I’ve never really had a problem with most of the chores around my house. Doing laundry? Totally fine. Vacuuming? Actually kind of therapeutic. Cleaning the toilets? Not exactly a joy, but it doesn’t faze me either. But there’s one cleaning task that I’ve always dreaded, and that’s scrubbing the bathtub and shower. Something about the combination of mildew, soap scum, hard water stains, and that ever-present film of grime makes the job feel endless and frustrating. No matter how hard I scrub or what product I use, there always seems to be a stubborn layer that refuses to budge.

Thankfully, I came across a super simple and budget-friendly hack that completely changed how I tackle this dreaded task, and now cleaning the tub and shower doesn’t feel like a losing battle anymore. The best part? It only requires three basic items: Dawn liquid dish soap, distilled white vinegar, and one of those dish wands with a sponge head—the kind you’d normally use to clean pots and pans. To get started, just unscrew the cap on the cleaning wand and fill it with equal parts Dawn and vinegar. Once filled, shake the wand gently to combine the two ingredients. The mixture might not smell amazing, but trust me, it’s powerful. The vinegar works to cut through mineral deposits and grime, while the dish soap handles the grease and leftover residue from soaps and shampoos. Once your wand is ready, lightly wet the surfaces of your tub and shower.

Getting the walls and floor damp helps the solution spread more evenly and makes scrubbing easier. Take the wand and begin scrubbing the walls, fixtures, and base of the tub or shower, paying extra attention to problem areas like corners, grout lines, and any place where soap scum or hard water marks tend to build up. Once you’ve scrubbed the surfaces thoroughly, let the solution sit for about 10 to 15 minutes. This gives it time to break down all the buildup and makes rinsing much more effective. After waiting, rinse everything thoroughly with warm water. Make sure there’s no leftover residue, especially on the floor, because the dish soap can make it very slippery.