Tub & Tile

I don't think anything exists that doesn't require elbow grease! (or that would likely be the only product anyone ever bought!)
Best plan is scrub it clean and keep it clean.
The more often you do it the less of a pain it is.
I'd start with a Mr. Clean Magic eraser.

I employ an educated middle class ethnic majority woman (legal citizen) and pay her $20/hour. I am able to sleep at night knowing my bathroom is clean and I am not oppressing anybody :).

Before that, scrubbing bubbles and elbow grease.

I use vinegar, baking soda, and elbow grease because anything that you can just spray on and wipe away all the nasty is going to be something that you really do't want to breathe in.

We don't use the tub very often at all.

However we do use the glass shower daily. Our rule is that EVERYTIME the shower is used, it is squeegeed and dried. It doesn't take 5 minutes each time and it save a bunch of elbow grease.

I do use the spray Comet bath cleaner. It is in a white bottle with green label. The lady who used to help me with my house recommended Comet and I love it.

I spray my shower down once or twice a week, let the comet spray stay there until I shower the next day then there is very little scrubbing, if any.

Good luck

Once you get it as clean and shiny as you can spray it down with some good quality furniture polish, like Behold or Pledge. This will seal it up and stuff won't stick to it as quickly. My sister learned this trick when she was a professional house cleaner.

I use Zep Mold Stain and Mildew Stain Remover and Zep Shower, Tub and Tile Cleaner. These are available at Home Depot.

I use a spray bottle of 50/50 white vinegar and blue Dawn dish soap. I spray on, let it sit for a few minutes and simply wipe it down with a cloth.

I actually use a product called Tub and Tile. As long as you us it often there's only wiping involved. Cuts right through soap scum.

M.:)

heh. i too would love to NOT scrub. but short of dana's solution, which is by far the best, i don't have any magic bullets.
i've gone to the suggestion i found here, which is to keep a spongey-thingie with a hollow handle in the shower. i keep it filled with a mixture of white vinegar and dawn, and just give 'er a quick squeegee after each shower. works great- i never have to get in there and sweat. but i only use the one shower, and no one will come with me on the others, so i still have go in those tubs and stalls and hit 'em with vinegar and baking soda.
:) khairete
S.

The Works! Their tub, tile and toilet cleaners are the best. Be sure to put on the fan and open up windows. They have major fumes...but they work GREAT. And you can find them at Walmart or any regular store.

http://www.theworkscleans.com/tubandshower.html

We use scrubbing bubbles when we clean our tub. Works really well for us.

I use Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds for pretty much everything these days. I dilute a tablespoon or two into a spray bottle. It's not completely effortless, but once I spray it on and let it sit a couple of minutes, I just use a wet kitchen sponge to lightly wash it (no real elbow grease or heavy duty scrub brush needed) and then rinse it all down with water. Soap scum comes off REALLY easily this way. And it's a whole lot less toxic than most other bathroom cleaners. I also use it for all other surfaces, too (including countertops, cabinet faces, hardwood and tile floors), and I use a couple of tablespoons in place of laundry detergent.

Prevention is your best friend.
When anyone is done washing up and after drying themselves with the towel all they have to do wipe dry the walls/tiles/glass surround/tub and hang the towel up to dry.
If no water dries on the surfaces you'll get no mineral build up.
If everyone in your house gets in this habit you'll have no trouble keeping the surfaces clean.