. Dawn Dish Soap (Blue is recommended)
- Spray bottle
Instructions
Solution Instructions
- Heat Up the Vinegar in the microwave (about 2 minutes) so the vinegar and soap can bond together (note: You only need to heat it up this one time, not every time you use it).
- Add the Vinegar to the Spray Bottle
- Add 10 oz of Dawn Dish Soap
- Shake gently to combine the vinegar and soap
- (Before each use, give the container a little shake)
Cleaning Instructions:
- Test the surface in a small inconspicuous spot to make sure the solution doesn't adversely affect the surface.
- Spray the cleaner and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
- Wipe it down with a dry washcloth (NOT a sponge... which will create too many suds)
- Rinse
Notes
Dawn has ammonia in it so DO NOT combine it with bleach or any products that contain bleach!
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That’s a great tip! Thanks for sharing, I didn’t know Dawn has ammonia in it…I have been using the hand renewal one and I have granite counters. So Don’t use this on Granite. But my tub and shower are a who different story 🙂
Ok. I am a fan of this cleaner. I used pink Dawn with the “soft hands” stuff in it because it is what I had on hand. I only used about half what was recommended because I was a little scared off by all the suds comments. I used maybe 5-6 ounces. I sprayed, waited maybe 15 minutes, and YES it does smell bad. I turned on the vent fan and covered my mouth and nose with a wash cloth and worked quickly. I used a dry microfiber towel to wipe the walls down with ease (except one trouble spot where most of my soap scum builds up, but not much elbow grease needed even there). I would definitely recommend rinsing the tub well with cold water to avoid any slips and falls. Thanks for posting this recipe. I will definitely continue using it – maybe with the regular blue Dawn in the future. If only they could come up with an odorless vinegar!
Ha ha! Way to push thru the pain there Donna! 🙂 Glad it worked so well for you!
Do you have to warm the vinegar up?
I made it directly in a spray bottle gave a gentle shake and worked just fine.
But I didn’t do that part.
The reason for heating it up is so the vinegar and soap can bond together. But if it seems to be working fine then you are good to go!
Do u need to re-heat every time? How long is it good for once u mix it up?
Thnx! 🙂
Hi Cara,
No need to reheat, I think that just makes the ingredients bond. I have been making a batch right after I use my bottle because I already have the stuff out. Makes it harder to procrastinate cleaning the shower! Worst job ever! haha
I cannot use any dish soap other than Watkins. I cannot use any chemical type cleaner(dishsoap)..I cannot even use Seventh Generation or Meyers anymore, since they changed their ingredients. Is there anything else I can use to get the same effects? Can I use my Watkins dish soap and have the same results?
I say give it a try and use your Watkins soap, maybe just make half a batch so if it doesn’t work you haven’t wasted your soap.
Try making a baking soda paste, then rinsing with vinegar. It causes a mild chemical reaction that shouldn’t bother you, but will be a really effective cleaner.
This is my new all time favorite!! I use it in the bathroom to get rid of soap scum and in the kitchen to cut grease. It is amazing and I love it!! (And you only have to heat it up when you are combining it the first time. It does not separate. I have not had it “go bad” and I mix up a bottle and use it until its gone.
So excited you chose to do a post about this one. I usually use Bar Keepers friend if my sinks and tubs get really bad with hard water, but this will be a weekly cleaner!
I actually think I have an even better tub and shower cleaner and I got the idea from you Fab Fru Gals! I think you posted a DIY cleaner of some kind that had Borax in it and I have had the box just sitting around in my laundry room waiting… I opened it up about a month ago and decided to try just sprinkling it in my sinks instead of Comet as a scum and soap stain remover. You don’t even need to scrub much, just use minimal elbow grease with a wet sponge and your sinks and tubs have never shined more. You don’t need to rinse the surfaces off forever with water like with Comet to get it’s residue off–Borax just washes right down the drain. It’s inexpensive and eco-friendly and your surfaces will shine like new.
I wonder if mixing borax with water and spraying on my shower tiles, daily, would help dissolve the soap scum I battle, as well as other ICK that forms in between the tiles, esp. down near the floor? Any experience anyone????
Kate
Sounds like you need this Kate! https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/diy-daily-shower-spray/
Use liquid soap instead of bars and you want have the soap scrum buildup
That is a good tip, Sue. Also, in many areas, having a water softener can help reduce buildup.
Maybe being nit picky, but since you said not to substitute any other soap…Does it have to be blue dawn? Or can it be a different variety? I’m not sure what the subtle differences are between the types and if that would change it enough to mess up this cleaner that sounds fab!
All I’ve used is Dawn with it so I’m not sure how another soap would do, from all the other things I’ve read online everyone agrees that the Blue Dawn is the best and to only use Blue Dawn
Hi
I just checked my stockpile – all I have is orange Dawn. Should I give that a go or just go get some blue dawn while I am out shopping for the ingredients for the home made laundry soap?
Thanks 🙂
Hey 🙂
So rather than sitting and waiting – I got anxious and decided to try it with the orange dawn. After all I got on on a fantastic deal so if it doesn’t work out its not a huge loss.
I forgot how much I disliked the smell of vinegar but I will tell you this cleaner works WONDERFULLY! WOW. I am sold on this.
Thanks for posting it!
What am I missing? I tried this, with blue dawn even and had no luck at all! Are you using this just on toothpaste stuff or on the really tough stuff? Just frustrating that so many are super excited about it and all I got was blue lines that I had to scrub off with something else…
Good Morning
I used it on the bathroom sink and the bathtub and the faucets. I sprayed it on and let it sit for a few minutes before wiping it off.
I even used it on my kitchen sink…and on my aluminum baking pans. They always get that baked on yello grease (yuck!) but after letting this sit on the pans for a little but that came off too with very little efford.
I am not sure why yours is leaving blue lines…did the dawn emulsify & turn color to a bright blue (like above) with the vinegar when you mixed it?
I’m sorry it isn’t working for you. I have used it on the tough stuff and it comes right off. Are you spraying enough on? I really saturate the area I want to be cleaned.
So I kept getting emails with other comments about how wonderful this is and decided to give it another try. My husband was amazed and said it looked like we got a new tub! The difference? We moved. The first time I tried it, we had a super old tub that may have been too porous, leaving the blue behind. Newer tub, fantastic results!
Now I’m wondering, how do you clean the “dry cloth” that wiped everything down without a washer full of suds? Haha- maybe I used too much magic soap!
It works great for me! Question-Blue Dawn? Husband came home with Green :))) Also, why boil the vinegar? Just had to ask.
Quick tip…. when I tried the mix with “cleaning ” vinegar and dish soap, it also left blue steaks that required elbow grease. After double checking that I was using “white” vinegar for the second batch, was left with shining results
*Tried with Green Apple Dawn and had sparkling results as well. Heated WHITE vinegar, soap, spay, wipe… Awesome!
Great tip Manda, thank you!
Okay, can anyone who has tried this tell me what you do about all the stinkin’ suds? I sprayed my shower doors, but when it came time to rinse it, there were so many suds I couldn’t rinse it clean, and my sponge is STILL saturated with soap…after 45 minutes of rinsing the doors, rinsing the sponge, and rinsing the doors again. I finally gave up. The suds were multiplying! I got so frustrated I just left it, and now my doors look worse than ever with all that smeared around cleaner dried on the doors…I followed the directions to the letter!
The instructions say don’t use a sponge, it suds too much..use a dry towel
Spray right on the walls right after you get out of the shower. The water helps the mix slide down the walls/glass and do the magic, keeps you from over saturating the area and prevents the Dawn blue streaks. If you have a lot of soap scum, leave it there to sit for an hour. Otherwise, give the walls another rinse down after 10-15 minutes and everything will be super clean without having to sponge or wipe down.
Same here. I used a dry towel then had to use the shower sprayer and I don’t know if I will ever get rid of all the suds. This was soooo not worth the wasted soap and vinegar for me.
Don’t know if this will help, but I’ve found that cold water breaks down bubbles faster than hot/warm water (have noticed this when hand washing dishes – I wash in hot, rinse in cool).
Rubbing alcohol pops suds! (I know this is 6 years late, oops.)
Great tip, thanks Amanda!
Hi I’m just wondering though if this would be disinfecting enough to use in bathroom etc? I always want to kill the germs and disinfect, yes even the sink…can you tell me if the vinegar and soap have anything in them that does this? I’d love to try…Thanks!
Vinegar is a natural disinfectant that will kill most nasties but is non toxic to humans and our pets. It’s even better for some things than bleach.
I was super excited about this and tried it when we were cleaning for our move from our apartment yesterday. I’m not sure what I did wrong in using it but will try it one more time before I dismiss it. I have one window in a small bathroom. I sprayed the entire shower (maybe I did too big of an area?) and almost immediately my eyes and throat were burning. I kept having to step out. So you really need super good ventilation. Apparently one open window and a door open to the hallway is not enough. Also, I had the same problem as one of the other posters. Mine left some dim blue streaks but mostly, it left major soap scum. I was confused, since the whole idea is to REMOVE soap scum. The only thing I can think that happened is that 1) I sprayed too much on and 2) in the time it took me to get from one part of the shower to the other, it had dried in a sort of film. I tried wiping it off with my dry cloth and it was already dried and fixed on to the tile. It was just like wiping at soap scum. Yes, when I was making it I did heat the vinegar and mix it with the Dawn and my whole bottle was a lovely shade of blue. I ended up mostly fixing my dilemma by waiting until everything was dry, wetting a scrubber sponge, and the scrubbing and rinsing the dried parts off. Took me about twice a long. 🙁 Any input? I really wanted it to work!
I hear you, my son who has a apartment down stairs came up stairs finding me gagging asking what were the fumes he could smell all the way into his apartment. Am I doing something wrong, 50/50 white vinegar and dish soap, do I have to heat it????
I have to say though my tub and sink sparkled after I hosed it down
I tried this today on a very gunky sink. It had gunk around the faucet and handles base, and was starting to mold. Sprayed it on heavily, let it sit 15 min or so. Wiped down with paper towels. The slight soap residue is what gives it the shiny look and prevents future gunk, mold, toothpaste, etc from adhering for several days. It works like the Scrubbing Bubbles Extend-A-Clean does. But much cheaper!!! Thanks!!
Does this work on yucky brown stains on the floor of the bathtub?
I really need help!!
Whoa. I wish I had taken before and after pictures. I kept seeing this recipe float around Pinterest but never got around to making it. We have really hard water where I live and the shower doors get so grimy so quickly especially if we don’t squeegee them down after each and every shower. I hate cleaning my shower so it rarely gets done. I made the cleaner….sprayed it on….changed the sheets on my bed and went back to wipe it off thinking surely I didn’t wait long enough. Lo and behold, the doors were clear! It did smear and suds a little bit and I used a rag then went back over it with a dry towel and voila I have clean doors (no scrubbing!!) Thank you for posting the recipe!
I used Seventh Generation lavender dish soap and apple cider vinegar with a couple drops of lavender essential oil. Worked like a charm on my gross and disgusting tub! Thanks for sharing! Now, I don’t mind cleaning the bathroom as much. 🙂
Trying it on our massive shower right now. It took almost the entire bottle to spray that sucker down. Now I have to remember to wipe it out before tomorrow morning so my husband doesn’t step into a slippery-as-an-ice-rink shower. 🙂
You may think I´m crazy BUT my own father always said men were harder to clean up after than women. Not because they were messier but because of skin types. This concept came from cleaning Army showers and cleaning in the household bathrooms. This was back when there was only bar soap. He always helped with chores. He said it was easier to clean up after the three women in the house than the two men. He claimed the soap scum left behind from the men took a lot more elbow grease. Be that as it may by the time I was cleaning bathrooms the family was all on liquid soaps. Even then it was a little harder to clean up after the guys than the gals. The one thing he taught me was you work smart , or hard. By not keeping bath clean you pay a price. If soap scum builds up you are going to pay for it. Leave a spray bottle of this cleaner (fresh )and a squeegee in the bath or shower and have EVERYBODY clean the bath when finished. It cuts down on build up and wasted hours. If it works here it will work for you. WI. has very hard water and makes things worse. The whole family has to pitch in. But everyone gets a bath in a clean area. Happy Mom.
Wow Barbara – that’s great insight! I love your advice about EVERYONE pitching in too. 🙂 Thanks for the comment!
I thought this stuff was horrible. It was so toxic smelling and hours later my nose, throat, and lungs are still burning like wildfire. I don’t think I will ever get rid of all the suds either. I should have known that if a few drops of blue dawn is all it takes to get my soiled cloth diapers looking brand new again that 10 oz would be WAY too much for this application. I can’t even bathe my kids in the tub right now because every time I run water it suds up again and I’m afraid their sensitive skin will react to all the soap if they don’t slip and fall first. Major FAIL! Next time I will stick to baking soda.
Well, I tried the recipe and then after spraying it on my tub and sink, sat down to read the comments. My husband was complaining about the stink, so I thought I would go ahead and start wiping it up. My sink was not rally bad, but with the dry cloth it pretty much came up. I rinsed the rag and the suds began! I started to panic, but after about 3 minutes of rinsing and wiping it looks really good. Now my tub had a really bad case of soap scum. We have one bathroom with seven people (Including three teens) using it. It was a nightmare that I had been trying to clean for weeks with no real luck. I thought, well here is another failed attempt. But when I started wiping, the scum is rubbing right off. So even with the stink and the suds (and I used a lot of the spray! LOL) I am gonna let it set a bit and tackle the tub. For me it is worth the suds and stink to finally be rid of the nasty scum!!! 🙂
This works FANTASTICALLY. Using a sponge is a no no, it HAS to be wiped completely dry with a dry towel. Anything else will make it suds,and you do NOT WANT suds. Wipe it dry, all crevices. It’s amazing. It does take a bit of elbow grease and I don’t think many people are used to that. Great stuff! Thanks for the recipe!
I decided to give this a try but instead of using it on my tub, I tried it on my kitchen’s linoleum floor (Which by the way looked worse then my tub ever could..lol). I have lived with this kitchen floor for quite some time and it always seemed to have dirt that seeped through and an hour after mopping, it always looked like I had not touched it in decades! I sprayed it on, let it sit for about 15 minutes, wet mopped (as sort of a rinse…lots of suds..oops) then dry mopped and OH MY GOODNESS!! My floor has never looked this good! There is no sticky residue and the shine is almost blinding!
There was a smell to it, but I just cracked a window open and everyone in the house seemed OK! Good stuff in my opinion!
I have been using this cleaner with fantastic results for a while now, not sure why people are having such trouble with suds??? I use a magic eraser in my shower and it works fantastic! No excessive bubbles either. Just a side note-we have hard water and it always does a good job of removing the stains!
This was wonderful! I was not a fan of the smell. I sprayed my shower at night before bed. I got up and began my cleaning. I used my normal shower scrub brushes that were slightly wet, and yes I had lots of suds, but immediately the yuck on the bottom of my shower that takes me forever to scrub, scrub away was scrubbing by one pass of my scrub brush!! I can hardly believe how wonderful that this worked!! I have severe back injuries and this was the easiest bathroom cleaning I have ever done!! If you get lots of suds……..rinse with lots of water! Lol! I don’t care about the suds when I have something that is the easeiest and fastest cleaner I have ever used! I will not be using anything else! I may experiment with more natural dish soaps and possibly essential oils for a different smell (a bit more pleasing) but I will be using this recipe! THANKS A MILLION FOR SHARING!!
~Joy~
I love this. I made it 3 parts vinegar to 1 part Dawn and mixed it in a Dawn bottle. I squirted it on a bath enclosure with a textured floor that I have fought with for 10 years. I also used it on a walk-in shower. I let it sit 30 minutes, then rinsed it down h hot water. No scrubbing or wiping. Everything is sparkling. I’m thrilled. I think squirting kept the vinegar particles out of my nose. The aroma was gone in less than an hour. I’ve used every commercial product available and nothing worked this well. Bleach products made the tub smell clean, but did nothing for the scum and oil build-up. The shower door is spotless and the textured tub grid is all white. Thank you!
This works pretty good on SMOOTH surfaces…..but on my tub with a textured bottom it didn’t do squat. I might use this in areas that my 1 year old would be in contact with, but it doesn’t hold a torch to cleaning with ammonia. I tried 🙁
This is kind of a crazy question. But I’m kind of obsessed with this cleaner. It works SO well! Anyway, would it be bad to use this to clean the outside of my car?
The vinegar WILL kill plant LIFE… if it gets on it.. as far as the FINISH on your car.. ok for paint.. but NOT a well waxed car.. NOT good for Rubber wipers, and rubber window seals unless IMMEDIATELY washed off.
I also have a textured bottom in my tub. I have struggled for years to get the gunk out of it, with only moderate success. Have never found a commercial product that would work as well as baking soda and peroxide, but even that didn’t get it “clean like new”. Gotta say, folks, this did the trick. And all I did was spray and wipe. I saturated the tub (I’m talking puddles) and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Didn’t want to leave it any longer because if there’s anything smells worse than vinegar, it’s vinegar mixed with Dawn. But my fiberglass tub is 12 years old and my husband is a “grease monkey”, so I have had a permanent tub-ring and it was impossible to get the black out of the textured bottom. This took it back to new again, and with NO SCRUBBING!!
Well..I tried it with 1 ounce of dawn full amount vinegar a few months back…i thought there must have been a typo…sprqyed, waited awesome clean sink.
I tried it the full amount of dawn…it qas dawn of the crazy soap goo!!! I did NOT read the part about,wipe off with a towel! This is the manditory …someone could have slipped and killed themselves! Imhad the blue streaks and all…yuck! It took 45 minutes to get it off. That beong said, i wil Try again, less dawn, and definitely wipe first!!! I must say my mirrors that are frosted bathroom window look awesome today. I never reaiIzed they were able to shine so bright…all was not lost…lessons learned…read all of pin next time!
P.s i had my son spray it for me while i was making the beds…he’s taller tan me now at 12! I heard him coughing and it progressed really fast almost to a coughing fit! I pulled him out, opened the window and shut the door. It was pretty strong smelling and should be carefully monitored for anyone with asthma!
Will definitely try this, thanks for the info.
I just tried this on my shower. It really did need some help. It looks GREAT!!
honestly.. did LITTLE to deal with my soap scum on my clear glass shower doors… IF ANYONE has a FAIL SAFE for Soap Scum, PLEASE feel free to e-mail me with a solution!
I’ve read the recipe through twice. I’ve read all the comments. Now I’m trying to decide whether to try this out not! Some people swear by this and say it did wonders; others say it didn’t do anything and it’s noxious. The recipe says to use a whole bottle of Dawn, while others say to only use a partial bottle. My shower has tile walls that need clean grout and a textured fiberglass floor that’s hard to clean. The shower is hard to rinse since there’s no sprayer on the head, so the dry wipe method is appealing if it works. I don’t want a streaky filmy still-dirty shower left that will suds up as soon as the water hits it, but I’d love to have an economical eco-friendly cleaner that really works. Advice or feedback is welcome!
HOLY COW you did not worn us about the fumes / smell!
I turned on the fan and covered my nose and mouth with a washcloth and got out as fast as I could. My nose is burning. It better be a miracle because I wont use that again other wise.
A little warning would have been nice
I have developed sensitivity to almost any and every thing that has the slightest odor. Odors cause me instant and long lasting headaches. However the one thing that does not bother me is vinegar so am excited to try this recipe. Maybe I won’t have to hide in a different room with all the windows open when my cleaning lady is here. If I am lucky maybe I, myself, will be able to clean with it.
Thanks
I have an allergy to scent too, Leslie, and have to look for unscented products for pretty much everything. When I do get exposed to a bad scent, there are three things that seem to help me, besides getting outside into the fresh air. One is sniffing coffee grounds (instant works too, but not as well), another is sticking my head in the freezer to breathe the cold air, and the third is to eat a candied ginger (Reeds and The Ginger People make some). I hope this can help you too. Good luck!
This didn’t work for me at all. I tried and tried. I don’t know what I did wrong, but it seemed to make my shower door worse! And yes, it smelled awful!!
I don’t like the idea of dry polishing, so, suds or not, I’m going to try spraying it with the shower hose. I do have one concern, however, that I’m surprised no one addressed. With so much Dawn, I’m concerned about the bottom of the tub or shower floor being slippery.
Yes, the floor will be very slippery due to the Dawn, so be very careful. I use my handheld shower nozzle to first rinse down the floor and then rinse the walls, glass, etc.
I don’t like the idea of dry polishing, so, suds or not, I’m going to try spraying it with the shower hose. I do have one concern, however, that I’m surprised no one addressed. With so much Dawn, I’m concerned about the bottom of the tub or shower floor being slippery.
Also, I don’t get the purpose of heating the solution. Is it necessary for only the mixing, or does it have to be heated with every use?
These are exactly my concerns. I don’t see any replies to Sheila #1’s post. I’m trying again.
I think i want to give this a try and hopefully it will work on my bathroom sink as well. Soap and water don’t seem to be working effectively. I’m trying to find more eco-friendly and cheaper solutions for my bathroom. I am also looking for an effective solution for tile floors.
I used this with a 3x Power Sprayer Bottle I bought at Walmart. I love the bottle from Walmart because you use less effort for spraying large areas (shower/tub) and I thought it was worth the $3.00 +/- investment. Also, I made the mistake of pouring the vinegar in the bottle and it was too hot and warped my bottle. I suggest heating the vinegar in a Pyrex measuring cup and mixing the Dawn in the cup and THEN pouring it into the bottle.
I have very hard water and this stuff worked like a dream with about a half an hour soak.
LOVE IT!!!
I think I found the secret…
First, I’d like to say I LOVE THIS CLEANER! I use vinegar all the time and can’t believe I didn’t see this sooner. I’ve used it a few times now and recommended it to friends. I do have a couple of hints that helped me in a few ways:
– Read the directions, seems like some people think this is a 50/50 mix… nope 10oz and 12oz.
– Having a detachable shower head helps speed up the wiping process tenfold!
– No need for dry cloth, I used my detachable shower head and large cleaning brush (like for carpet) and got almost NO SUDS!!
– Make sure you have the bathroom fan on for the entire process. The vinegar smell can be super strong.
– Work in stages. I usually spray my tub/shower & curtain, then the toilet, then the sink. Let it sit for 5 ish minutes and get some fresh air. Then go in and use your toilet brush to rub it all around the toilet. If the smell is not too strong, then do the sink too. No flushing or rinsing yet, just let it sit. Then leave the bathroom for another 5 ish minutes. Then come back and rub it around the shower and tub. You don’t have to scrub, I just like to make sure it’s nice and covered. Then leave again for another 5 minutes. Come back and wipe down the sink, finish the toilet and flush. Take another break if you need it. Then come back and finish the shower. I usually get it most of the way clean (make sure the bottom is free from all soap) then I’ll just hop in the shower and use my cleaning brush to finish making sure all the soap is off the faucet areas.
These are things that worked great for me and hope they help you too! Good luck!
Thank you for such a great idea. I followed the recipe, adding lemon oil. I sprayed it on my shower that always has soap scum, and it rinsed right off. No problems with excess suds. The smell wasn’t the greatest (it was way better smelling than the store bought cleaners) but if you don’t spray it on, and put it in a dawn bottle and sqirt it on, the problem is solved I might try that next time. For now, it is a great cleaner. Thank you!
Had a bottle of cream cleaner put water in and a bit of that cream cleaner shake and spray let it sit then wipe it.
Looks good, but I dont have Dawn in my country….can any other dish washing liquid?
It should work… you generally want to use the one that is considered the “Best”
Becky, is that to clean or can I spray this after I get done showering to prevent soap scum ?
This is to clean, not a daily shower cleaning spray that you spray and leave on. You spray it then wipe it down or rinse it with water.
How long will this solution stay effective???
It stays effective for a while. I’ve had some in a spray bottle for over a year and it still works great. I just give it a little shake
This stuff is heaven sent – worked so effortless for me – thank you!
glad it worked so well for you!
glad it worked so well for you!
I only have ultra Dawn, can that be used?
I use ultra dawn, just dilute it with water because it is concentrated. Equal parts vinegar, Dawn, and water has worked for me. I heat the vinegar as instructed, add the Dawn, then add the water last and shake the spray bottle to be sure it’s well-combined.
Hello! I want to try this on my apartment shower/tub because my husband is a mechanic and he turns our tub black every day he takes a shower. I had a question about the heating of the vinegar. I don’t have a microwave only a stove so I was wondering what are the suggestions for using a stove to heat the vinegar. Do I need to boil it? Thanks for the help.
I think it needs to be heated just to help it mix well together. It just needs to be pretty not, boiling isn’t necessary.
Looks like she cleaned her sink first and staged a few smears. Why?
I promise that’s not what she did.
I am trying this in a dish scrubber. The kind that has a hollow handle with a scrubbie sponge on the end. My husbands shower is small and he said he would scrub it after his shower if I made the recipe. Since it needs to rest sponge side up (the loose consistency runs out if it laid down) I have attached a holder with suction cups from Target.
That’s a great tip!
I literally just tried this 20 min. ago with the green dawn. My husband’s ceramic tile shower was absolutely horrible filled with so much soap scumb and mole I sprayed the entire bottle. I am a cleaning freak and never in my life have I ever seen the soap scumb literally melt before my eyes!!! I left it on for five to ten minutes tops then I took a brush as I rinsed the entire shower. The entire job was complete in less than five minutes minus the 10 min. soak!!! I will never buy another cleaner…..
I’m so glad you liked it!!! I think it’s amazing!! 😀
OMG!!! I had no idea that I can use simple baking soda and vinegar to make a shower cleaner. Thank you so much for sharing this cleaning recipe! I will definitely try this at home!
Awesome right? It’s so easy!
I LOVE this stuff!! Works great!! I used generic ultra dawn from the grocery store & it worked just as well as name brand blue dawn so that saves even more $$! Thanks for putting this out there!!
YAY!! I’m so glad you love it!
Well..I tried it with 1 ounce of dawn full amount vinegar a few months back…i thought there must have been a typo…sprqyed, waited awesome clean sink.
I tried it the full amount of dawn…it qas dawn of the crazy soap goo!!! I did NOT read the part about,wipe off with a towel! This is the manditory …someone could have slipped and killed themselves! Imhad the blue streaks and all…yuck! It took 45 minutes to get it off. That beong said, i wil Try again, less dawn, and definitely wipe first!!! I must say my mirrors that are frosted bathroom window look awesome today. I never reaiIzed they were able to shine so bright…all was not lost…lessons learned…read all of pin next time!
I’m glad it worked out for you!
I also have a textured bottom in my tub. I have struggled for years to get the gunk out of it, with only moderate success. Have never found a commercial product that would work as well as baking soda and peroxide, but even that didn’t get it “clean like new”. Gotta say, folks, this did the trick. And all I did was spray and wipe. I saturated the tub (I’m talking puddles) and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Didn’t want to leave it any longer because if there’s anything smells worse than vinegar, it’s vinegar mixed with Dawn. But my fiberglass tub is 12 years old and my husband is a “grease monkey”, so I have had a permanent tub-ring and it was impossible to get the black out of the textured bottom. This took it back to new again, and with NO SCRUBBING!!
So glad you love it!
i tried the DIY cleaner…Dawn and Vinegar…it’s so thick, it will not come out of the sprayer..I followed the directions..help!
This is such a lovely cleaning idea! Thank you for sharing it! The pictures are really helpful! 🙂
You’re welcome!
I tried this with Olay Dawn (pink). I was so excited I made a large bottle. I took caution to run fan in baths. I don’t have dirty stained tubs but I use Bath Body products which are greasy. I can stand spit on my sinks from brushing teeth. All faucets look great! I passed this on to my children, 2 daughters and son, which are just starting out in their own places. I do caution be careful as this mixture is slippery if gets unknowingly on floors ( I did read some cleaned mopping)
This is such a simple mixture and it works great! Thanks for sharing
Thanks for sharing this, it’s Awesome!!! My husband loves (like refuses to use any other) Dove bar soap. And I love to shave with baby oil. Sadly the combo leaves a lethal scum on our tub. I’ve tried everything and nothing would completely remove it. I sprayed the tub and let it sit for about 2 hours and it ALL came right up. I used a toilet brush and a sponge. No effort!! I love it!! My shower looks brand new. Thank you!!
I’m so glad you love it!! 🙂
Too much suds could be caused by using ultra dawn. I guess it is thicker. I read to just use less ultra dawn. Haven’t tried it so really not positive.
That’s a great tip!
Can this be safely used on a refinished tub and shower enclosure?
I always keep my bathtub clean. But I was not home for 5 days and guess what? All the bad stuff like toothpaste, soap, detergent were all over my tub. It’s awkward and I got my hubby who was the guilty. I was looking for some homemade ways of cleaning and found this awesome ideas and it’s work greatly. Thanks!!
Thank s for this DIY tutorial. Keep it dry. Since a dark, damp environment is perfect for growing mold, mildew and germs, you can minimize funk by leaving the shower as dry as possible when you’re finished.
I tried this this morning. While it was great on soap scum, for my clear glass shower doors it was a disaster. Oh yes, the scum came off. But rinsing the French doors caused a massive puddle in the bathroom.When I tried using a paper towel, I got incredible foam that I could not get rid of. I tried paper towels and washcloths. I also have a haze that I cannot get rid of. I am trying to get rid of that with a dry microfiber cloth. It worked fine on the other fiberglass shower ,the doors over there have a pattern on it- no one can see the haze. The fiberglass shell was clean in a jiffy.
Do you have any suggestions about clear glass doors that sit on a bathtub?
The key to this cleaner is to wipe it off with a dry washcloth! As you saw, once it gets wet, it foams!! I have heard that distilled alcohol, baking soda, and white vinegar can do the trick for glass doors! I have not personally tried it, but that could do the trick! So sorry that this was such a bad experience! But I am glad it worked on the other showers!
I’ve been using this recipe for several years – ever since I discovered it! I have found several things that make the smell so much better. I heat up the vinegar in a bowl and add the dawn to it while it’s hot. I mix it together and wait for it to cool down in the bowl and stir it a little to help the smell dissipate. When it’s cooled down, I put it in the spray bottle. I also add at least 10 drops of peppermint essential oil or lemon. Waiting, stirring and letting the odor dissipate before putting it in the bottle really helps. So does opening a window and turning on the ceiling fan. I have asthma and so I don’t tolerate the smell if I use immediately. Best cleaner for my bathroom gunk! I also run hot water in the shower for at least 5 minutes before applying the cleaner as it loosens the scum.
Love these tips Kathy! Thanks for sharing!
I was AMAZED at how well this cleaned and I did not scrub at all. I let it sit for about 40 minutes and rinsed. My only disappointment is the smell. It is so strong I can hardly stand to be in the same room I was wondering if heating the vinegar could possibly contribute to the smell? I love the cleaner but I’m a little nervous to use it because of the smell.
YES it is pretty strong! You could turn on the bathroom fan and open a window to help air it out. You could also test it out without heating the vinegar and see what your cleaning results are. Let us know!
This stuff worked in the shower. I sprayed until it was all gone. But where this cleaner shined was on my warm,not hot, oven door. Not cleaned for five years, the cleaner did the job in less than five minutes! Wiped off with damp rag. Three times. DONE!
Ahhh! Such a great tip Nina!! Thanks for sharing your excellent idea!!
I just used this to clean my shower curtain liner and it worked perfectly! I just laid the curtain liner out on the kitchen floor, gave it a quick spray and scrub and it looks good as new! It was nasty too, with mildew, mold and soap scum. Usually I would just throw out my liner and buy a new one, but when I think about all that heavy plastic going to a landfill (and/or the ocean) I get sad. Thanks for this simple and effective recipe!
Glad to hear it worked so nice for you Emma!
I was wondering if this would work on the black/gray spots on the grout in shower? If not what is best to remove those stains or what ever they are?
Thanks
It is sure worth a try! Let us know. That can be something like soap scum.