As much as I enjoy unwinding in the bath after a long day, I find cleaning my bathtub a lot less relaxing. Fortunately, I’ve discovered a bathtub cleaning trick that makes this particular chore a lot easier!
You only need a broom and some dish soap to do it (although if your tub is seriously grimy, I’d recommend upgrading to my two-ingredient tub and shower cleaner). Ready to see how this trick works?
How to Clean Your Bathtub With a Broom
You’ll need:
*I recommend using a new broom for this purpose because a dirty broom won’t get you very far! Pick up the cheapest one you can find and reserve it for cleaning your tub.
Directions:
Step 1 – Add Soap
Grab a bottle of dish soap and squirt some onto the bottom and sides of your bathtub.
Step 2 – Scrub With the Broom
Get the broom slightly wet, then use it to scrub the soap around the tub. The scrubbing action of the bristles and the grease-cutting action of the dish soap will break up any soap scum, mildew, and other residues that may have built up in your bathtub.
Step 3 – Rinse the Tub Clean
Finally, grab a cup, bucket, or your shower wand (if you have one), and use it to rinse all of the soap and loosened grime down the drain. Then stand back and admire your clean, shiny bathtub!
Less Bending & Reaching = Less Pain!
While anyone can use this cleaning trick to get their tub clean in a flash, it can be especially beneficial for people with limited mobility. Using a long-handled broom to scrub your bathtub eliminates the need to bend, stretch, or kneel to get at those hard-to-reach spots, making it a lot less painful!
So if you or someone you love has limited mobility due to arthritis, injuries, age, or any other mobility-restricting condition, make sure they know about this tip! After all, you shouldn’t have to endure discomfort or soreness just to keep your tub clean.
BONUS: 2 More Bathtub Cleaning Tips
Tip #1 – Use Baking Soda to Erase Stubborn Stains
Can’t seem to get rid of a particularly stubborn stain? Take a handful of baking soda and add enough water to create a paste, then apply the baking soda paste to the stain.
Let it sit for a few hours to dry, then wipe up the paste and try scrubbing the stain again. You’ll be able to erase it much more easily!
Tip #2 – Wipe Out Your Tub Frequently
About once a week, take a few seconds after getting out of the bath to wipe down your tub with a microfiber cloth. The cloth will pick up lingering water and soap residue and keep your bathtub cleaner over time.
What’s your best cleaning trick for bathtubs and showers?
More Ideas You'll Love
My grandkids made crystals using borax. Well after a few weeks on the counter it was time to clean up those mason jars. I soaked them, scrubbed them and the layers of borax crystals would not budge. So, I decided well I will try the dish washer and see if they come clean. If not I would throw them away. WELL! not only did they come clean but everything in the dishwasher including the inside of the dishwasher SPARKLED. Now I always add borax to my dish washer and the dishes and glasses are amazingly shinny and clean.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Been using dawn to clean my tub the last 40 years I shared tip with friends & family never thought to post.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You are a genius!!! Best cleaning tip of all time!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Having been in the rental business for 30+ years, I have found that the easiest way to clean the scum and yuck out of tubs and off shower walls is with Liquid Dial Soap.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Wet an old wash cloth, add some dial to the cloth and scrub the tub. You don’t have to rub hard, just in circles. The scum comes off pretty easy. Then put on a coat of Gel Gloss to protect the finish. I put Gel Gloss on the stoves and refrigerators also.
Another time saving tip: Put wax paper on the top of your upper cupboards. When it’s time to clean the grease and grime up there – throw away and put down new. I have literally had to use Comet and a scrub brush to get all the built up grease off in some rentals.
Blue Dawn, how do I love thee, let me count the ways. I’m in the process of replacing household cleaning products with less expensive DIY substitutes but Blue Dawn stays. There is no substitute for that.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I agree! It’s the best!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Everybody is so hooked on blue Dawn. Has anyone ever tried other dish liquids. Ajax, for example, is less expensive than Dawn. Ever tried Ajax ?
I LOVE Ajax! I find it work s just as well as blue dawn imho.
I have tried them all, and Dawn is my very favorite! It cuts through grease and thick messes better than any other soap. But feel free to use any dish soap you like. :-)
Ajax is very poor quality and does not clean well. That’s why it is much cheaper.
my weird trick also involves a broom. i use diaper pins to pin a microfiber small towel over the broom. i now can dust/sweep behind the toilet and around the pipes and base of the toilet without out getting bent out of shape or on my knees (which i can no longer do). i can also wet it if i need to.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How clever!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I bought a swiffer sweeper years ago and got tired of buying the cloths that go with it so I use small microfiber cloths instead! I bought cloths that aren’t very thick so they are easy to insert in the sweeper. I clean my ceramic tile and laminate flooring with it all the time! With a shedding dog in the house I find it so easy and helpful and I save money too!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Would this method clean a tile shower (walls and floor)?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is a great tip, however, the one that I particularly love is one that I got from this site – baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. I use it for everything, including the tub, and it works when nothing else did; but I will try this, too.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Could this work for the walls as well as the tub? I get a lot of soap scum stuck on the walls.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Definitely!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Question: do you wet the tub or broom first? Or is this Dawn on a dry tub with a dry broom? Thanks!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.A little water on the broom helps it sud up – either way works, though! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The broom cleaning is best tip I have ever heard of. I can’t wait to try it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Do you have any tips on preparing my home for my sister who is a n a wheelchair. She is 62 and since June of last year “can’t walk”. I don’t have a clue how to make my home comfortable for her.
I actually don’t know much about getting your home prepared for someone in a wheelchair, but I did a bit of research and found a bunch of great information here: https://jillee.co/2FdZjAr :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You have such great tips!i have limited mobility and am going to try your broom trick for cleaning the tub!The only problem is my husband is scent sensitive and I can not use scented cleaning products in my home,therefore Dawn is out.Is there anything else naturally scented that I could substitute for the Dawn that does not have an artificial scent.He can handle things like vinegar and rubbing alcohol and baking soda.if there anyone out there who might have a suggestion please email me.I would really appreciate it.Thank you.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.While Dawn is renown for its grease cutting ability, I would think that any dish liquid that has similar qualities would do the job. There are unscented varities now.
Another thought is to use Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds. It is super concentrated, has no scent, contains only natural ingredients and leaves no residue. Here is the link to the 16 oz version on Amazon. You can also find Sal Suds locally in health food stores or retail outlets such as Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Earth Fare, etc.
https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Bronners-Organic-Liquid-Cleaner/dp/B00A2F1MBO/ref=sr_1_6_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1546772186&sr=8-6&keywords=Sal+suds
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Any dish soap will do the trick – Dawn is just my favorite!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.i use white vinegar spray after each use of the shower. walls and tub. i too am sensitive to smells of most cleaners. i have also used soft scrub and not had a problem.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use old shampoo works great for me and you can get the unscented kind like baby shampoo
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I DO HAVE A DISABILITY I CAN ONLY GET ON ONE KNEE DUE TO AN ACCIDENT I SHATTERED MY RIGHT LEG AND HURT MY BACK IN A FALL OFF AN 8 FOOT LADDER THAT”WALKED” ON ME WHEN I WAS AT THE TOP, ANYWAY I HAVE TROUBLE CLEANING THE TUB AND WE ALL TAKE A SHOWER OR USED TO BUT I AM ALONE NOW AND I WILL DO THIS TRICK FOR SURE THANK YOU SO MUCH AS I NEVER THOUGHT BOUT THIS..
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Best of luck to you, Karla!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I live in the country and have lots of minerals in my water. My handicap friend does also. Her Shower floor had rust staines for years I told her I could clean it
Please log in or create a free account to comment.She bet me I couldn’t. I used Lime Away I squirted lavishly and scubbed wita a nylon broom. It looks a new one..
I tried this with the dollar store broom and the bristles just are too flimsy so scrub it totally clean. My broom left soap scum and shaved hair in the tub. Not effective. I think you need a tougher bristled broom to do the trick if you want to try this way. It’s going to cost you more than that dollar you thought you would spend. Do admit it saved my back, but just didn’t get clean for a dollar plus the Dawn.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use a dollar store string mop- I leave it on a suction cup hook in the shower. After each showering I mop down the tub with Dawn. Once in a while I have to use a Mr. Clean eraser but otherwise it works great
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve been doing this for years, but I use a shop broom – short bristles, about 2″ wide. It hits every spot.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That’s a great idea, Betty!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This may have been asked already, but how do you let this broom dry after cleaning and where do you keep stored?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.you could just hang it on a hook in your garage
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I let it dry in the bathtub, and then store it dry in the bathroom closet :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My favorite weird but it works is using yogurt to clean copper pans. Smear some yogurt on the copper bottom and let it sit until it gets a bit drier and rubbery. Scrub it off gently and you will have shiny pans again! Another is to use the spent dryer sheets to clean the detergent residue from the top of my washer and dryer, they are the perfect scrubby texture and I was going to throw them away anyway!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Will try this idea. I do not have a disability or mobility issues…..just vertically challenged. Never liked cleaning tub b/c of my shortness. I am 4’9″.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My weird shower cleaning tip is to clean the shower floor with an old dish towel with a design on it. I toss in the towel and use my foot to scrub the shower floor. If the floor is still wet, it cleans better than a dry floor
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I like to let texture work in my favor too, like using old socks with more elastic to remove old bugs/dirt from windowsills/patio door tracks.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have used magic eraser in the shower and use my foot to clean the bottom and sides ( hands to clean higher up the sides. WORKS WONDERFULLY …………………
Please log in or create a free account to comment.me too!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This method has worked for me for a couple years now. I’ve gotten to old to get down on my hands and knees to scrub the tub. Learned this from an elder Aunt of mine. Her tub stays sparkling clean.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Blue Dawn is THE best cleaner for everything. After many back surgeries and hardware in my back I cannot get down on my knees to clean the tub or shower. So, thank you for the great idea of a broom and Dawn. Keep the ideas coming.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This idea has been a huge help and I keep wondering where it’s been hiding all these years. As you say, it’s a real gift to people with back /shoulder/problems. The one thing I had a bit of trouble with was rinsing out the soap suds, but I sprinkled some white vinegar around the tub and it rinsed easily after that. Thanks, Jillee!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.To rinse the tub of suds I use the cup that came with my bathroom decor items and use the water from the tap. I keep a clear plastic cup in the shower and use that after cleaning to rinse.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I find that when rinsing suds down, cold water works faster than warm or hot. Don’t know the science behind it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Wow I just printed your bathroom tub cleaner trick with Dawn . I’ll be going to the dollar store for a new broom today. I don’t remember my tub being such a chore but I dread it. I’ll try this is maybe I’ll clean it more often.Thanks for all the god tips
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I used to do this with a mop from the dollar store! I’ve graduated to the spin scrubber! I find it works waaaay better!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have that too and I don’t feel like it scrubs hard enough…. maybe if I try it with some Dawn though…. lol
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I am one of the few that just don’t like Dawn dish soap. I don’t feel it cuts grease as well as Ivory liquid.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You are not alone. I have a friend who told me years ago she didn’t like Dawn…..that it doesn’t work but I love it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Any dish soap will do the trick – I just prefer Dawn. I love that stuff!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Where I lived before I preferred JOY dish liquid … sometimes Ivory. Here DAWN seems to be the best. Dish liquid choice may well depend on the local water. ☺
Interesting theory Jeanne! I had never thought of that!