Tom's Life Bits

Quite possibly one of the best tips to ever land my mailbox came from a guy who is a professional property manager. He handles rental apartments, and lots of them. As an apartment is vacated, his job is to see that it is thoroughly cleaned and made ready for the next occupants.

He told me that the biggest challenge is always the bathroom, specifically the tub and shower. He kindly left specific details up to my imagination but let me know that “gross” is not strong enough to describe what he often finds. And that’s when he gave me his super magical potion—the only product he uses to return showers, tubs, tile, enclosures, faucets and doors to their sparkling clean and sanitized condition.

I gave his unbelievably simple recipe a try. In what has to be at least 20 years since I got that letter, I’ve used nothing else to clean tubs, showers, sinks, toilets, patio furniture—just about anything that will stand still long enough to get sprayed, and can be rinsed easily. This product must be rinsed off.

To make your own Tub, Tile and Shower Cleaner you will need three things:

An empty spray bottle, Dawn dishwashing liquid (any variation as long as it is Dawn and it is blue) and white vinegar.

TO MAKE: Pour one cup blue Dawn into a 32-ounce spray bottle (1/2 cup Dawn if you are using a 16-ounce bottle). Fill the bottle the rest of the way with white vinegar. Apply sprayer top; shake gently to mix.

TO USE: Spray liberally on the area to be cleaned. Allow to sit from 30 minutes up to overnight, depending on the severity of the problem. All of the offensive gunk and grime will break down and become soft and gooey. Simply rinse it away. For especially challenging situations—or if this is the initial treatment—use a sponge or brush to gently scrub the surfaces before rinsing.

TO TREAT MILDEW, MOLD. While the Tub, Tile and Shower Cleaner works to loosen and remove most mildew, if you see a lot of black growth you will want to pretreat with full strength liquid chlorine bleach before proceeding as above. CAUTION: Never, ever allow chlorine bleach to come in contact with other products, especially vinegar. This could produce chlorine gas, which is deadly. Don’t panic. Simply make sure you rinse the chlorine bleach away completely before proceeding to clean with the homemade tub and tile cleaner.

TO MAINTAIN: Here’s the best thing about this cleaner—if you use it weekly you will never have to scrub again. Here’s what I do: Once each week I spray down the walls, doors, tracks, faucets, shampoo caddy—everything within reach—with this magical cleaner while I am in the shower. Before I step out, I use the handheld sprayer to rinse it all away. No scrubbing required. It dries sparkling clean without using a squeegee or wiping down with a towel. And not a water mark to be seen. Simply brilliant!

I use this stuff in the kitchen, too—on my appliances, stainless steel sink and faucets (never on the granite counter tops), but only where it can be rinsed away. That means I don’t spray it on the floor or into the air. That would create a slippery, soapy mess.

I don't have the strength in my hands to use a spray bottle for the whole shower, so I mixed a big batch in a garden sprayer, pumped it up, and was able to clean two tub/shower combinations in no time. It's a miracle! • Reply•Share ›
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Dave Anthony • 9 days ago All I can say is WOW!! It worked where others wouldn't!! Thank you so much! • Reply•Share ›
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Guest • 11 days ago I'm allergic to Dawn and my husband,doesn't care that our white shower looks like an abstract painting. Is there something else I can use? • Reply•Share › −

Dave Anthony Guest • 8 days ago Says it must be Dawn and it must be Blue. Not sure why. • Reply•Share ›
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EML13 • 24 days ago OMG, cancel the grouters! It works like a miracle! • Reply•Share ›
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EML13 • 24 days ago I have green Dawn, is it a waste of time to use it? Or is it the same as blue Dawn? Thanks. • Reply•Share ›
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SteveH • a month ago Kudos the the gentleman that came up with this concoction, and to you for publishing it. This stuff is nothing short of amazing. It might take a second application for particularly stubborn spots. I used this for the first time today. I sprayed down the tub at lunch time, and let it sit until early evening. Stuff that I would normally have to scrub till my arms hurt using the commercial cleaner and a brush took a minor brushing and came right up. What I like the best is that you don't need to wear a gas mask or scuba gear while using it. Even my wife's sensitive nose wasn't offended in the least by it. Thank you! • Reply•Share ›
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Marilyn B • 2 months ago So Jules (below in thread) asked what do you use on granite. My shower has 2 large glass sides and 2 tiled walls. BUT I have a granite floor in the shower stall. My shower has had 25 years of hard well water. I can see using your formula on the vertical walls but HELP …. My floor of granite is not to have vinegar on it. (I'll lay towels down) Suggestions??? • Reply•Share ›
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AAEJ • 2 months ago Amazing– I actually can't believe how well this worked on my tub fixtures! • Reply•Share › −

Sage0925 • 3 months ago Well, just made my first application. The shower wasn't too bad to start with (spent the day scrubbing it, which is why I'm now on this website), but I have one stubborn corner in the downstairs shower. I hope this stuff is as advertised, because both of my bathrooms are tile, and I don't fancy having to spend an entire day in each scrubbing it down.

I don't ever take anybody's word for anything on the internet. but I researched other sites and their comments, and seems this is the way to go.

30 mins later, well, I'll give you that it's good with soap scum. Easy removal. Removed some of the hard water stains, but not most, so I'm giving it another go. In defense of this product, though, I will say that I don't know how long that stuff has been there (just bought the house last September, and I don't use that shower, and my husband just doesn't pay attention to that sort of thing), nor how badly the previous owner may have scratched up the tile in attempt to clean it. Does a bang up job on soap scum though, very easy to remove. • Reply•Share › −

Theresa • 3 months ago Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! best stuff ever!! • Reply•Share ›
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Adam Sant • 4 months ago Duuuuude! Thank you! 10 years of soap scum gone!!! We had tried so many products and I found this recipe, we had the ingredients on hand and whipped some up. We doused our (fiberglass insert) shower with it, waited only 30 minutes and all the soap scum that had been so stubborn for years was all jellied-up and gooey and with a bit of gentle scrubbing, it came right off! Like the couple below, we spent the rest of the day marveling at our re-born shower. And all the shower fixtures are free of hard water stains and look re-born as well! Again…thanks so very much for posting the recipe and how to use it! • Reply•Share ›
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jules • 4 months ago So what do you use on granite? • Reply•Share › −

Jess • 6 months ago It worked wonderfully for me. Thank you very much! I had tried many cleaners with no results. • Reply•Share ›
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Sheri Jatzlau • 6 months ago Doesn't it stink though?? • Reply•Share ›
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Karen Cutler Sheri Jatzlau • 8 days ago ROTFL! Yes, it stinks of vinegar, which is much healthier than all the chemicals I had been using • Reply•Share ›
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Joy • 7 months ago We just used this recipe and it was amazing! My husband and I kept walking back into the bathroom all day to admire the long lost white in our tub. He earned years of recognition for finding your post and giving me a “like-new” bathroom. Good for our marriage. :) • Reply•Share ›
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Aoraki • 7 months ago Whats Dawn? or should I say what is the equivalent in other countries? • Reply•Share ›
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Tracy Aoraki • 6 months ago I did some checking and found in Europe and Australia, Fairy and Texol brands are the closest. I don't know if you have those but Dawn is formulated to cut grease and fats from dishes using just a drop or two then people found out it could do tons of other things. I have no connection to the company but do like the brand. • Reply•Share ›
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Melissa melech • 7 months ago I cant use dawn due to an allergic reaction. Its too harsh on my skin. I have used vinegar to get body oil out of bed sheets. I spary the bad spots with half water half vinegar let sit for a few hours. Then into the wash with more vinegar my normal soap and a little dish soap. I let it soak on the longest hottest setting. Then i wash normal.

So its no shock that these two works great on bathroom. It cuts through so much. I love vinegar i use it for so many things even fabric softener. • Reply•Share ›
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Danny Smith Melissa melech • 7 months ago You can use baking soda and vinegar and it works perfectly! Just finished using it in my tub and I am blown away at how clean it is. Feels brand new! Pour some baking soda in a bowl. Slowly add vinegar to it to make a paste. It will foam up like a volcano so pour slowly and let the fizz slow down before adding more. Rub this into the soap scum and let it do its thing for 15 minutes then scrub with a soft brush. Rinse and watch it disappear! • Reply•Share › − Chippy • 7 months ago I have used all the name brand cleaners, nothing has worked. Even the ones that burn your skin don't work on my soap scum. I had given up hope - even thinking of buying a new tube! I found this and decided to try. WOW, two treatments and it's like a new tube. Thank you. • Reply•Share ›
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AeshA • 7 months ago Great stuff want to try asap. Just one question. Can I use seventh generation or Castile soap instead of dawn? Just wanted to be lil natural due to my lil one. Thanks in advance. • Reply•Share ›
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Mary Hunt Admin AeshA • 7 months ago Nothing else works as well as Dawn. I wouldn't waste my time and money on anything other than blue Dawn unless you live in a country where blue Dawn is not available. Procter & Gamble owns the formula and it is carefully held secret. So my best advice is don't try to improve on perfection. Use blue Dawn. • Reply•Share › −

EML13 Mary Hunt • 24 days ago what about green Dawn? That's what I have. Is it the same? • Reply•Share ›
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Annette Krznarich • 8 months ago Thank you! I tried today on our shower which was sooooo bad, I wish I would have taken a before pic. sprayed down and let sit a few hours. Worked great! I no longer fear the shower! • Reply•Share ›
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Mary Hunt Admin Annette Krznarich • 7 months ago Fabulous! • Reply•Share ›
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Juan R • 8 months ago Thank you very much for this information. The soap scum on the bath tub floor melted like jelly and was super easy to clean. No more “elbowgrease” needed. • Reply•Share ›
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Mary Hunt Admin Juan R • 7 months ago Yes that's it exactly. I call it magic :) • Reply•Share ›
− Chewbacca2000 • 9 months ago Also, used on glass surfaces and a lot of mirrors. Used newspaper instead of papertowel. Looks like a professional cleaned. Tooth paste, hairspray, god knows what else is gone. Zip, zero nada. • Reply•Share ›
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Mary Hunt Admin Chewbacca2000 • 7 months ago Yes! • Reply•Share ›
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Chewbacca2000 • 9 months ago Let it sit for 10.mins on some old soap in the shower scum. I'm not going to lie, my shower looks new. 10 minutes. Perfect portion for me seems to be 1 part soap to 4 or 5 parts vinegar. I used the concentrated dawn, shook it up then squeezed out the bubbles. In flippin' credible. I'm doing the other 2 bathrooms in the house now. Works on shower curtain, sinks, tubs, you name it I have a house of 4 females and me. Beauty products, moisturizers, hair spray you name it. This is a miracle In a bottle. Don't recommend buying the @$ndex brand of vinegar cleaner as it doesn't hold a candle to this concoction. There is a smell, no doubt, but it dissipates soon after rinsed away. Bravo! • Reply•Share ›
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Mary Hunt Admin Chewbacca2000 • 7 months ago Yes vinegar has a strong smell … but it is not harmful. So happy your a new fan of this magical formula. Maybe you should start a cleaning business. Haha. Just an idea. • Reply•Share › −

Jodie Cohen • 10 months ago GREAT!! took the ring right out of the bathtub, and the haze off of the wall tiles. I let it site about an hour. A little light help from a scotch brite sponge (really no muscle needed) Thank you! • Reply•Share ›
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Donna • 10 months ago I have a stall shower with black tiles. The hard water stains and soap scum are a major chore to remove. It takes days to clean it. I tried the vinegar and dawn, scrubbed a little with a scouring pad, and the stains came off! I am amazed! Thank you so much! As an added tip, I keep a spray bottle of vinegar and water underneath the sink in my bathroom to clean the mirror, faucet and vanity. It's cheaper than buying what's out there and works great. • Reply•Share ›
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Nick the plumber • a year ago As a plumber for 23 years I ve heard many tales buuuuuut using auto PASTE wax on every thing after its clean prolongs maintenance to infinity and beyond, not really, but a long time. Shower glass , faucets, ss sinks especially oil rub bronze because it's a LIVING finish it wears off quickly leaving a BRONZE finish • Reply•Share ›
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Elle • a year ago I have glass windows in the shower. After A LOT of hard work, using different products, they now “feel” clean, but still have the white spots. Will this take care of that? • Reply•Share ›
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Mary Hunt Admin Elle • 7 months ago Those are hard water marks and if they didn't come off with this formula, you have a more serious problem—minerals in the water over a long time can actually etch the glass. But don't give up yet: Get a can of fume-free cold Easy Off Oven Cleaner. Spray that on the glass and let it stand overnight. If that doesn't do it … check the last letter in this post: http://wp.me/p2Emiq-3Dh • Reply•Share › −

Lolliemouse • a year ago I have been using this combo for EVERYTHING ever since I read this article. My elderly kitty had bowel accidents on a friend's rug where we were staying and THIS. DID. THE. TRICK - it was magic! Now I am in an apartment where the well water runs high in magnesium. High magnesium = blue bath tub! The landlord suggested “Lime Away” but hey, I already had my handy bottle of Dawn/Vinegar mix and I cleaned every bit of blue away effortlessly. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us! • Reply•Share ›
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Mary Hunt Admin Lolliemouse • 7 months ago You are so welcome! • Reply•Share ›
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Nicki-Brent Woodard • a year ago I'm needing to mix up another bottle and couldn't remember the exact amounts. This e-mail came just at the right time. We don't use this every day, but when we do, my husband and I will spray the tub down after bathing and the next day it rinses out when we shower, or if he is taking a bath he rinses the tub before filling it. The vinegar smell is a little strong, but you get use to it and it is a great cleaner.

We also invested in the Shark vacuum you recommend. We bought ours about 2 years ago, and last year when our church needed an upgrade, we bought the same one. The only drawback is it could have a longer cord in the church since we have to vacuum between the pews. We can lift it up and vacuum directly on the padded pews. Cleans beautifully. • Reply•Share ›
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Mary Hunt Admin Nicki-Brent Woodard • 7 months ago Your success makes me so happy! • Reply•Share ›
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LYNN SNOW • a year ago can I use cleaning white vinegar? • Reply•Share › −

Mary Hunt Admin LYNN SNOW • 7 months ago Yes! Cleaning Vinegar (you can get it at Home Depot etc. pretty cheap) is 30% acidity whereas White Vinegar in the grocery story for cooking is 5% acifidty. That means cleaning vinegar will make this magic product much more powerful. I'm talking super miracle! Just make sure you don't try to make vinegarette with 30%. It won't be harmful but it will be way toooooo strong. Crazy strong. • Reply•Share ›
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Jane Berry • a year ago amazing! I just cleaned my 40+ year old white tile in my shower with this and they look fabulous. thank you so much!! • Reply•Share ›
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Mary Hunt Admin Jane Berry • 7 months ago You bet! • Reply•Share ›
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Michelle Clark • a year ago This mixture was way too soapy. It took forever for me to rinse it out of the tub. Next time I will use a lot less Dawn. • Reply•Share ›
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Judy Michelle Clark • 8 months ago Michelle if when you rinse use warm water then getting the last of the suds out, use cold water to do the final down the drain…that will get rid of any suds…you really ought to stick with the recipe that's what makes it great…just saying • Reply•Share ›
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Mary Hunt Admin Judy • 7 months ago Totally agree with Judy. Stick with the recipe if you want the great results. • Reply•Share ›