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The 7 Best Shower Tile Cleaners of 2024

Eliminate soap scum, and let your tile sparkle

Collage of Lysol Power Bathroom Foamer on a blue background

The Spruce / Lecia Landis

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!

Our Top Picks

Best Overall

Scrubbing Bubbles Grime Fighter Spray

Scrubbing Bubbles Disinfectant Bathroom Grime Fighter Spray

Amazon

What We Like
  • Cleans and disinfects

  • Easy to use

  • Clinging foam good for vertical walls

What We Don’t Like
  • 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 percent of viruses and bacteria, earning it our best overall rating for its great cleaning power. The spray bottle has a trigger nozzle that emits foam and allows you to direct the application wherever you need it, keeping the solution on the affected area. Because showers have vertical walls, the clinging properties are a nice feature (and a big reason we love it) to make the most of your cleaning solution.

How often should you clean your shower?

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 Brown. “A deeper clean with a cleaning solution and brush can be done every other week and more frequently if needed.”

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. 

Type: Foam spray | Amount: 32 fl.oz. | Scent: Rainshower, citrus, lavender, floral fusion

Best Daily Cleaner

Clean Shower Daily Shower Cleaner

Clean Shower Daily Shower Cleaner

Walmart

What We Like
  • Gets rid of stains

  • Works without rinsing or wiping

  • No bleach or ammonia

What We Don’t Like
  • 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.

The best way to keep your shower clean without scrubbing is to regularly use a daily shower spray. “If you want a 100 percent 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 love that this 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.

Type: Spray | Amount: 32 fl.oz. | Scent: Fresh clean

Best Without Bleach

Clorox Plus Tilex Daily Shower Cleaner

Clorox Plus Tilex Daily Shower Cleaner

Walmart

What We Like
  • Gets rid of hard water stains and soap scum

  • Prevents new build-up

  • Safe for multiple surfaces

What We Don’t Like
  • 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, we think 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.

Type: Spray | Amount: 32 fl.oz. | Scent: Unscented

Best Eco-Friendly

Method Daily Shower Cleaner Spray

Method Daily Shower Spray Cleaner

Walmart

What We Like
  • Great scent

  • Plant-based ingredients

  • No scrubbing or rinsing needed

What We Don’t Like
  • Not effective on older messes and stains

Method’s line of cleaning products are effective and smell fantastic in your home. We think 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.

Type: Spray | Amount: 28 fl.oz. | Scent: Eucalyptus Mint

Best for Grout

Soft Scrub All Purpose Surface Cleanser

Soft Scrub All Purpose Surface Cleanser

Amazon

What We Like
  • Removes stains

  • Can be applied in multiple ways

  • Good for other uses as well

What We Don’t Like
  • 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.

Type: Liquid | Amount: 24 fl.oz. | Scent: Lemon

Best for Stone

Granite Gold Shower Cleaner

Granite Gold Shower Cleaner

Amazon

What We Like
  • Cleans mold, mildew, hard water, and soap scum

  • Safe for multiple surfaces

  • Daily use doesn’t require scrubbing

What We Don’t Like
  • May need to scrub for deep cleaning

Not all cleaners are safe for 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.

Type: Spray | Amount: 24 fl.oz. | Scent: Unscented

Best Disinfectant

Lysol Power Bathroom Cleaner

Lysol Power Bathroom Cleaner

Amazon

What We Like
  • Kills 99.9% of viruses and bacteria

  • Gets rid of soap scum, mold, and mildew

  • Effective on stains

What We Don’t Like
  • Requires rinsing or scrubbing

This cleaner is effective against 99.9 percent 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 with its easy-to-use trigger handle.

After spraying, you'll need to wipe or rinse, especially if you use this cleaner on stubborn stains and dirt, but you'll be 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.

Type: Spray | Amount: 22 fl.oz. per bottle | Scent: Fresh

Final Verdict

Our best overall pick, Scrubbing Bubbles Disinfectant Bathroom Grime Fighter Spray, does away with soap scum and dirt. It also gets rid of 99.9 percent of viruses and bacteria. For our best daily cleaner 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 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 best overall pick, Scrubbing Bubbles Disinfectant Bathroom Grime Fighter Spray. It not only gets rid of soap scum and dirt, but it also eliminates 99.9 percent 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, like our best overall pick, Scrubbing Bubbles Disinfectant Bathroom Grime Fighter Spray, offer great formulas that keep the cleaning solution on the surface that you want to clean while reducing the amount of dripping.

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. 

Our Expert:

Angela Brown, author of How to Start Your Own House Cleaning Company