The other morning I walked into my bathroom and felt that familiar sigh escape — a little soap scum on the sink, toothpaste dots on the mirror, and that “something’s off” feeling you get when a space just isn’t fresh. It instantly reminded me of a question I’m asked all the time: What Cleaning Supplies Do I Need for Bathroom? Because let’s be honest — when you’ve got the right tools, even the messiest bathroom feels less intimidating.
I’ve struggled with this more times than I’d like to admit, grabbing random products only to realize later they weren’t actually solving the problem. Over time, though, I’ve learned that having a simple, reliable kit not only keeps things hygienic but also saves me from those deep-clean marathons I always regret putting off.
So here’s what usually works for me — and hopefully, it’ll make your next bathroom cleanup feel a whole lot easier too.
Image by orapiasia
The Core 8 Supplies I Never Run Out Of
These are the things I buy in bulk because I use them every single time.
All-Purpose Cleaner (the real kind)
I swear by Branch Basics concentrate or Puracy Natural Multi-Surface (the purple bottle). Both are non-toxic, streak-free on chrome and mirrors, and actually cut soap scum. One bottle lasts me 4–6 months because I refill a spray bottle with the proper dilution. Skip anything that says “with bleach” for daily use—too harsh on lungs and fixtures.
Concentrated Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Get the thick gel kind that clings. I use Better Life Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner or, when things are really bad, Clorox Toilet Bowl Cleaner with Bleach (the blue one). The natural one for weekly maintenance, the bleach one when someone’s been sick or the ring is nuclear.
Glass & Mirror Cleaner
I ditched Windex years ago. Hope’s Perfect Glass or Invisible Glass leaves zero streaks and doesn’t drip down your mirror edges. Pro move: keep a second bottle of straight white vinegar in a spray bottle for touch-ups—works just as well and costs pennies.
Microfiber Cloths – At Least 12
Not the cheap Amazon ones that fall apart. Get the thick, 300–400 GSM ones (I buy the Fixsmith or Amazon Basics commercial pack). I color-code: blue for mirrors, green for counters, yellow for toilets. Wash them in hot water with no fabric softener—otherwise they stop grabbing grime.
Scrubbing Sponge with Handle
The OXO Good Grips one with the scrubby side that pops out for replacement is my ride-or-die. The long handle saves your manicure and keeps your hands out of toilet water. Replace the head every 3–4 months or when it starts looking sad.
Magic Eraser (or generic melamine sponges)
These are literal magic on scuff marks, hard-water rings around faucets, and that weird brown drip line under the bathroom sink faucet. I buy the off-brand 40-packs on Amazon for $12.
Pumice Stone
Yes, the same kind you use on your feet. It’s the only thing that safely removes rock-hard toilet rings without scratching porcelain. Wet both the stone and the toilet, use gentle pressure in circles. Life-changing.
Baking Soda & White Vinegar
My desert-island combo. I keep a 13-lb bag of baking soda from Costco and gallon jugs of vinegar. Together they fizz away soap scum, deodorize drains, and clean grout better than anything commercial.
The Next-Level Supplies (Worth the Cabinet Space)
These are what separate “clean” from “professionally clean.”
Tile & Grout Brush
The drill brush attachment set (yellow medium bristles) is $15 and will make you cry happy tears the first time you use it on shower tile. Pair with a little Dawn + vinegar spray and watch 10 years of grime disappear in minutes.
Squeegee
A $10 OXO squeegee after every shower prevents 90% of water spots and mold growth. I make my teenagers do it—it takes 30 seconds and saves me hours of scrubbing later.
Bar Keepers Friend (powder)
The single best thing for porcelain sinks, bathtubs, and stainless steel fixtures that have gone dull. Wet the surface, sprinkle, let sit 1 minute, scrub with a damp sponge, rinse. Instant sparkle. Safe on most surfaces but test a spot first.
Hydrogen Peroxide (3%)
Keep a dark spray bottle of it. Kills mold spores better than bleach without the toxic fumes. Spray on grout, wait 10 minutes, scrub, rinse. I use it instead of bleach 90% of the time now.
Dawn Platinum Dish Soap
The blue one. Mix 1 tablespoon with a quart of warm water in a spray bottle = the best shower cleaner ever invented. Cuts soap scum like nothing else. I’ve been using this trick since 2010.
Disposable Gloves (nitrile, not latex)
I buy the black ones from Harbor Freight. Protect your hands and make you feel like a badass while cleaning toilets.
Small Spray Bottle of Rubbing Alcohol (70%)
Instant disinfectant for faucet handles, light switches, and toilet flush valve. Dries in seconds, no residue, kills cold/flu viruses.
What I Don’t Waste Money On Anymore
- Bleach spray for daily use (too harsh, yellows towels)
- Scrubbing Bubbles (smells good, performs meh)
- Those foaming bathroom cleaners that cost $6 and do nothing
- Separate “shower cleaner,” “tub cleaner,” “sink cleaner” — one good all-purpose does 90% of the job
- Swiffer wet pads (expensive and terrible for real grime
My Actual Bathroom Cleaning Caddy (What’s in it right now)
Top tier:
- All-purpose spray
- Glass cleaner
- Toilet bowl cleaner
- Dawn + vinegar spray
- Bar Keepers Friend shaker
Bottom tier:
- Magic Erasers
- Pumice stone
- Pack of microfiber cloths
- Tile drill brush
- Gloves
- Squeegee hanging on the side
Total cost to assemble: about $85–100, and it lasts me 6–9 months with weekly cleaning of three bathrooms.
My 22-Minute Weekly Bathroom Cleaning Routine (With These Supplies
- Start at the top: spray mirrors with glass cleaner, wipe with blue microfiber.
- Spray counters, sink, outside of toilet with all-purpose. Wipe.
- Squirt toilet bowl cleaner inside bowl, let sit.
- Spray shower walls and tub with Dawn/vinegar mix, let sit 5 minutes.
- Go back to toilet—scrub with long-handled brush, flush.
- Hit faucet fixtures with Bar Keepers Friend if needed.
- Scrub shower/tub with drill brush or sponge.
- Squeegee glass and walls.
- Quick swipe of floor edges with all-purpose and microfiber.
- Empty trash, replace towel.
Done. The whole thing takes me 22 minutes per bathroom because I have everything in one caddy and nothing is fighting me.
For Tough Problems: My Battle-Tested Fixes
Hard-water stains on glass shower doors?
Make a paste of baking soda + hydrogen peroxide, spread on, cover with plastic wrap, leave 2 hours, scrub off. Follow with Rain-X (yes, the car stuff) to repel water for months.
Black mold in grout?
Spray straight hydrogen peroxide, wait 15 minutes, scrub with grout brush, rinse. Repeat once a week for two weeks, then prevent with daily squeegee + weekly vinegar spray.
Yellowed toilet seat?
Magic Eraser + Bar Keepers Friend. I’ve saved $80 toilet seats this way.
Hair-clogged drain?
½ cup baking soda, 1 cup vinegar, wait 15 minutes, flush with a kettle of boiling water. Works every time.
Eco-Friendly Swaps That Actually Work
I’ve been cleaning professionally for 12 years and went almost completely non-toxic five years ago. Here’s what performs as well as chemicals:
- Branch Basics or Force of Nature (electrolyzed water) instead of Lysol
- Meliora tablets or Blueland tablets (drop in reusable bottle, add water)
- Vinegar + Dawn instead of Scrubbing Bubbles
- Hydrogen peroxide instead of bleach
- Bon Ami powder instead of Comet
They cost the same or less and don’t make my asthma flare up.
How to Store Everything Without Losing Your Mind
I use a $15 plastic caddy from Target with a handle—fits perfectly under every sink. I also keep a second set of microfiber cloths and a spray bottle of all-purpose in each bathroom for quick wipe-downs. The bulk items (vinegar, baking soda, peroxide) live in my laundry room on a lazy Susan so I can refill easily.
Final Pro Tip
Buy the good tools once and stop fighting cheap ones that fall apart. That $25 drill brush set has saved me more time and elbow grease than anything else I own. Your future self will thank you every single Saturday morning.
You now have everything you need to make your bathroom look like a hotel one without spending a fortune or inhaling toxic fumes. Pick five things from this list today, and you’ll immediately notice the difference.
FAQ
What’s the bare minimum I need to start cleaning my bathroom today?
All-purpose cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, microfiber cloths, dish soap, vinegar, and a scrub brush. That’s six things and covers 95% of the job.
Can I clean my entire bathroom with just vinegar and baking soda?
Yes, but it takes more elbow grease on heavy soap scum. Add a few drops of Dawn and it becomes unstoppable.
How do I keep shower glass doors from getting water spots?
Squeegee after every shower + monthly coat of Rain-X or a paste of baking soda and water. Works better than any commercial product I’ve tried.
What’s the best cleaner for black mold in shower grout?
3% hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle, left on for 15–20 minutes, then scrubbed. Safer and more effective than bleach.
How often should I replace my toilet brush?
Every 6 months or when the bristles start splaying. Or do what I do now—use disposable toilet wand systems with refillable heads. No more nasty brush cup under the sink.
