PublishedMay 23, 2022 3:06 PM EDT
We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.
Domino Shopping: Worth-It Deals, Editor Picks, and Gift Guides
Join us for a weekly shopping trip right in your inbox.
By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to ourTerms of Useand acknowledge the data practices in ourPrivacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Reading up on Domino’s shopping guides is like having your own personal product concierge. We do the tedious part—deep-dive research, hands-on testing, and tapping experts for advice—so all you have to do is hit “add to cart.” That’s why we call themSimply the Best.
We’ll wipe the mirror, scrub the sink, and even brave the toilet without blinking, but shower tile? That’s where our cleaning ambition goes to die. A quick yank of the curtain and—poof—the pink grout disappears from our conscience. It joins the oven, the closet, and that one junk drawer in the Hall of Shame: places guests never see, so we pretend they don’t exist until absolutely necessary.
Then one morning you notice it: tiny pink polka dots staging a grout rebellion. That’s pink mold, and it’s brought friends—soap scum (a delightful mix of old soap and dead skin, yum) and mildew from your bathroom’s charming lack of airflow. Melissa Maker of Clean My Space says the magic formula is dampness plus bad ventilation, which basically describes every shower ever. The good news: it’s reversible. The realistic news: if you actually squeegeed daily, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
Maker swears the secret is a post-shower squeegee, which sounds easy until you realize it requires remembering things before coffee. Skip that step and you’ll need reinforcements. We rolled up our sleeves, grabbed our scrub brushes, and tested a pile of shower cleaners so you can skip the grunt work. These six winners turned our grimy stalls from biohazard to boutique-hotel shiny.
Type: Plant-based spray | Application: Spray, pretend you meant to clean, scrub, rinse | Size/volume: 32 fluid ounces | Scent: Tea tree and eucalyptus—like a tiny forest in your shower
Why we chose it: This spray tackles soap scum like it personally offended it, and it won’t gas you out in the process.
If you buy just one thing from this whole list, make it Better Life. It has legions of fans for a reason: it actually slices through grime on tile, glass, and fixtures without requiring you to channel your inner Olympian. We sprayed a wall, let it marinate for 10 to 15 minutes while we doomscrolled, then attacked with a brush. The cleaner seeped into the grout like it belonged there. Full disclosure: the advanced pink mold needed some extra convincing, but this stuff still got the job done.
And the real win? No chemical warfare in a confined space. Instead of hacking up a lung, we got to inhale a spa-like blend of tea tree, eucalyptus, and lemongrass that hung around like a very clean ghost.
Type: Distilled white vinegar and water solution | Application: Spray, scrub, feel smug about saving money | Size/volume: 1 gallon of budget-friendly power
Why we chose it: It’s cheap, it works, and it judges absolutely no one’s life choices.
Vinegar: the overachiever of the pantry. It neutralizes odors, fights bacteria, and is even safe to ingest—crucial if you have a pet who licks literally every surface. We whipped up Melissa Maker’s classic vinegar-and-water mix in a spray bottle and went full tornado on the tile. Add a few drops of essential oil if you don’t want your bathroom to smell like a pickle jar. Bonus: the same spray freshens rugs, upholstery, and glass. One bottle, infinite superiority complexes.
The downsides are clear: vinegar doesn’t foam or fizz by itself, but layer on a baking-soda paste first and you get a delightful middle-school-volcano moment. The smell does hang around for a few hours, though we’ve started associating it with virtue and cleanliness. If you can handle that, spray away—your wallet will thank you.
Type: Recycled plastic, cellulose, bamboo scrub brush | Application: Aggressively befriending grout
Why we chose it: It’s basically a Swiss Army knife for people who hate mildew.
Scrubbing tile with a paper towel is like bringing a butter knife to a sword fight. Grout is a grime magnet and needs some serious agitation, which is where this three-headed beauty comes in. It’s made from recycled plastic and plant-based cellulose and bamboo, so you can feel virtuous while you scour. Use the cellulose pad to loosen tile gunk, the brush to punish grout, and the sponge to gently wipe everything clean.
Some reviewers noted the bamboo handle isn’t quite as cushy as rubber, but it’s pretty enough to leave on display—unlike your old sponge, which is definitely hiding in shame.
Type: Biodegradable cleaning spray | Application: Spray and literally walk away | Size/volume: 28 ounces | Scent: Eucalyptus mint—freshness with zero effort
Why we chose it: It’s the closest thing to a self-cleaning shower that actually exists.
Remember that whole daily maintenance thing? This spray makes it almost painless. The only labor involved is pulling a trigger—basically a finger workout. A quick mist after each shower breaks down grime before it can settle in, buying you extra time before you need to bust out the big guns. It’s prevention disguised as laziness.
Method is a certified B Corp, so you can feel good about the social and environmental angle while your kids and pets continue their lifelong mission to lick every surface. It’s biodegradable, safe, and smells like eucalyptus and mint—basically a spa day for your shower every single morning.
Type: Biodegradable cleaning paste | Application: Scrub like you mean it, then rinse | Size/volume: 11 ounces | Scent: Sweet orange and lemongrass—citrus with a side of revenge
Why we chose it: It’s the paste you reach for when your shower has truly given up on itself.
We liked this paste so much we featured it in our shower cleaning roundup, too. When spritzing won’t cut it, this is the cavalry. The ingredient list is refreshingly short: sodium bicarbonate, castile soap, vegetable glycerin, sweet orange oil, and lemongrass oil. Five things, zero regrets.
A single tablespoon covers roughly four square feet—just rub it in circles with a cloth, sponge, or your bare hand if you’re feeling primal. It also polishes stainless steel, cleans produce, lifts oven drips, and doubles as a hand exfoliator. Truly the overachiever of the cleaning world.
Best Brush for Tiny Grout Crimes
Type: Untreated beechwood and palmyra fiber | Application: Precision grout attacks
Why we chose it: It scrubs like a champ and looks cute enough to leave on the counter.
You know the rule: out of sight, out of mind, especially when it comes to cleaning supplies. If your scrub brush lives under the sink, it basically doesn’t exist. This little beechwood beauty is different—it’s so charming you’ll want to prop it on the counter like a tiny sculpture, which conveniently reminds you to actually use it.
The untreated beechwood fits any vibe and the curved shape nestles in your palm even during extended scrubbing sessions. The natural fibers have a certain French-girl energy, which somehow makes scouring grout feel chic. The compact size squeezes into corners and crevices with ease—just don’t ask it to clean an entire wall at once.
Every product here checks at least one important box: naturally derived and safe ingredients, serious tile-cleaning muscle, packaging pretty enough to leave out, or eco-friendly materials like recycled plastic and bamboo. Ideally all four, but we’re not greedy.
We’re firm believers that shower cleaners shouldn’t wage war on your skin or lungs, and we skip anything cagey about its ingredients. A shower is where you go to get clean—it shouldn’t require a hazmat suit.
We tested each one on equally grimy tile and followed the labels like the rule-followers we are. Winners had to conquer grout, restore shine, or make daily maintenance so easy that future scrubbing became optional.
For routine upkeep, grab an all-purpose spray. For grout that looks like it’s hosting a science experiment, reach for a scouring paste. And if you want to be that person, a daily cleaner keeps the gunk from moving in. Use them solo or team them up.
We stuck to products that tell you exactly what’s in them, using nontoxic formulas and materials that won’t haunt the planet. Think castile soap, vinegar, essential oils, natural fibers, plant sponges, and recycled plastic. Clean tile, cleaner conscience.
Nothing makes a finished chore feel more official than a bathroom that smells like a spa. We picked natural scents—sweet orange, eucalyptus, lemongrass—that actually help the cleaning along instead of just masking the mess. No synthetic fragrances, no bleach-induced coughing fits.
If a cleaning product looks good, you’re way more likely to use it. We favor sleek sprays, amber apothecary jars, and neutral brushes that blend in with your bamboo caddy or teak bath mat. Out of sight, out of mind is the enemy of a clean shower.
Absolutely. Let Better Life sit on the tile for 10 to 15 minutes before scrubbing so it can soften the grime. Better yet, spray and squeegee after each shower—or whenever you remember. The steam from your last rinse already did some of the loosening for you.
Our expert Melissa Maker keeps it simple with vinegar, water, and essential oils—and insists that’s all you need. If the pickle-vibe isn’t for you, there are plenty of scented options above.
That’s probably soap scum, which shows up more on glossy tile because matte is not the intended look. Any of the cleaners above can handle it—just rinse thoroughly and squeegee off the leftovers so you’re not back at square one.
For most surfaces, a good multipurpose spray or paste does the trick. Maker notes that regular cleaning physically removes plenty of germs, though a disinfectant can finish the job if you want to nuke bacteria. Just remember: disinfectants need to stay wet on the surface for five to 10 minutes to actually work. Read the label and be patient.
For everyday grime, we reach for Better Life Natural Tub and Tile Cleaner—it’s gentle around kids and pets but tough on scum. For showers that have truly gone rogue, Humble Suds Scouring Paste is your heavy hitter.
Learn more about Domino.comEditorial Standards
