--- title: "The Best Bathroom Cleaners for Different Surfaces" description: "The best bathroom cleaners work hard so you don’t have to. We tested 10 top picks (both traditional and green) to see worked best on every surface." date: "2020-01-10" modified: "2024-04-16" authors: - name: "Manasa Reddigari" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.bobvila.com/authors/manasa-reddigari/" - name: "Timothy Dale" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.bobvila.com/authors/timothy-dale/" - name: "Katie Barton" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.bobvila.com/authors/katie-barton/" url: "https://www.bobvila.com/articles/best-bathroom-cleaner/" categories: - "Bathrooms" - "Cleaning" - "Cleaning Supplies" - "Interior" - "Mold & Mildew" - "Reviews" - "Toilets" - "Tubs & Showers" tags: - "Commerce" - "MPR" - "Product Category Reviews" --- # The Best Bathroom Cleaners for Different Surfaces ![The 10 best bathroom cleaners grouped together before testing.]() *Photo: Katie Barton for BobVila.com* Bathroom showers, tubs, and countertops collect soap scum. Toilets gather grime and bacteria. Tiled surfaces can fall prey to mildew and mold. Mirrors are magnets for toothpaste, makeup, and streaks. The list of possible messes could go on and on. For that reason, we’ve tested the best bathroom cleaner formulas. These products work hard on messy bathrooms, meaning less work for you. After researching 20 popular and effective cleaners for common bathroom surfaces, we put the top 10 through hands-on testing. Keep reading to learn about the types of cleaners; the ingredients to look for in traditional, natural, and germ-killing cleaners; and to see some of the most effective cleaning products for each part of a bathroom. 1. **BEST OVERALL:** [Clorox Clean-Up Cleaner + Bleach]() 2. **BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK:** [Lysol Power Bathroom Cleaner]() 3. **BEST NATURAL:** [Better Life All-Purpose Cleaner 2-Pack]() 4. **BEST FOR TOILETS:** [Lysol Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner ]() 5. **BEST FOR MIRRORS:** [MiracleWipes for Glass]() 6. **BEST FOR TILE FLOORS:** [Swiffer Sweeper 2-in-1 Dry and Wet Floor Starter Kit]() 7. **BEST FOR QUICK CLEANING:** [Lysol Dual Action Disinfecting Wipes]() 8. **BEST FOR SOAP SCUM:** [Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Bath Foaming Cleaner]() 9. **BEST FOR MOLD AND MILDEW:** [RMR Solutions RMR-86 Mold & Mildew Stain Remover]() 10. **BEST FOR HARD WATER STAINS:** [Bio-Clean Products Hard Water Stain Remover]() ![The Best Bathroom Cleaner Options]() *Photo: Katie Barton for BobVila.com* ## How We Tested the Best Bathroom Cleaners Bathrooms are full of germs, dirt, soap scum, mildew, and an array of hard surfaces like toilets, showers, tubs, sinks, floors, and mirrors. To find the best cleaner for each common bathroom surface, we researched products with high consumer ratings and considered product value. Our list started with 20 products, which we narrowed down for testing purposes. Once we decided on 10 top cleaners, we began testing. We used each cleaner in our home over several weeks to assess its effectiveness. All of our testing results were kept in a rubric survey, and we graded each product on a scale of 1 to 5 based on ease of use, cleaning ability, scent, and value. We averaged the scores and then assigned each product a category based on performance. ## Testing Stats - **Products tested:** 10 - **Hours spent testing:** 4.5 - **Tests performed:** 9 - **Average price:** $10.52 ## Our Top Picks Every bathroom cleaner on this list has gone through extensive testing to secure its spot among our top picks. These are some of the best cleaners to help clean and sanitize various parts of a bathroom, and one (or more) of them may be exactly what you need. **Our Ratings:** Ease of Use **5/5**; Regular Buildup **5/5**; Tough Stains **5/5**; Scent **3/5**; Value **5/5** Get rid of stubborn stains, mold, mildew, and soap scum with Clorox Clean-Up Cleaner + Bleach. This bathroom cleaner can kill 99.9 percent of bacteria and viruses, including common bathroom germs that cause salmonella, flu, and skin infections. It’s safe for most hard surfaces, including bathroom fixtures such as toilets, fiberglass showers and bathtubs, sinks, glazed porcelain tile, laminate countertops, and glazed ceramic tile. During testing, Clorox Clean-Up took our old dingy shower from yellowish to bright white. We sprayed it on the shower walls and floor, let it sit for 5 minutes, scrubbed with a gentle scrub brush, and rinsed the surfaces. This product worked better than even some of the [best shower cleaners](), removing discoloration, mildew, and soap scum. We also loved this cleaner for our toilet, sink, and laminate countertops. It felt good to eliminate harmful germs as we cleaned. Clorox Clean-Up is a powerhouse cleaner, but it has a harsh chemical smell, which is its biggest drawback. We opened the windows while using this product to ensure our bathroom was well ventilated. Those with respiratory issues or sensitivities to chemicals might fare better with a different multipurpose bathroom cleaner. **Get the Clorox bathroom cleaner at [Amazon](), [The Home Depot](), or [Target]().** **Our Ratings:** Ease of Use **5/5**; Regular Buildup **5/5**; Tough Stains **4.7/5**; Scent **3/5**; Value **5/5** This affordable foaming bathroom cleaner can kill up to 99.9 percent of bacteria and viruses on most bathroom surfaces. It’s safe for use on shower doors, glazed ceramic, vanity tops, sinks, chrome fixtures, and tubs. It can cut through limescale and soap scum, disinfect or sanitize, and control the growth of mold and mildew depending on how long it’s allowed to sit. To see how well Lysol Power Bathroom Cleaner could cut through limescale and soap scum, we sprayed it in the middle of a large dirty patch on our shower surround and let the foam sit for 20 seconds. When we wiped it with a paper towel, it took the grime with it, leaving a clean patch. Since this product also disinfects and sanitizes, we used it on our toilet and sink drains, spraying it on and letting it sit for 10 minutes to disinfect before wiping it away. (Those who want to sanitize only can allow the product to sit for 30 seconds before wiping.) This power cleaner has many bathroom uses, and its foam formula makes it easy to apply. It does have a slightly chemical scent that’s most noticeable when dispersing a large amount of spray. We recommend using this product in a well-ventilated area. **Get the Lysol Power Bathroom Cleaner at [Amazon](), [The Home Depot](), or [Target]().** **Our Ratings:** Ease of Use **5/5**; Regular Buildup **5/5**; Tough Stains **3/5**; Scent **5/5**; Value **5/5** The natural and versatile Better Life multipurpose cleaner works great on tile and countertops, helping to eliminate common offenders like dirt, makeup, and soap scum. This best natural bathroom cleaner pick has a formula that is safe for a wide range of materials, including porcelain, ceramic, natural stone, laminate, engineered stone, and more. The all-natural formula makes it safe for use in homes with kids and pets. We like to save the chemicals for bigger jobs or once-per-week deep-cleaning. For that reason, this product is a favorite for everyday cleaning and touch-ups. We used this cleaner almost daily for quick cleanups, including wiping down countertops and faucets and removing toothpaste from the sink. The cleaner’s Clary Sage & Citrus scent smelled fresh, and it was light and didn’t irritate our sensitive noses. It was also easy to use: Just spray on a hard surface and wipe with a dry cloth—no rinsing required. This cleaner made its way throughout our house. We used it to wipe down kitchen counters, wood tables, dressers, and other hard surfaces. Thanks to its plant-derived ingredients, we also felt comfortable letting our older kids use it to clean their rooms. Although it doesn’t disinfect, it is effective at cleaning up dirt and grime with its safe, biodegradable ingredients. **Get the Better Life bathroom cleaner at [Amazon]() or [Better Life]().** **Our Ratings:** Ease of Use **5/5**; Regular Buildup **5/5**; Tough Stains **5/5**; Scent **4/5,** Value **5/5** Whether you need to tackle tough stains, stubborn toilet bowl rings, or regular buildup, Lysol Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner will get the job done. This cling gel has a disinfectant that kills 99.9 percent of viruses and bacteria, including *Rotavirus WA*, *HIV*-*1,* and *Staphylococcus aureus*. Users can apply the gel and leave it on for 30 seconds to sanitize or 15 minutes to disinfect. Lysol Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner is our favorite option for ridding a toilet of rings and stubborn stains. We first tested this cleaner in a home with hard water and on a toilet that wasn’t flushed often enough. The toilet bowl had accumulated a thick ring that other toilet bowl cleaners couldn’t touch. One use of this product eliminated the ring, leaving the toilet bowl looking like new. We’ve also used this cleaner for regular buildup, and it’s just as effective. The cling gel stays in place, making it easy to coat under the rim and water line. A quick swish with a toilet bowl brush is adequate for frequent cleanings. Tough stains sometimes require leaving the cleaner in the toilet bowl for 5 to 10 minutes (15 minutes to kill bacteria). The Atlantic Fresh Scent smells slightly minty and doesn’t have a strong chemical odor to it. **Get the Lysol toilet bowl cleaner at [Amazon]() (2-pack), [Target](), or [The Home Depot ]()(2-pack).** **Our Ratings:** Ease of Use **5/5**; Regular Buildup **5/5**; Tough Stains **N/A**; Scent **5/5**; Value **3.5/5** Cleaning sprays or foams can be difficult to wipe and rinse without leaving behind watermarks and streaks. Save time with MiracleWipes bathroom cleaning wipes, which are designed for cleaning glass surfaces such as bathroom mirrors and windows. This product comes in a 30-wipe container or a 60-wipe container, so shoppers can choose the most suitable quantity for their home. In testing, the wipes cleaned watermarks, toothpaste, fingerprints, dirt, and grime from our mirrors. The directions on the package stated to dry the glass with a soft cloth after use for the best results. We tested the wipes both ways (with and without drying with a cloth), and our mirror was streak-free in both instances. These wipes also cleaned other bathroom glass, such as windows and the shower door. They were especially helpful for quickly cleaning up toothpaste-splattered mirrors in kids’ bathrooms. MiracleWipes for Glass are unscented and have an ammonia-free formula. They clean well and offer convenience that only a wipe can. They’re perfect for cleaning up in a hurry before guests arrive and make it easy for older kids to pitch in with bathroom cleaning tasks. The biggest drawback is the price, which is much higher than for a spray glass cleaner. **Get the MiracleWipes bathroom cleaner at [Amazon]() or [Lowe’s]().** **Our Ratings:** Ease of Use **4.5/5**; Regular Buildup **5/5**; Tough Stains **4/5**; Scent **4/5**; Value **5/5** The Swiffer Sweeper 2-in-1 floor cleaner can be used for both sweeping and mopping bathroom floors. This kit comes with the Swiffer mop, several dry sweeping cloths, and several wet cleaning cloths (quantity depends on the retailer) to help keep the bathroom floor pristine. The Swiffer’s flexible, pivoting head can move around and between objects in the bathroom to help clean hard-to-reach locations. After receiving the Swiffer, we assembled it by clicking the included rod pieces together and attaching a dry sweeping cloth to the mophead. We appreciated how well the Swiffer dry cloths picked up hair and dust in our bathroom. It felt lightweight and was easy to maneuver against cabinets and around the toilet. After sweeping, we moved on to mopping. Attaching the wet mop pads was a little messy since we had to use our fingers to secure the wet cloths on the Swiffer. The mop pads had a green strip on the front that we could use to scrub stuck-on grime. We tested the mop on ceramic tile, linoleum, and hardwoods. It cleaned all three flooring surfaces, leaving behind a fresh scent. When we were finished mopping, we simply pulled off the disposable pad and tossed it in the trash. **Get the Swiffer bathroom cleaner at [Amazon](), [Lowe’s](), [The Home Depot](), [Walmart](), or [Target]().** **Our Ratings:** Ease of Use **5/5**; Regular Buildup **5/5**; Tough Stains **4.5/5**; Scent **4/5**; Value **5/5** Quickly clean up the bathroom sink, toilet, tub, and shower with this 75-pack of Lysol bathroom cleaning wipes. Each wipe has a touch-up side that has a mild abrasive quality for dealing with water spots and other light messes. The other side of the wipe has a rough abrasive texture that’s intended for scrubbing stuck-on toothpaste, limescale, and grime, making it easier to remove these stubborn substances. The wipes don’t just clean bathroom surfaces; they also sanitize by killing 99.9 percent of viruses and bacteria, including cold and flu viruses. The Lysol wipes were our favorite for cleaning around the toilet. The textured side made for quick cleanup of nasty messes, and we liked that we could toss the wipe in the trash rather than deal with a germ-filled cleaning rag. These wipes also made light work of cleaning gunk out of the sink, like globs of toothpaste and hair clippings. Lysol Dual Action wipes offer versatility, wiping away dirt and killing germs on almost all hard, nonporous surfaces around the house. We took them out of the bathroom and also used them to disinfect and sanitize the kitchen. When sanitizing, an area must remain visibly wet for 10 seconds after wiping, and for disinfection, the area must remain wet for 4 minutes. **Get the Lysol bathroom cleaning wipes at [Amazon](), [The Home Depot](), or [Target]().** **Our Ratings:** Ease of Use **5/5**; Regular Buildup **5/5**; Tough Stains **5/5**; Scent **4/5**; Value **5/5** This impressive Mr. Clean bathroom cleaner is designed for reaching into surface grooves; cleaning grout; and removing tough, stuck-on stains and grime from the tub, shower, sink, toilet, floor, and walls. The two included bathroom scrubbers are made out of a white Durafoam material that is filled with foaming cleansers to help loosen and remove toothpaste, fingerprints, grease, and soap scum. To activate the foaming cleanser, we ran the Magic Eraser under water and repeatedly squeezed until it began to foam. We then cleared our shower and wiped down the shower surround, shelves, and floor with this cleaning sponge. It removed tough soap scum, mildew, shampoo spills, and discoloration. All it took was a light scrub, and its abrasive qualities lifted even the nastiest grime. We were able to use one Magic Eraser on two mildly dirty showers and bathtubs before it began to break apart. We used the second Magic Eraser to tackle grout lines. The wet sponge conformed to the grout, making it easy for us to freshen it up. Overall, Mr. Clean Magic Erasers delivered impressive results. However, they are not meant to be used on chrome, wood, natural stone, and high-gloss finishes in the bathroom. **Get the Magic Eraser bathroom cleaner at [Amazon]() or [Target]() (4-count).** **Our Ratings:** Ease of Use **5/5**; Regular Buildup **N/A**; Tough Stains **5/5**; Scent **2/5**; Value **5/5** This powerful RMR Solutions mold and mildew stain remover spray and bathroom cleaner is a quick, efficient solution to stubborn stains and mold growth. The spray can seep into the gaps between tiles, saturating the grout lines and killing mold or mildew on contact. Despite the superior cleaning power, this 32-ounce bottle of spray is safe for use on bathtubs, bathroom tiles, toilets, sinks, and other common areas around the home where mold and mildew tend to grow and spread. The best thing about this product is that it’s scrub-free. There’s a lip at the bottom of our shower surround with a bead of caulking underneath. It’s hard to reach this area with a scrub brush, so it stays moist and largely untouched, making it the perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew. We often have orange mildew and little spots of black mold growing in this area, which was ideal to tackle in our tests. We sprayed the moldy patches and watched. Within a minute, the mold and mildew were gone, revealing bright white caulk lines. When we received this product, we were skeptical of how well it would work, but the results blew us away. RMR-86 is one of the [best mold removers]() with multiple uses in and outside of the bathroom. It can be corrosive on metals, but it’s safe for drywall, so if you make a [common mistake that leads to mold or mildew]() on your bathroom ceiling or around windows, you can use this spray to eliminate the mold and any lingering musty odors. **Get the RMR Solutions bathroom cleaner at** [**Amazon**]()**,** [**The Home Depot**]()**, or** [**Walmart**]()**.** **Our Ratings:** Ease of Use **4.5/5**; Regular Buildup **5/5**; Tough Stains **5/5**; Scent **3/5**; Value **4/5** Where hard water is a particularly difficult problem, such as on showers, sinks, tubs, and toilets, the surfaces will often become stained and may even begin to show signs of heavy limescale buildup. However, the Bio-Clean bathroom cleaner is specially designed to remove hard water stains and cut through limescale, ensuring that the bathroom can look great with just a little weekly maintenance. Bio-Clean Hard Water Stain Remover comes in a squirt-top bottle and has a thick, cream-like consistency. We first tested it on a tiled shower by squirting some of the green cream on a paper towel and rubbing it in circles over thick patches of hard water buildup. We worked in small sections, and it didn’t take long to remove the staining. However, some of our white grout remained light green when we rinsed it away. This cleaner was impressive on other hard, nonporous surfaces like sinks and glass, removing years’ worth of mineral deposits without leaving residue behind. In addition to removing soap scum and hard water deposits, this bathroom cleaner can also eliminate rust, mildew, and paint overspray. We recommend Bio-Clean to anyone who needs to cut through thick layers of hard water buildup; it’s one of the [best cleaners for glass shower doors](). However, we don’t recommend using it on grout or other porous surfaces. **Get the Bio-Clean bathroom cleaner at [Amazon]() or [The Home Depot]().** ## [Jump to Our Top Picks](<#recap>) ## What to Consider When Choosing a Bathroom Cleaner Taking time to decide on the most important product features before selecting a bathroom cleaner can help narrow down the options. There are several factors to consider, including whether the product is a multipurpose cleaner or a dedicated cleaner; the type of ingredients; and whether it’s easier to use a spray, a foam, a wipe, or a scrubber to clean the bathroom. Keep reading for detailed information on these product details. ### Multipurpose vs. Dedicated Cleaners Multipurpose cleaners can be applied to a wide range of bathroom surfaces, from showers and tubs to mirrors, because they’re formulated for use on multiple materials. They are versatile and tend to be a budget-friendly option because you only need to buy one cleaner for the entire bathroom. Dedicated cleaners are formulated for use only on specific surfaces, such as toilet bowls or showers. Using them elsewhere could tarnish or corrode the surface or material to which they are applied. Dedicated cleaners are a good option for deep-cleaning a targeted area. - For toilets, bathroom cleaners should be labeled as safe for use on porcelain. - For mirrors, choose products for use on glass. - For countertops, cleaners should specify that they’re safe on laminate, natural stone like granite or marble, engineered stone like quartz, or ceramic tile. - For sinks, choose cleaners that are compatible with sink basin materials like porcelain or acrylic, and for faucet materials that include chrome and brass. - For tubs and showers, select cleaners meant for use on porcelain, fiberglass, ceramic tile, vinyl, or natural stone. ### Ingredients Bathroom cleaners get their cleaning power from different combinations of ingredients. There are three main compositions: traditional, natural, and germ-killing. - **Traditional cleaners** usually contain potent grime- and stain-lifting chemicals such as bleach, ammonia, or ammonium chloride. These can irritate eyes or skin and affect air quality. Some contain artificial fragrances and dyes, containing phthalates, alkylphenols, or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like terpenes that can aggravate allergies or respiratory ailments. - **Natural cleaners** are made with ingredients sourced from nature, such as corn sugar–derived glucoside, lactic acid, and essential oils. They pack powerful dirt-lifting, descaling, and deodorizing properties but are nontoxic, fume-free, and noncorrosive. If you pick up a natural product, check to see if it’s only a cleaner or if it has sanitizing properties. There are differences in cleaning vs. sanitizing. - **Germ-killing cleaners**, available in both traditional and green varieties, contain antibacterial ingredients that kill germs in the bathroom. For effective results, choose a bathroom cleaner able to kill germs at a rate of 95 percent or higher. ### Form Bathroom cleaners are available in a variety of different forms, with each form having both benefits and drawbacks. Common bathroom cleaner forms include liquids, foam, wipes, and scrubbers. - **Liquid bathroom cleaners** tend to come in a large bottle with a spray nozzle that quickly and effectively dispenses the cleaner over a broad range when the spray-bottle trigger is pressed. These bathroom cleaners are convenient and easy to use, though the spray can be difficult to accurately aim, so they are better for large areas. - **Foam bathroom cleaner** is a good option for stuck-on grime because it has a thicker viscosity than a liquid spray, allowing it to stick to vertical surfaces like shower walls. Due to this viscosity, it’s also more difficult to rinse away, so users may expect to have to rinse the surfaces more than once. - **Bathroom cleaner wipes** are easy-to-use products that are used to quickly clean lightly soiled surfaces. They aren’t suitable for scrubbing because the wipes can tear, but these bathroom cleaners are great for basic once-daily wipe-downs of the toilet, sink, counter, tub, and shower. - **Scrubbers** are a form of bathroom cleaner that range from standing mops for scrubbing the floor to simple Magic Erasers that have abrasive scrubbing pads for cleaning grout and stuck-on grime. ## FAQs It’s important to have all the information you can get about cleaners that are being used in your home. This knowledge will help you choose the products best suited to your specific needs. Keep reading for the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about bathroom cleaners. ## Meet the Tester Katie Barton has more than 10 years of experience in product writing, has tested dozens of cleaning products, and has authored hundreds of articles for major media outlets. Her cleaning and organizing advice has been featured on GOBankingRates, Realtor.com, Yahoo!, Cabin Life, and more. She takes an unbiased approach to product testing, using each product multiple times or for several days/weeks to determine efficacy. Her goal is to help readers decide which products are worth their hard-earned money and which fall flat. *Additional research provided by Manasa Reddigari and Timothy Dale.* ## Author Katie Barton is a home improvement freelance writer based out of Cincinnati, Ohio. She has been writing for the BobVila.com team since July 2022 and specializes in topics such as cleaning, organizing, and gardening.