The 5 Best Bathtub Cleaners

Cleaning the bathtub is one of the worst household chores, hands down. Not only is there the regular soap scum to deal with, but rust stains, mold, and clogs can occur over time, making tub cleaning an all-day affair. To cut down on time, only the best bathtub cleaners tackle all of the above so you're left with a shiny, clean bathroom, with little effort on your part.

First thing's first: Go ahead and get a good look at your tub. To find the most effective bathtub cleaner, you have to get real with what, exactly, needs to be cleaned. For example, if you're dealing with clogs, you definitely want a cleaner that helps to loosen debris without damaging your tub. If you have rust or hard water stains, you want a powerful liquid cleaner that can break down rust and limescale with ease. And if your entire tub needs a good scrub, you may want to go with a multi-purpose cleaner that can do it all.

You also want to consider how you prefer to clean. Liquid cleaners are great if you have one of the best bathroom power scrubbers to help lift stains without scratching your tub, but pre-saturated cleaning sponges can make the job easier and require fewer moving parts. You could even go with a clog cleaner that breaks down debris in your pipes without having to put much elbow grease at all.

Ready to get started? Here are some of the best bathtub cleaners that will it absolutely spotless.

1. Best For Soap Scum

These Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are specially made to take down even the toughest soap scum. Like the regular Erasers, this pack comes with two soft, durable sponges that can hold up to multiple scrub sessions without breaking down. These erasers are also saturated with a special foaming solution that'll leave your tub sparkly clean.

According to one reviewer: "This item worked extremely well to get rid of years worth of soap scum on a white-tiled shower. Other efforts (e.g. regular cleanser, other cleaning agents) didn’t work. A single pad will easily clean an entire tub/shower of say regular cleaning."

2. Best For Rust Stains

For the toughest rust stains, this powerful liquid cleaner is a must. Just a splash of this nontoxic formula breaks down longterm rust, limescale stains, and calcium deposits — basically the toughest stains to lift from your bathtub. Plus, this cleaner is super fast-acting. Give it a few minutes to do the trick, then wipe it away for a spotless finish.

According to one reviewer: "This is the best product for removing calcium deposits on most anything. We have extremely hard water in our area and of course, the lime deposits cling to the shower tile, the faucets, etc. I was buying smaller quantities locally at outrageous prices until I found this 1 gallon jug on Amazon at a much more reasonable price for the quantity. No need to ever run out of CLR now."

3. Best For Mold

Banish away mold and mildew for good with this bathtub spray cleaner. It's super easy to target those tough-to-reach mold stains — just spray directly onto a patch and wait. That's it. This highly-effective spray works to instantly break down mold, mildew, and even the stains that reach deep below the surface.

According to one reviewer: "'I've been fighting mold and mildew in my shower since we moved in 11 years ago. I've tried all sorts of bathroom products and none have worked. I ordered this product and a similar. Tried the other first but it only did a partial job. Sprayed this product and ALL of the mould and mildew was gone within a few hours."

4. Best Multi-Purpose Cleaner

For tackling every inch of your tub and tile, you can't beat this multi-purpose cleaner. It's made from tea tree and eucalyptus oils, both of which are naturally antibacterial and completely nontoxic. This formula is also free from all colors, so it's safe to use on any surface, including tile, ceramic, acrylic, glass, and more. Plus you get two 32-ounce bottles for just $13, which is a total steal. Over 5,000 Amazon reviewers have tried this cleaner out on their own bathtubs and given it a glowing 4.3-star overall rating.

According to one reviewer: "Absolutely love and recommend this product. I was looking for a natural cleaning product and gave this a shot. I had built up soap scum and grime on the bottom of my tub/shower and sprayed this, I started scrubbing right away, I didn't leave it to sink in at all. It literally picked up the dirt immediately and I just turned the shower on to rinse it away. Will be using this product regularly."

5. Best For Clogs

Instead of messing with plungers and drain snakes, just squirt this thick gel clog remover straight into your drain and give it time to work its magic. The gel dissolves even the toughest bathtub clogs, and it even clings to the sides of your pipes so it continues to work well after the initial treatment. And bonus: This cleaner is odorless and nontoxic. Over 35,000 Amazon reviews can't be wrong about this clog-busting cleaner.

According to one reviewer: "Left overnight in the slow draining bathroom wash basin, the next morning we poured two large saucepans of boiling water into the sink; after 20 seconds there was a gurgling sound and the sink drained away with a rush...great!!"