Welcome to Pinterest Tested! Ever wonder if that miracle cleaner is really miraculous? Or what about that homemade facial cleanser or delicious-looking recipe? This is the place to find out! I am testing Pins that catch my eye to see if they really live up to the claims made on Pinterest. It’s like the Mythbusters of Domesticity!
Today I am testing THIS PIN:
THE TEST: The claim in this Pin is that you can spray on a solution of one part vinegar and one part dish soap, leave it for an hour, then wipe your tub clean. Does it work, no scrubbing or scouring involved?
I am skeptical of Pinterest posts like this because the claims are so fantastic. This is one I’ve been wanting to try for a while because I hate cleaning the tub. It’s usually one of the jobs that gets left undone until overnight house guests are coming. (Come on, I know I’m not the only one who does that. Haha.)
So I mixed up a solution of one part Dawn dish soap and one part vinegar, sprayed it on half my tub (so I could compare the two sides for more clear results). About an hour later, I came in with a rag, wiped that side down, and this is what I found:
Score! I did not scrub one tiny bit and my tub is sparkling white. The pictures just don’t do it justice. I could actually see the line down the middle where the solution touched the tub. Look:
And no scrubbing! Really… I just wiped the grime away!
THE RESULTS: This is one Pin I feel I can recommend whole-heartedly. I think I am in love!
P.S. Did you know they sell cleaning grade vinegar? I found mine at Wal-Mart by the other multi-purpose cleaners. It’s cheaper than food grade vinegar and is perfect for jobs like this.
Update: I tried using a different kind of dish soap and it still worked, just not as well. It’s the original blue Dawn for me from now on! And I also tried heating the solution. Worked awesome!
Update #2: I just saw the coolest thing to add to this post. Put the Dawn/vinegar solution in one of those dish scrubbers that has soap in the handle and a sponge on one end. Then you can wipe down shower doors and the tub surround easily. Brilliant. I love you, Pinterest!
Make sure to read all the comments. There are some great tips! Thank you, readers!
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Comments & Reviews
Wow, didn't know about the cleaning grade vinegar – will have to search for it (I don't attempt the madness that is Walmart in Los Angeles, so hopefully Target has it)! Will also show my clean freak of a hubby how well that cleaner worked 🙂
I tried it yesterday, and it didn't work, I was so disappointed. I put it on there and came back an hour later and there was still black rings around my bathtub.
Can someone explain what one part measurement is? 😆❤️
It just means that you do equal measurements of each ingredient. 1 cup of vinegar, 1 cup of dish soap. Or 5 cups vinegar, 5 cups dish soap. You can make as much or as little as you think you’ll need as long as the measurements are equal to each other.
You are my hero. I don't mind cleaning the tub too much, but I hate inhaling tub cleaner spray and scrubbing. I will definitely try this!
I love these Pinterest tests. I think it is pure genius.
My bathroom does not have windows … the scent is strong during the application (placed towel over mouse and nose) but once time passed, it was not so overwhelming. Rather tolerate vinegar fumes than chemicals.!!! Great cleanser though, it really works!
Wow! Thank you so much for posting this! Will def try it! I usually scrub baking soda + vinegar, but who knew it could be so much easier!
I did this one a while a go and I use it for everything now. I've replaced all my other cleaners.
did you mix 1:1 ratio?
Yep, 1:1!
Used 2:1 … Dawn is very sudsy.
I thought the 1:1 ratio was a little odd but I shrugged and gave it a shot. Couldn't hurt to try, right? It not only worked, but the fact that I could breathe normally (without feeling like I was going to choke on cleaner fumes) the ENTIRE time I scrubbed and rinsed the tubs and the showers has me hooked on this for life now. Not to mention how cheap this is compared to all the "professional" cleaners out there.
Thank you for this! You have changed the way I clean the bathroom and I am eternally grateful!
What are the measurements? 1 part vinegar to 1 part dawn is not clear enough for me, neither is the 1/1 ratio.
I believe it means if you use one cup of vinegar, use one cup of Dawn. Or 10 oz of vinegar to 10 oz of Dawn. Just use the same measurement of whatever you use for one use for the other.
I use vinegar for a LOT of cleaning and I had no idea they sold cleaning-grade vinegar!!! Also I love the idea of a "Pinterest tested" blog feature 🙂
What ratio did you use please and thank you for posting!
How much soap do you use.
What is the material of your tub?? I have porcelain and I'm wondering if it would work!!
I am wondering about the ratio of vinegar & soap also. Could you please give us a bit more info?
Thank you for testing it out!
I use a little Dawn and the rest white vinegar. Works really well. I have never used a ratio of 1:1. And never heated the vinegar.
Heading to Walmart for that cleaning grade vinegar! Never heard of it but we use vinegar for everything…my favorite is for windows! Can't wait to use with dawn for my tubs!!!
Bought my cleaning vinegar at my local grocery store
1 to 1 ratio of Dawn and Vinegar per other articles.
1 to 1 ratio per other posts about the same method.
I'm trying it now. I mixed my own concoction, but would love to know the ratio that worked for you. Thanks for sharing!
The pin states the ration is 1:1 but it also says to warm up the vinegar. Not sure why but….
Also it was mentioned that she did 1/2 cup of Dawn to 1/2 cup of vinegar.
HTH
Heating up the vinegar, does something trust me I do not know the science behind it but it boost it's ability to get past hard water marks by an amazing amount. I have drained toilets and used t too clear hard water lines, both cold and hot, and the heated version was far superior.
how did you heat the vinegar??
in the microwave
Please share how you mixed it…
If you click in the blue PIN over the photo it takes to the original pin for the info.
I checked out the original pin, and it is a 1:1 ratio. She said 1/2 c of each was good.
I wasn't sure about the ratio, so I just mixed it up based on what felt right. 🙂 It…worked…like…a…charm in the master bath!
Then I sprayed it into the bathtub in my daughters' bathroom; I'm sure that'll turn out well. Next up, the boys' bathroom. That'll be the real test!
Thanks so much!
I wasn't sure about the ratio, so I just mixed it up based on what felt right. 🙂 It…worked…like…a…charm in the master bath!
Then I sprayed it into the bathtub in my daughters' bathroom; I'm sure that'll turn out well. Next up, the boys' bathroom. That'll be the real test!
Thanks so much!
Would love to try this. What are the proportions of Dawn to vinegar?
What proportions of Dawn to vinegar?
Another blog said 1 Cup to 1 cup. 🙂 Trying it now!
This is great! Thanks so much for testing this and posting your results! Gonna have to do this right now…
I am about to go try this! Thank you for posting!
Found the recipe/ratio here: http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/2012/03/tub-shower-cleaner-picture-tutorial.html
Hope this helps!
Heat 1/2 cup of white vinegar in the microwave until hot. (90 seconds or so). Pour it into your spray bottle, add 1/2 cup of Blue Dawn dish soap & gently shake until blended. Use it right away.
The vinegar being heated first really seems to cut through the crud well! Less scrubbing!
I tries this also and it works really well. It does produce a lot of suds. I didn't have Dawn dish soap so I used what I had which was Palmolive. Love the fact that I disn't have to scrub the tub.
Ummm what ratio please?? Thanks!!
Anxious to try this. Can you post the amounts of each ingredient please? Thanks!
Hey everyone! I am so happy that this post is helping so many of you. Guess I am not the only one who hates scrubbing the tub!
To answer your questions, I mixed one part soap and one part vinegar in a spray bottle. Hope that helps. Happy no-scrubbing!
SOOO glad I tried this, our college renters just moved out and left the bathtubs/showers like you wouldn't believe! Take it from me THIS WORKED!! 2 bathtubs down 2 showers to go!
Thank you, thank you, for posting!
Wendy
(very annoyed Landlord)
Think this would work for the stand up showers?
Yes it does!
Super! I´m going to follow your blog now….
Regards/
vita_margarita (from Sweden)
BEST BATHROOM CLEANER EVER! I just tried it and my bathroom is so sparkly clean – with next to no effort.
How awesome! Thanks for testing this out! Do you have any recommendations for a shower insert? I'm wondering if the same concoction would work or if it would just run down the walls?
The dish soap holds vinegar in place, it also helps to heat up the vinegar and use right away. But wear something over your mouth and nose ,it is very strong.
Vinegar and dish soap are also an excellent weed killer. No chemicals. Be careful tho. It will kill all vegetation it comes into contact with. It's children and pet safe!
Just be CERTAIN to rinse very, very well or you'll have a very slippery surface next time you're in the tub.
Once you mix this up can you keep the mixture for any period of time or do you need to throw it out after using it that day? I did not see anywhere that it might have said about how long it was able to be stored and used.
Both Dawn and vinegar are shelf stable, so it should keep pretty well. If you’re concerned about it use less of each so there’s less to store.
Can this mixture be kept for an extended period of time or discarded soon after use. Anyone know about a timeframe of use with this? I would like to try it.
I tried this too and had the same good results but more important I thank you for admitting you hate to clean the bath tub. I feel like the only one and sadly we are having an overnight guests this weekend. I've got to go start spraying!
I use this mixture to clean everything now…even as a spray and wash for my clothes. If it is a really greasy/dirty spot just use the Dawn directly on the stain.
it works much better if you heat the solution first, also this combined with magic clean eraser favorite cleaning combo ever!!!
You mean I'm supposed to be cleaning my tub? Who knew? Thanks for the tip. I'll give this a try, as I have Dawn and vinegar all the time. Just need to acquire a spray bottle.
You mean I'm supposed to be cleaning my tub? Who knew? Thanks for the tip. I'll definitely give this a try.
omw! i'm ssssooo mixing up a batch of this when i get home! thank you for being honest about when your tub actually gets clean – cuz i AM the same exact way. i will clean the entire house is hubby would clean the tubs and showers (i wish they never invented the seperate shower and tub it's just double work to me)and mop
I'm moving next week, have two bathtubs, and now I love you.
-Paige
where do you get large spray bottle like that?
where do you get large spray bottle like that?
Found my spray bottle at the Dollar Tree but Walmart or other drug store should have them.
I'm so excited to try this! We have three full bathrooms. We don't even use the tub in one bathroom because we save that for "guests". I'm 9 mos pregnant, so I would really love an easy cleaning solution, and it looks like I've found it. Yay!
Does it have to be the blue dawn? Can any brand of dish soap work?
Walmart now has Heinz cleaning vinegar. I tried this Tub cleaner mix and it worked quite well. I have the deep bubble tub so it is hard to reach. This cleaner made it much easier to clean. Thanks
I use vinegar alot too..although I hate the smell. This works very well, but you DEF have to heat the vinegar (if not it doesn't work nearly as well). I didn't know there was a "cleaning" vinegar either! I'll be on the lookout for that!
LaLasha, you can get large spray bottles from garden departments, meant for spraying plants.
Is that a fiberglass tub you tested???? I sure do hope so!
This works fabulously! I love it! Thanks for sharing:)
I can't wait to try this… and I did not know about cleaning grade vinegar!!!
I have been trying to find the vinegar and can not find it anywhere. I have looked at Walmart, Kmart, target, and lowes. Any one know of any other places I can look.
I dound Heinz Cleaning grade Vinegar with the regular vinegar at wal-mart…with the condiments!
I found mine next to the ammonia on the cleaning aisle at Walmart.
Menards and fleet farm both carry it
Has anyone had success using other dish soaps besides the specific 'blue dawn' that is mentioned? I am just wondering if is has to be that or if I can use whatever dish soap I have on hand…
AWEsOmE!
Thank you!
Found the cleaning grade vinegar right next to the regular vinegar. Go figure! But I will say the this vinegar took the hard water deposits ( the really bad built up ones that you can't even soak off with regular vinegar) off my dish from my water dispenser from my refrigerator right off. I have scrubbed & scrubbed & soaked with regular white vinegar and I literally poured some in the dish, let it set for 5 minutes or so then rinsed. No scrubbing or anything & it looks like new! I have never been so impressed with a cleaning agent!
I never have dawn in my house but ha guests coming over so I tried it with my seventh generation natural dish soap and it seemed to do pretty well.. I had to scrub a little but not much .. Had way too many suds afterward.. But all in all i would say it worked well 🙂
I hate cleaning the tub too, the only reason I had the guts to try this was because I'm moving out and was trying to get a deposit back.
I just tried this and STILL cannot believe it. Could save me so much money a year on otherwise useless cleaners!
Thanks so much for sharing!
I tried it. it didn't work. what did I do wrong?
I did this last night and the results were MIND BLOWING. Thank you thank you thank you! I'll never be embarrassed about the state of my tubs again! In fact, I'm leaving the shower curtains open to show them off! It even worked on the hard water stains on my glass shower door.
I tried this and am amazed at how clean my tub and shower doors came out. This will be the only way I clean it from now on! : )
Will this work on iron stains in a fiberglass shower?
Perhaps heating the vinegar helps it mix with the dish soap? I'm glad someone commented on using 7th Gen soap, as I have Costco's "environmentally friendly" dish soap, but would be up for getting a dollar store bottle of "the strong stuff" for this solution (double entendre
This worked beautifully for me. On a weird side note, a friend was helping us move and grabbed my bottle of this that I'd marked "tile cleaner" to use on my kitchen linoleum floor. What possessed him, I have no idea, but the floor absolutely shone where he'd used it. I was worried that it would be slick, but it wasn't for some reason (using a damp towel to wipe?) I believe I'll have to add this to my floor cleaning options now, too!
I hate cleaning the tub. The person that rented my apartment before i moved in was a slob and I don't know what he used to clean the tub, if he ever did but it is impossible to get clean. So I don't clean it often. So tonight my cousin and godson are coming to spend a few days with us and I went to Pinterest to find a miracle cleaner. I found the pin to this blog post and almost fell off my chair laughing when you said about how you don't clean it until overnight guests are coming over. I am obviously the same way!
So I tried this vinegar/dawn cleaning solution today in my shower. It worked pretty well , with NO scrubbing. I did 1/2 of the shower to see what happened. I will try scrubbing just a bit when I apply the second 1/2 before I let it set. It did however work AWESOME on the glass door!
Ok, I just sprayed the shower stall with great hopes that this works! I'm never impressed with the job that commercial cleaners do with the shower floor. I'm hoping this is my miracle cleaner! I also sprayed in the bathroom sinks.
This cleaning solution is awesome, but it didn't help with the iron stains left from an old can of cheap shaving cream. I haven't found ANYTHING that has helped with that.
Unfortunately, stains from the bottom of shaving cream cans are next to impossible to get off fiberglass tubs. I learned to pop a little plastic lid from something else onto the bottom of any can that goes in the shower to prevent the stains from happening.
Chrome cleaner works good on rust stains left from shaving cream bottles!!
Try Barkeeper's Friend it's sold near the Comet cleanse @ Walmart . Works awesome on any rust!
There is a (horrible smelling) product called Iron Out that comes in a spray bottle. It gets rusty spots off easily.
You can pain the bottom of the shaving cream can with nail polish. It creates a barrier and keeps rust from forming. Thank you pinterest.
The black Lysol toilet bowl cleaner will remove the rust stains. Spray on the stain, leave for 15 or 20 minutes and rinse off with warm water, no scrubbing!
CLR will usually also get the rust stains out.
Lime away toilet cleaner will get those spots up. Put a dab on it, let it set a bit, wipes right up
Thanks so much for testing this. Does this work on shower glass doors?
This works REALLY well on grimey shower curtain liners as well! Love it!
Just used this after being convinced with your before and after pictures. My shower looks amazing!!! I've tried everything in the cleaning aisle and all home remedies I've come across online, but my hard water is doesn't budge. This worked with no scrubbing I'm still amazed. Thank you for being a tester 😉 I really enjoyed checking them all out.
JUST finished trying this – Did not work as effortlessly as described for me.
Bought the small bottle of Dawn($1.60) and the small bottle of vinegar ($1.00), mixed them 1:1. Let stand for an hour. Did not just wipe off – I still had to scrub with a brush.
So for $2.60, and no solution left, it wasn't any better, or cheaper, than standard cleaner. Plus it stinks!
You are supposed to heat the vinegar before adding the Dawn, then use immediately.
This worked like a miracle on my bathtub!!
This worked great on my tub! I didn't even heat the vinegar or use a 1:1 ratio – just used a generous squirt of Dawn. I did let it sit overnight, so maybe that helped? Anyway, it was too good to not share so I linked to this post on my blog this morning: http://tinyurl.com/7dkltep Thanks so much for sharing!
This did not work for me. I mixed exactly what the directions said and it hardened while I waited. When I went to wipe, it had to be scrubbed off! Then when I rinsed, I had to go back over with a scrub brush. :/
Warm it so it does not harden
I am sorry it didn't work for some of you. Frankly, I am surprised, because I had SUCH good results. I wonder if it depends on the material the tub is made of or the weather/humidity? I really have no idea.
Does it have to be Dawn or will any dish soap do? And I hate cleaning the tub too. Gross!
oh man!!! I just did this on my shower floor and it was amazing!!! It sat for a long time then I used my scrub brush and just brushed over the floor…..instant clean!! thank you so much! I was dreading this task so much that I just avoided it. this is great!!!!
thanks!!
I tried it and it WORKED! I do have to tell you that my tub was really yucky. What I loved about this is I didn't have to raise a sweat – no elbow grease whatsoever. LOVE IT!
WOW, I can't wait to try this. I have a tub that's a zillion years old and no porcelain left. Keeping it clean is such a chore! I'll be sure and check out the vinegar at Walmart. Thanks.
We have a really old tub and nothing seems to really clean it. I'm really impatient and we bought a huge bottle of Gain dish soap for an awesome price so it'll be forever until we buy more dish soap. I used the green Gain dish soap and it worked ok but not without some good scrubbing. The tub is still pretty gross but it actually looks a lot better. I'll definitely try blue Dawn next time to see if we can make it look better. Thanks!
I tried it this morning, heating the vinegar in Pyrex was satisfying, it boiled. Then used a funnel to put in good Norwex spray bottle, added the Dawn and shook it, sprayed it all over the tub, tile walls and fixtures. Left it for an hour. Used a grout brush and regular scrub brush on everything, toothbrush on the fixtures. My take on it… the fixtures gleamed, the tile looks awesome. The still-glazed parts of the tub shine. What it is not so great at is cleaning dirty grout or the parts of the tub where the glaze has become worn. I would definitely do it again, I find the smell MUCH less offensive than the commercial bathroom cleaners. Plan to try it on my husband's shower doors soon. It isn't perfect but it did impress me, and I only mixed up a cup's worth. It does create a lot of bubbles, I was glad I had the showerhead that detaches to rinse it all down the drain.
I tried this tonight on our grungy shower floor and door and color me impressed!! It works…and boy was I skeptical at first. Did the kids tub too…very cool!! I love Dawn, now I can use it everywhere!!
Just wanted to let you know – I said on May 15 I'd try it and I did… this is the only way I've been cleaning my tub ever since. I also sprayed a bit mixed with water on the carpet where my son had spilled cranberry juice and it cleaned like a charm. This week I tried it on a badly burned pan, where I had left oatmeal cooking for well over 30 min. I left a tiny bit of the mix (leftover from bathtub washing) mixed with water, heated it and left there for some 2 hrs, then scraped with a wooden spoon and the crust came out. also tried on crayon marks and they came off plastic surface. 😀 the smell is not the best, but it does work!
This is the best cleaner ever for the shower! I will never buy bath cleaner again at the store. I must say I was skeptical because if it's too good to be true it usually is, but not this time. The only thing I might do different is use a little less Dawn, but otherwise it's great!!
I just founda huge bottle of cleaning vinegar for $1.09 at the PX yesterday & i am on my way to the bathtub to try this right now! I never thought cleaning my bathtub could be exciting!! Thanks 🙂
Does anyone know how to get rid of mildew on grout in the shower? Thanks.
Did I miss it, or did you link to the original Pin anywhere? And when you say you didn't have to scrub . . . you mention you had to wipe it down with a rag. Do you think it would have worked if you'd just rinsed it off? (I'm almost 8 months pregnant and having back problems, so anything I have to bend over and twist to work on isn't happening for at LEAST a few more months!) 😉
It seems like I am the only one who this didn't work for and I'm super bummed! I tried it in both the stand-up shower and the tub, and neither wiped clean like this post swears. The only variation I made was mine ended up sitting a little longer than the intended hour but I wouldn't think that would cause it to NOT work. What gives?? I wonder if it's the material they used back in 1985…P.S I also found my spray bottle at the dollar tree
Just used this on my shower…door and all….fantastic job!! I have allergies and the fumes from regular cleaners just about do me in…it smelled like Easter Eggs this morning in my house but no problem with allergies! FYI…I didn't have blue Dawn…found out it doesn't matter the type of dawn, I used the 'green' Dawn!
I would like to know if all of you that this worked for heated your vinegar, and if you put it in a spray bottle do you heat it before every use? Use the whole bottle each time? Does it have to be Dawn? I have back problems and this would be a back saver for me.
Hi can someone help me please…whats dawn? im english and havent come across this product is it the same as barcarbonate of soda?
Dawn is liquid dish soap.
Dawn is a brand of Fairy Liquid, one that is particularly good at getting grease off of things with just a small amount.
It's a liquid dish soap. I'm sure you could find it on Amazon.com.
Riley's Mom-
I did not heat my vinegar and it still worked. I don't use the whole bottle each time, just enough to cover the tub.
And to the poster from England: Dawn is a brand of liquid dish soap. You could try it with any brand of dish soap and it would probably work.
I'm kind of confused by the 'cleaning vinegar' comments. Both vinegar found in the food aisle and the white vinegar found in the cleaning aisle are generally 5% acidity. They should behave the same when cleaning.
I tend to clean with food-grade white vinegar because I had no idea there was such a thing as cleaning-grade vinegar. Which I'm assuming the only difference between the two is that one of food-grade, and the other is not. I'm trying this today in our kitchen sink and the tub because they are both hideous. I neglect them both from a good, deep cleaning because nothing ever works… fingers crossed for white!
we leave those tubs alone until we have to do "something" because nothing works and it's a royal pain..literally. SO, now, after 30 years of my husband and I mixing deadly chemicals, to no avail, our soap scum is down the drain. This works (I have that impossible fiberglass) and that is all there is to it. I will never had horrible tubs again. Now that they are in brand new spic & span condition I think that it will be easy to keep them this way!! I'm thinking about once a month spray before leaving for work, come home and rinse and that is that! We had no problems with slick too many suds…maybe the shower head wand helps more than I realize with the rinse issue…never-the-less…THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU!!!!
I wonder if this would work in a oven too?
I saw a pin of this yesterday and decided to give it a whirl while cleaning my bathroom today. Our tub has not been white in the 10 years we have lived here due to what I think was hard water stains. I have tried literally everything to clean it and I was somewhat skeptical that this would work. I didn't have blue Dawn and I already had a spray bottle of vinegar and green Dawn in my laundry room so I heated up a 1/2 cup more of vinegar, shook it up and sprayed it on and wouldn't you know it worked! I almost peed my pants! My husband thought I'd gone batty when he got home because I was so excited! A HUGE THANK YOU for sharing this tip!
I have never felt so compelled to hug a stranger in all of my 23 years. Thank you SO much for sharing this! I just tried this and blurted out an unexpected/ecstatic/relieved "holy $#!%" when I wiped away heaps of tub grime. I'm moving out of my apartment in 2 days, and am running out of time for trial and error techniques for the bathroom. I also used the leftover solution on the sink, which also worked wonderfully. I almost feel like my metal faucets are better mirrors than my actual mirror! I can't say enough good things about this. Thank you again- this made my day!!
I have never felt so compelled to hug a stranger in all of my 23 years. Thank you SO much for sharing this! I just tried this and blurted out an unexpected/ecstatic/relieved "holy $#!%" when I wiped away heaps of tub grime. I'm moving out of my apartment in 2 days, and am running out of time for trial and error techniques for the bathroom. I also used the leftover solution on the sink, which also worked wonderfully. I almost feel like my metal faucets are better mirrors than my actual mirror! I can't say enough good things about this. Thank you again- this made my day!!
you may want to wear a mask when spraying this! be careful it sure can make you cough! but it's great on our tub i'm doing it on our shower door now! i used a scrub brush with bristles on one end of the tub because it has a built in no slip floor where dirt and grime get trapped!
Great job it really have a good result because it makes the sink more whiter looks like when it is brand new.
does it matter if you use original dawn or ultra dawn?
I use green apple Dawn. Smells like sour apple with the vinegar. It works great and I use it any place that I can rinse
I used the regular blue Dawn.
Would this be safe to use in natural stone in a shower?
Honestly, I have no idea if it would be safe for stone.
But my gut tells me that it would be. Sorry I can't be more helpful!
I was wondering if you can use any dish soap like palmolive???
.. that is the only one I can use I have allergies to it touching my skin, and I am smell sensitive..
Magic eraser for those iron stains. Really. The only thing we found that worked before that was Lysol Toilet Bowl cleaner with bleach…but BOY was that stuff TOXIC!! I hated using it in the same tub I was putting my toddler in…so I had to find something else. Magic Eraser was it. Requires a bit of scrubbing, but works like a charm!
It did work on some parts of my tub and shower but I found that it just wouldn't budge the copper color caused by my well water 🙁 Any tips on how to get this out of shower and toilets?? Thanks for the tub cleaner tip!!
Wow! I just did the same test and blogged about it over here http://txstraubs.blogspot.com/2012/09/pinterest-tested-and.html
Thank you for sharing how well it worked for you.
Used this today and it worked like a charm! My tub is actually sparkling! Does anyone have any recommendations for how to cut down on the suds? I had crazy suds!
Does this work on acrylic tubs too? I've tried everything to the point where I think I've scratched my tub and now it's just building up soap scum.
Desperate in Canada.
reading this in oct. 2016-wondering too about acrylic tubs-anyone know?
this is an insert tub over the old tub. Told to use dawn-had problem when I had new hardware installed. Had to have a specialized person to fix (2).
I've used this before and it works well. The only thing that keeps me from using it more often is I despise the way it smells. Does anyone know how to get rid of the awful vinegar smell?
very cool. I clicked through from Pinterest feeling skeptical. Love your series of testing pins for truth
Just did this and am truly amazed!!! It worked! I have tried so many harsh chemical cleaners and they never seemed to work. Thank you for posting this! Love the Pinterest tested part, awesome! 🙂
Just got done trying this and it is absolutely amazing. The smell is a little unpleasant but I covered my nose while spraying. It beats hours of scrubbing any day. Left it only an hour and wiped it down with a wet rag and it is like a brand new shower, cleaner than it ever has been and I never scrubbed at all. I will never use anything else. I had a little left over and sprayed the inside of toilet around the rim and cleaned that like new also.. Then i went to the kitchen and decided to try it on the inside of the microwave on that nasty stuff you can never get out and you guessed, it cleaned it like a charm and now looks like new also. Soo glad I found this on pinterest… Amazing!!!
Did anyone else have a problem with the vinegar melting their bottle or with the vinegar/soap combination becoming just foam that wouldnt spray? Not sure what i did wrong there.
Considering vinegar comes in a plastic bottle to begin with, I can't imagine why it would melt your bottle! Unless it was made with some plant-based plastic? Try getting non-reactive cleaning bottles for 2-3 bucks at wal-mart in the cleaner section. They are meant for harsher chemicals like clorox solutions, etc. Just make sure your bottle is designed for cleaning solutions.
I think she had heated the vinegar? Maybe let it cool before putting in spray bottle if it was boiling hot?
I have been using this for about 6 months now and I love it, I use a less soapy version for my bathroom vanity and sinks. Another use that I have found for it is, Removing love bugs off of your car and cleaning your tires and wheels.. Make sure your vehicle is cool and not in the sun, spray down the areas you want clean and let sit just as you do your shower.It makes cleaning the wheels very very easy, while it doesn't completely remove the love bugs but does make them come off much easier. It leaves your car wheels shiny for days and they seem to almost repel the dirt and grime.
Did your pin say to heat up the vinegar before mixing in the dawn, some of the pins don't say that and the cleaner works even better when heated before spraying.
I have been using this miracle cleaner for 6 months now and I love it. I use a diluted version (less dawn) for the sinks and vanity it cleans well and rinses off easier. I have also found that it also works really well on cleaning your car tires and wheel covers. make sure they are cool, spray down let sit for a while and then wipe down and rinse, Also works well in helping to removing the love bugs off of your car. Leaves all surfaces shiny and clean for days.
I have also found that if you have leftover cleaner that it works better if you heat it before you use it.
I honestly did doubt this would work at first. i just couldn't get through my head how dawn and vinegar could get out stains that any expensive special bathroom cleaners wouldnt. WELL i was so wrong! This stuff is AMAZING! my brother comes home disgusting every day from his job so the tub is hideous. i gave up on cleaning it! i bought every bathroom cleaner known to man and spent so much time on it and it never came clean. needless to say This recipe did the trick! i don't believe I've seen it this clean in 20 years. I'm still awe! please try it! it works and its SOOOO much cheaper!
Absolutely fantastic! Worked great, my shower/bath looks brand new.
I also used it on my vanity area, but it was very sudsy. Next time I will wipe with a dry cloth. If that doesn't cut down the suds, I will change up the ratio.
Has anyone tried this in their toilets? I wonder if it would work there too!
OMG, I just tried this and seriously feel like I'm going to die. I've never felt so nauseous and unable to breathe even when using "toxic" cleaners. Did anyone else have this problem? I'm sitting outside right now trying to be able to breathe.
I have the exact same problem! I think heating the vinegar is what did me in. Next time I make a batch of this stuff, I WON'T heat the vinegar and see if that helps. Right now, I'm letting the solution sit and the bathroom window is open. Hopefully the fumes will dissipate before I go back in there. Wish me luck! 🙂
I used 7th generation dish soap and it didnt smell bad. I dont heat it up and it works just fine. I felt sick breathing the fumes from dawn+vinegar… Seriously awful smell. Ive used 7th generation laundry detergent instead of dish soap, in much smaller proportion and it worked too (was running low on dish detergent). I keep a spray bottle with the mix on my counter…
I didn't heat the solution, but instead of wiping the spray off, I rinsed it off with a watering can full of hot water from the tub. I had a serious problem with streaks on my mirror before using this ever since we moved houses, and when I rinsed the whole thing with hot water, the streaks (read: soap residue) just melted away!
This is my firt visit to the Craft Patch and you could become my new best friend. Thanks. Some of the PINS seem to appear too good to be true.
Have you tried the products that claim to be equal to equal to or better that Oxi Clean?
C-
Good! I love finding like-minded people in the world. I'm glad you are enjoying my blog!
I HAVE tried some of the homemade oxyclean recipes and I must say that they just don't live up. Oxyclean is the one cleaning supply I will buy even though it is overpriced. The stuff works wonders.
One more comment ..did you all know that full strength white vinegar will clear drains…takes a couple of times if the drain is badly clogged but if you use it regularily you will not have clogged drains …including the ones with hair in them ….bathroom sinks and showers and bathtubs…found this out years ago and this reminded me that others might not know this fact …wahooo for vinegar
Used ivory dish soap…kinda streaky but worked. Then used dawn…wow. u don't have to scrub anything. Sink and toilet too. Works on cat urine also : just pour onand wipe, and repeat. Shines hardwood floors also: pour some on a wet rag and wipe down floor, or some in a bucket to wash them. I wipe mind after I steam clean them. Vinegar is awesome. And paired w dawn in bath…saves money and lungs, not to mention the environment esp. With a well and hard water.
works very well
Awesome! Im glad you tested this. Going to try it now. Oh and by the way you aren't the only one who leaves the bath til guests come! haha
Just did it!! AMAZING!!!! OMG!!! i noticed a HUGE difference just after 5 minutes! but i'm waiting for the whole hour. I will let you know at the end of the hour but i can already tell it's going to be GREAT!!!!!!! THANK YOU!
I've just tried this, it is amazing! I live in England and we don't have Dawn so I used Fairy liquid. Works really well. I also didn't heat up the vinegar, just ought roughly same amounts of each product and off I went to clean the bathroom!
I also tried it on taps (they're now cleaner that ever!), tiled floor, painted door frames, window sills and an extractor fan cover. I don't think there's anything this stuff doesn't clean!!!
This worked great on my apartment tub! I can never get the bottom squeaky clean…it's always sort of waxy from soap no matter what I try. Funny though, I left the apt. for a couple hours and when I came back I could smell vinegar. Does the washing kind smell better? I just used distilled I had on hand.I didn't heat it..how does that help? I'll go back to re-read. Thanks for the article!
I used Dawn with Gain scent, it worked pretty well but I did it 4 times and scrubbed my butt off. The extra scrubbing may be due to the fact that my tub is 40 years old with 20 years worth of soap scum. Next time I'll try the blue stuff and heating the vinegar.!
i tied it and worked! my tub – a very old one, still belonged to my grandma – is cleaner then ever.
the only thing is that the smell was horrible, now i can see in the comments that your vinegar has 5% acidity – ours in hungary has 20%. i wonder if i should delute it with water or just use less vinegar.
This must be a very all purpose cleaner because this is the exact concoction for home made pet shampoo and it works great! I will have to try the tub…
Do NOT use vinegar on STONE! Stone, especially marble and granite. The acid will etch the surface in no time.
It is interesting how many people are asking for the amount of vinegar and soap to use. The post CLEARLY gives you the amounts. Read people! Can't wait to try this. I never knew about the cleaning grade vinegar….thanks for that heads-up. I clean with vinegar all the time.
I found this in another pin and mixed it but I heated the vinegar. I sprayed it on my shower doors and fiberglass shower and facets. I left it about 30 minutes, doubting it would work, since the Works had not done much except make me sick. I started wiping the stuff off using a bath magic eraser and was amazed at the results. I now keep a bottle in the shower to use afer I shower. I spray and a bit later just wash it off with the hand held shower. It does work either hot or cold mix.
I have not seen the cleaning grade vinegar but will be looking next time I am in the store. Love your site.
amazingly simple!
Try CLR for rust. Home Depot sells it. Vinegar is normally 5% acetic acid. Grocery stores also sell pickling vinegar, which is 7% acetic acid. That's what I buy.
This is my second time using this recipe. The smell just about kills me but the results are worth it! I don't know of any cleaner that cleans my fiberglass tub this well. So glad I found this link on Pinterest.
I too absolutely hated the smell, so i tried using 7th generation dish soap and it worked just as well without the smell.
I just use this solution, and YES it does work, with very little effort, sure made it cleaner!!! I even cleaned the vanity sink with solution worked on it too!! 🙂 Using this from now to clean my bathrooms with, Thanks for sharing!!!
Saw this idea on a post on Pinterest under Natural Home & Beauty. Looked interesting so me & my daughter tried just now. We are waiting the hour. I thought Dawn soap was strong in smell but the vinegar won out! lol hehehe
I am a vinegar advocate to start off with and hate cleaning the bathtub! When I saw this on Pinterest, I immediately purchased a refillable scotch brite foam scrungie thingie from the Dollar Store, and now keep it filled, in the shower/bath…so that when we're (I'm)taking a shower already…that's when I "clean a section". I guess my tub is fiberglass??(it's not porcelain). I did not use "Dawn" and did not heat the vinegar first. Still works great! Thank you!
I put it in a spray bottle how long will be be good for in the bottle?
The only difference between food grade vinegar and cleaning grade is cleaning grade is diluted with water. I found some at walmart a while back, even though it was cheaper to buy per bottle food vinegar was a better deal because it has more vinegar in it, and if i wanted i could dilute it myself.
Who tried it and it did not work but i saw on another blog site to call the kohlet company i did and they said not to use vinigar as it is acid base so i called tje 800#gm and reached the rog3 company who invented the safe guard for Kohler and ordered from the site Rog3.com got the kit last week WHOOP OMG IT CLEANED THE SAFE GUARD for AND THE RUST OFF now the tin looks like it was new thank ypu Kohler and mr.rog
I was SO hoping this would work. I've tried and failed for 10 years to clean the non-slip surfaces in the bottom of my tub. This didn't touch those either. Sigh…any ideas for me would be appreciated!
Miss Kim- Have you tried a steam cleaner? I have found it is the best tool for all of my hard to clean areas. The pressurized hot water works wonders without having to use chemicals or muscles!! 😉 I use a Wagner 915.
I finally see how to leave a comment, this cleaner is awesome, and I used 1/2 cup of both, the vinegar and the dawn dishwashing soap, I, too was amazed. I left it on for about 2 hours, and my husband LOVED the smell of the bathroom, said it smelled clean. Our water here is VERY hard with a lot of Iron in it. Thanks for sharing this tip. Carolyn H
This was a complete JOKE! Granted my tubs were in need of some cleaning but to say no scrubbing at is a completely and utter JOKE. This required some real elbow grease. They way you make it sounds like it's absolutely no work at is a deceitful and ridiculous. For shame! (Pointing finger and shaking my heard at you!)
@Tanzi
First of all, there is no need to be rude! This product has worked very well for many, many people as you can see by the comments that people have left above yours. If it didn't work for you, maybe you mixed the solution wrong, didn't follow the directions correctly or didn't leave it soaking long enough. Or maybe your bathtub was coated with something other than the normal dirt and soap scum. No need for accusations and finger pointing!
Amazing! First time i did it i did not put a very thick coat of the spray and it required more wiping. But a thick blue coat of the spray really does just wipe off!
Hi! Thanks for posting this. Luckily, I too was able to find the cleaning grade vinegar at Walmart. Mine was Heinz brand though. Just a note that Dawn Hand Renewal dish detergent is not good for use with this (but it was what I had on hand). The mixture turns out too thick and won't squirt. I am going to retry using regular ol' Dawn, BUT, I did apply my mixture with a sponge and it did work to some degree. I just think it will work better when I am able to squirt and leave it. Thanks, again!
Try putting some baking soda and water together to form a paste and then use a washcloth to rub over the stain. That's how I get mine off.
Thanks for this recipe, it works pretty darn good. Even with normal bathroom cleaners, I had to use a lot of elbow grease to get the soap scum out of my bathtub (I too am guilty of waiting too long to clean it!). Using this mixture still took some scrubbing but not nearly as much effort. In fact, the effort was minimal. I didn't follow the exact recipe as stated in your blog (used less Dawn and I didn't heat the vinegar), but it still worked like a charm.
I discovered this blog (and bathtub cleaner) via pinterest and I have to say it didn't work as well for me as it did for you and others…Maybe our bathtub is just more gross than most (I have only lived here for 5mos and there were 2 guys living here before me, haha). Also, when I used this recipe (and I followed it exactly), the solution was so thick that it wouldn't spray, therefore I just had to dump it out of the spray bottle onto the tub. Am I missing something? Also please feel free to check out my blog, including the post I made about it (I included a link back to you, of course!): http://whitneysharpe.wordpress.com/2013/03/09/homemade-cleaning-solution/
The best bathtub cleaner for the bottom safety bottom is rog3 all that mixing does not make any sence.you spend good money on a new tub so use the right cleaner the one the manufacture recommends.
I use vinegar for my salad not my bathroom yeeks
Trying this now. I like that it does not have a odor that gives me a headache like regular cleaners do. I like that it safe for the pets too.
Thanks for testing! I tried this a few days ago and it worked! Amazing results! I used regular vinegar with blue original Dawn this time since I already had them in the house. I will keep an eye out for cleaning grade vinegar! 🙂
I have fibromyalgia – scrubbing is so painful! So I decided to give Dawn + vinegar a try….voila! My tub is beautiful!! Thank-you, thank-you!
@Jennifer from The Craft Patch
Have you tried the Krogers brand of oxyclean? We use it with our laundry detergent. It works great and about half the cost.
@Sara Simmons I haven't tried the Kroger brand, but I have tried other generics and haven't been happy with them. I'm kind of an Oxyclean snob, but maybe I'll have to give the Kroger brand a try. I hate how expensive Oxyclean is!
I just tried this on the master bathroom tub. We moved into the house a month ago and a bachelor lived here before us. No idea how long it's been since the tub had a good cleaning…not including the city having hard water. I tried a basic cleaning after we moved in, but had little success on getting all the hard water and build up off. Tried this today. It did take two different cleanings, and I did use a lot of elbow grease, to get the bottom part of the tub cleaned. I'm assuming this is because it may have been quite a while since the tub had a good scrubbing. I've got another layer on now, this time up on the higher portions of the shower. Really hoping that after a good scrubbing, this will be much easier next time 🙂
Tried this today, and it did help a little, but not as dramatically as yours did. I'm going to try once or twice more…our house is pretty old and I'm sure it's had years and years of build up from previous owners.
I will try this. I love getting pins like this.Thank
Thank you, for being the first to test things on Pinterest and sharing.
I was very sceptical that this would work . I too tend to forget about cleaning the tub until it is too late . The solution worked very well on my porcelain tub . It didn't seem to do a great job on the acrylic shower stall. But maybe I tried wiping that off too soon . I used sunlight soap and didn't heat up the soluton . I also used a microfiber cloth to wipe down . I read a lot of post here about the horrible smell but I find it smells better and chokes you up less than the name brand stuff.
Also, adding a splash of vinegar to dish water is great for extra greasy dishes.
I don't use Dawn dish soap, but an eco brand from our local health store. Dawn isn't as eco friendly as what they let on, and contains chemicals that negatively effect aquatic wildlife and ecosystems once it gets into the system.
Be careful of the dish scrubber part. I loved it at first but it scratched the chrome fixtures in my shower and I can't buff them out.
Thanks for the tip! I would never have guessed that could happen. Good to know!
Be careful with "cleaning grade" vinegar, it's often just vinegar premixed with water…why pay anything for that and not usually cheaper in the long run. Also, Dawn isn't all that eco-friendly. I use castile soap (Dr Bronner's is my favorite) and it comes in some great scents. If you have any really bad spots that don't come instantly clean, try adding a little baking soda to the spot, it will wipe right off with the slight abrasion.
I have to ask — does the vinegar smell attract fruit flies to your bathrooms? 🙂
I have never seen fruit flies in my bathroom, so I don't think it does.
I have used the same solution for years except I use about 1/4 rubbing alcohol added to it. I mist/spray my tub, tile, little jaquzzi water jets thingies, shower head and shower curtain after every shower. (since i do it every day, I don't have to be super precise about where it hits – I just mist all over every day) Takes two seconds. My totally white tub/tile looks great every day. 🙂
After reading all these great reviews I had NO DOUBT that this would work; but it didn't! Im so bummed…. 🙁
I used the exact ingredients and ratio and time frame. Well, I will still use this method to clean because at least when i take a bath i wont have to worry about chemicals on my skin. And 2 things it did do was make the water spots vanish and caked on mildew. No matter how much product or many times I scrubbed or how much elbow grease I put into the water stained mildew wouldn't go away until today….so all in all not a total loss.
You can just microwave a cup of vinegar in the microwave for 10 minutes then wipe clean. Then use the heated vinegar in a spray bottle for this…😉
This was amazing! I would be lying though if I said I didn't have to use the scrub brush…but it works!! I had a couple of variables that may have made me scrub anyway…I let it sit WAY longer than 1-2 hours (lol), AND I used a generic version of Blue dawn dish soap. In spite of the extra elbow grease I put into it, it was worth every second, because now it is cleaner than I have ever seen it! Thank you for this tip!
I too use this mixture as my daily cleaner. I keep the handled sponge in my old fiberglass shower. I mix it up on the kitchen and fill the handle. Leave in the shower and now no excuse for not cleaning. ..well maybe less excuses. But mostly I love it in my stainless steel sink. A pain to keep looking good. I spray on sink AND on glasses! While Dawn cleans the best using this mixture on glasses makes them Sparkle** no spots.. I even spray when I wash towels. Keeps the musty smell at bay from my front loader washer. I do heat my vinegar and use a heavy thick plastic bottle. An empty Oxy Clean bottle. No problems just clean. But I do not use on my granite!! Those who had problems try again.
I was skeptical at first but had to try it and well it works. I tried the orange dawn with vinegar and added 2 capsules of Lysol for the smell and left for 30 min, but of course I couldn't help myself so i tried it in 20 min. and even in 20 it just wiped right off. There was one spot that i had to spray again and this time left for 30. And it came right off…so now this its many new cleaner for my tub….thank you
Thank you! I hate hate HATE scrubbing the tub, and, yes, I also let it go without cleaning a little longer than I should! I'm going to try this tonight!
I used to buy the cleaning vinegar, but haven't been able to find it in quite a while. I wish I could, since it comes in a large bottle, while the food grade vinegar comes in such a small bottle, that dosn't last very long when you use it for almost everything.
Vinegar is good for food items..for bathroom I can't imagine…:P
I don't know if someone's posted this or not–it helps to HEAT the vinegar first in the microwave for a minute or two, then pour in the spray bottle and add the Dawn. DON'T SHAKE IT to mix them together, just gently swirl it around. The hot vinegar will help the Dawn dissolve and mix easier. I love this mix! All the dirt, grime, hard water stains–GONE. Also, my husband HATES the smell of hot vinegar, so I usually add about 10 drops of essential oil to help with the strong smell. I like lavender the best; he likes citrus.
I tried it in my bathroom sink and it worked pretty well. Tried it in the tub and it did not work at all. Soooo disappointed!
I have Ultra Dawn. Can't find the original Dawn. Ultra is very concentrated. How much Ultra Dawn (concentrate) should be used with the vinegar?
So are you saying that it doesn't workon fiberglass tub surrounds? I've been wanting to scrub ours for awhile but it's really hard for me to do. I knee I had this on here somewhere and I ran across this 1 a little while as go,it sounds better so I wanted to try this,but not if it's going to wreck the tub surround. Please let me know. I have SOOOO much more that I could use that on if it also works on lineolium also.WOW the things it opens the doors to.
Thanks Please let me know,SINCERELY,
Debbie
Works amazing. No scrubbing required. I loved it so much i told my mom. Easiest tub cleaner ever. I had to rinse twice because so much lather was created. I didnt mind rinsing at all.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS CLEANER!! I made the recipe according to the directions, but I also added 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol. The cleaner shines my fiberglass tub surround to the point that it sparkles!!! I’ve told many of my friends about it, and they’re happy with it too!! And it costs pennies to use!
I just tried this. I did the one part Dawn to one part vinigar. I did have to scrub just very little and I thought it was a bit to soapy. Maybe next time I won’t add as much dawn.
I have used this for years now. I spray it on, wait a bit, wipe with a rag then using my shower sprayer and super hot water I rinse it down. Piece of cake and it dries beautifully with no streaks or marks. My cleaning lady loves it.
This did get my tub clean, but I couldn’t stand the smell. And we have very soft water and it took an unconscionable amount of water to rinse…
You can buy cleaning vinegar in the dollar store. I use it in the laundry as well as for cleaning.
I love this cleaner and have happily used it for a good while now. Even though it’s a cleaning miracle, it removes the adhesive from the aftermarket non-slip adhesive strips I must have to avoid falling. I’m on the lookout for a better product.