Products We Recommend
Trusted products.Better results.
These are the cleaners, brushes and drain tools our techs actually hand to Chicago homeowners after a tub or tile refinishing job. Everything here cleans well without chewing through a new finish.
What is safe to use on a refinished tub?
Use a non-abrasive liquid or foaming bathroom cleaner with a soft cloth, sponge or nylon brush. A refinished tub or tile surround is a coating, not porcelain, so the failure point is almost never cleaner strength. It is scratching. Anything gritty, anything with a scouring pad, and anything left sitting for hours will dull the gloss and open the door to peeling. The products below are the ones we hand out because they clean hard and stay gentle on the coating.
Use these
- Liquid or foaming cleaners applied, given a minute, then rinsed off
- Soft cloths, sponges and nylon brushes for weekly upkeep
- A squeegee or towel after showers to stop hard water spotting
- A hair catcher in the drain so you never need to pour anything caustic down it
- A caddy or shelf so shampoo bottles and razors stay off the tub deck
Skip these
- Powdered and cream abrasives such as Comet, Ajax and Soft Scrub
- Melamine foam pads like Magic Eraser, which are a fine abrasive
- Steel wool, green scouring pads and pumice sticks
- Suction cup bath mats, which trap water and pull at the finish over time
- Drain openers poured into a standing clog, since the chemical sits on the finish
Our Top Recommended Products
Every item below is something we use on the job or recommend at handoff. Links go to Amazon so you can compare sizes and prices yourself.
Everyday cleaners
Non-abrasive formulas for weekly upkeep on refinished tubs, tile and grout.
Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Cleaner
Foaming spray that lifts soap scum and body oil with almost no scrubbing. Our default weekly cleaner for a refinished tub.
Weekly upkeep Shop on Amazon
Tilex Mold & Mildew Remover
Spot treatment for mildew in grout lines and along the caulk joint. Spray, wait, rinse well. Do not let it sit for hours.
Grout and caulk Shop on Amazon
Zep Shower Tub & Tile Cleaner
Heavier duty option for hard water film and stubborn soap scum. Reach for this when the weekly spray stops keeping up.
Hard water film Shop on Amazon
Non-Abrasive Tub & Tile Pads
Scrubbing power without the grit. These are the only pads we tell customers to use on a coated surface.
Finish safe Shop on AmazonTools and accessories
Nylon bristles and soft heads only. No metal, no green pads, no pumice.
Long Handle Tub Scrubber
Reaches the far wall and the tub floor without kneeling on the rim. Easier on your back and easier on the finish.
No kneeling Shop on Amazon
Nylon Grout & Detail Brush Set
Gets into grout lines, corners and the seam behind the faucet where mildew starts. Stiff enough to work, soft enough to be safe.
Detail work Shop on Amazon
Hanging Shower Caddy
Gets shampoo bottles and razors off the tub deck. Metal cans and wet bottles left sitting on a refinished surface are a common cause of rust rings and stains.
Prevents stains Shop on AmazonDrain care
Catch hair before it clogs and you will never need a caustic drain opener sitting in your tub.
TubShroom Drain Hair Catcher
Sits inside the drain and wraps hair around itself while water flows past. The single best thing you can buy for a tub drain.
Prevents clogs Shop on Amazon
Flexible Drain Snake Tool
Pulls the hair clog out instead of dissolving it in place. Safer for your finish and safer for older Chicago plumbing.
Clears clogs Shop on Amazon
Tub Drain Stopper & Trim
A stained or pitted drain is the one thing that still looks old next to a fresh refinish. This swaps out in minutes with a basic wrench.
Finishing touch Shop on AmazonChicago Tub and Tile is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Buying through these links costs you nothing extra and helps support our small business. Thank you.
Tub and tile care questions
What cleaner is safe on a refinished bathtub?
Any non-abrasive liquid or foaming bathroom cleaner is safe. Spray it on, give it a minute to work, wipe with a soft cloth or nylon brush, then rinse. Avoid powders, creams and anything that feels gritty between your fingers.
Can I use a Magic Eraser on a reglazed tub?
No. Melamine foam works by acting as an extremely fine sandpaper. It will slowly dull the gloss on a refinished surface even though it feels soft. Use a non-abrasive pad instead.
How soon can I clean my tub after refinishing?
Wait the full cure time listed on the care card we leave with you before the tub gets wet, and hold off on cleaning products for the first week. After that, a weekly wipe down is all it takes.
Why do suction cup bath mats damage a refinished tub?
They trap water and cleaning residue against the coating, and the suction pulls at the finish every time you lift the mat. Use a mat with no suction cups and hang it up to dry between uses.
Can I use liquid drain cleaner in a refinished tub?
Not while water is standing. A caustic drain opener sitting in a slow-draining tub is in direct contact with the finish for hours. Pull the hair out with a drain snake or catch it first with a hair catcher.
Do you refinish tile and shower surrounds too, or only tubs?
Both. Chicago Tub and Tile refinishes bathtubs, tile walls, shower pans and vanity tops across Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.
Tub past the point of cleaning?
If the finish is chipped, stained or peeling, refinishing costs a fraction of replacement and is usually done in a day.
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