Refill Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner for $1.00

Refills for the Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner retail for $3.89 each. I will show you how to refill your unit for $1.00!

Step 1: Buy A Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner

I'm a male college student, living in a house with 3 other male college students... One of our worst problems is cleaning. The shower has commonly grown so much mold that we usually felt much cleaner just not taking a shower. Thankfully, my roommates girlfriend bought us the Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner.

The thing works like a charm, attach it over your shower head, and once a day, just push the little blue button and close the shower curtain... after a few beeps the automated little maching shoots shower cleaner all over the walls and tub.

We haven't had to clean the shower yet in over 1.5 months!

Comments

[akimbo m]

From reviews online, there were many question about the effectiveness on this cleaner. For example that it doesn't get rid of moud and midew. Any comments about this?

[tjosephcarter]

 If you start with a clean shower, it works pretty well.  If you start with a not so clean shower, it takes time to work well.  If you start with a gross shower, forget it.  Get some gloves, some abrasive cleanser, and a sponge with a scrubbing pad and clean it yourself.  THEN use the sprayer.

I have not yet tried dollar store or other alternative chemicals in the sprayer yet.  It seems that the ideal mod here is to permanently install some sort of tank with a wide-mouthed screw-top opening that is easily filled.

[tinker234]

your product your using could i use a homemade cleaner in it

[pamelahowell]

we've been using the regular cleaning solution (scrub&bubbles) that came with our starter pack since 4/10. i cleaned the mildew-y grout with bleach solution just before installing the unit, and we do press the button daily...but i've still had to bleach the grout at least once every 2-3 weeks by hand in spots. it'd probably work better if i always moved the shampoo bottles etc off of the rim of the tub before pressing the button, but that's a pain in the *&$...so i still do the bleach thing as needed. i just may try to refill with a cheap bleach/water/tiny bit o cleanser solution. THANKS for the suggestions!

[FIXA]

what vatosupreme said... It needs one good cleaning before you start using it... then it just maintains that nice clean...

[vatosupreme]

I think these work better when the shower has been cleaned of mildew.... Use a cleaner with phosphoric acid... a standard mildew cleaner... You have to scrub the mildew with a brush... Its smells nasty but gets the job done..... Once you have killed the mildew mostly, this seems to do a good job of keeping the shower clean. Also, It helps to have a fan in the bath or leave the window cracked after steaming up the bathroom.. If the shower can air out it minimizes the mildew problem..

[thematthatter]

it says on the box the shower doesnt need to be cleaned first, i got one last week, the first day i sprayed my self in the eyes, it didnt even burn, so it must not be very effective.

[JonathanPeterson]

Man speak for yourself. I got hit in the eye when it came thru the gap in my shower and it burned plenty but stopped quickly. I still flushed my eye to be sure. I didn't clean first and the mildew that was on the grout is almost entirely gone. Still have some hard water stains in the lower corners, but they're fading. FWIW - if you buy this at Costco you get 3 refills for the same price as the startup kit at the grocery store.

[mfiset]

I will simply drill a small hole on the refill bottle and fill it with a small funnel without ever removing it, so that way the seal will never get bigger or leak.

[sgtfarrar]

If you have a PH testing kit and some muriatic acid you can make a cleaner that works better then CLR. On top of that a gallon of muriatic acid will cost you about 3.00 and once mixed to a PH of 3 will provide shower cleaning solution that will last 6 months or more. Most peoples dirtry showers are due to calcium build up from water that has a PH of 6 and above. Calcium will solidify on hard surfaces at that or higher ph levels. Having water with a PH of 3 will disolve the hard water on the surfaces. Also mildew won't grow in that low a PH. WARNING! Don't do this without a PH tester or you may find that metal item in the shower are being eaten away.

[dww400]

What do you do when the hole on the bottom keeps getting bigger each time its put back on and the cleaner leaks out in a few hours.

[gkitf16]

 I found a way to replace the original white foam seal on the bottle which is punctured by the sprayer when a new bottle is put in. I used 1/16" thick neoprene rubber to make a disc to fit inside of the the bottle cap. Getting the cap off takes some effort, press down hard and unscrew it. Poke the original seal gently out with a pen cap,etc. Lay the seal on the neoprene, trace and cut a disc, which should be 1-1/16" diameter to fit inside the cap. I actually cut mine with a cutting die, but scissors will work too. In the center of your disc, punch a 1/8" diameter hole for the sprayer fitting. This makes a tight but stretchable seal over the connection. Refill the bottle with your fluid, screw on the cap. Turn the sprayer upside down, plug in the bottle, and flip right side up. Done, no leaks!

[boozjee]

Any cheap shampoo works great. Just add a few tablespoons to the bottle of water and snap it back into place. I clean my husband's shower about once a month and I don't even have to scrub anymore.

[fleetsidebob]

Great idea. I did the same and used Arm and Hammer "Clean Shower" product. It's designed to spray on and leave, just like the Scrubbing Bubbles. It's a lot cheaper. To replace the foam cap seal, I used high density foam, the kind often used to wrap fragile items. I used the old seal as a pattern and cut one to fit the cap. That way it doesn't leak and is pierced easily when you put it in the dispenser. Maybe Johnson Wax will get the idea and start selling refill size containers. Think of the money saved and space at the landfill too.

[Stevioberosona]

Dance with who brung ya.

[Stevioberosona]

Yes it's D.I. water, but it's also something else (other than a little polyproplylene glycol or some analog of that) that amazingly inhibits mold without putting free radical chlorine in your bathroom air or eating your marble. The advice to not be in there when it goes off should still be well-heeded. Dow funded a bit of research on it, the rest got done otherwise. The other green alternative might be to keep Chinese Guinea Fowl around to eat bad insects and mold that arise, like the butterfly-house facilities do. But then how would you get that reverse gear alarm sound?

[get to da parakeet]

guys this is a great instructable but the automatic cleaner is a rip off. now i may like Dukey, but this is a non working product that wastes money for 1.batterys 2.cleningfluid. don't buy it. it doesn't clean your shower and is very loud. annoying huh?also i read if it touches your skin with fluid,it will irritate your skin.i made a better shower cleaner for 100$. i know your saying it is dumb, but cleans mold out of my mom's shower. she is happy. also, i create my own fluid. this cleaner has a timer. you don't have to press a thing. it also doesn't run on batterys. ya plug it in to a special plug i made. it is the best thing i ever made. the scrubbing bubbles DOES NOT WORK. HOMEMADE: YES IT WORKS

[LancePenney]

Why don't you post an instructable on your homemade shower cleaner?

[mark11photography]

I've been doing this for the better part of a year - replacing the batteries as needed. There is a giant bottle of 'Tilex' that I've been using to refill the scrubbing bubbles and it seems to work fine. I think it ends up being about $2.50 per refill instead of $7 ($CDN$).

[Utahtabby]

Bleach kills mold, so I am guessing the fluid used is a 1 part bleach to 10 parts water mixture. But don't ever mix bleach with ammonia -- it makes a gas that will kill you. Bleach has to be bought new because it disintegrates in 6 months or so and turns into water. So only buy a jug the right size to use up within 6 months. Bleach will not get rid of hard water limescale, which is MY problem. I tried refilling my automatic shower cleaner using vinegar & water and the vinegar (acid) ate through the mechanism and it all drained away and the cleaner machine would never work again, so don't try THAT.

[watsonma]

I have cut a hole in the top end and poured various shower cleaners . . . the problem seems to be that 1) other cleaners don't work as well, especially on the mold and mildew (yes I've tried a bleach solution and 2) some shower cleaners seem to deteriorate the spraying mechanism on the unit and then you are in the position of having to shell out for another sprayer. I've decided that for the $3.00 for the bottle it's cheaper than paying someone else to clean the gross bathtub and I certainly don't want to do it myself!

[raesy]

Great idea. I did have trouble getting the screwable top off. Be persistent. I had used bleach and water or vinegar and water. The first smelled bad and the second did not clean very well.

[chuCraft]

Great idea! I bought a shower cleaner that was a little more than your replacement, but still $2.00 cheaper than the official refill 2-pack. To those who've had trouble getting the cap off: Try grabbing the cap with a towel around it so you don't hurt your hand.

[Chiefjen83]

I would love to give you a hug! thank you so much! I have been trying to figure this out for month!

[onethindime]

I couldn't get the cap off mine, so I got a mustard squirt bottle- the yellow kind that you might use at a picnic. I filled it up with cleaner and squirted it through the little opening in the cap. I had to repeat this process a couple of times, but it didn't take long and got the job done.

[dstoeck]

What about punching or drilling a hole on top of the bottle, fill the bottle, then put a stopper in it? That's what I'm thinking of doing. I can't, for the life of me, get that darn cap off!

[amazongoddess]

Good idea... I am a mom of three...I have three men in the house besides me and this was the easiest way my daughter and I could get the men to pitch in...LOL. It was just so expensive...shopping on a budget you know. I am giving this a try.

[winterlichia]

I was also able to muscle off the cap and refill with liquid soap. Has anyone's visitors ever thought it was bath soap and sprayed themselves on purpose? My brother did! We all had a good laugh afterward!

[spiderx]

call me stupid if you want, but wouldn't it be easier to make a hole in the bottom of the bottle and fill it that way? Just cut open the bottom of the bottle, put the cleaning solution back in the dispenser and fill it up....

[tennesseyanky]

The makers thot of that too and they made it indistructible. I came down about 2 inches(from the bottom, when turned upside down) and cut a v shaped hole and I put my solution in with a funnel, then dry the surface and put a piece of duct tape over the hole. Creates the suction. While we are being cheap, here is my recipe. 1 oz Dawn, 2 oz fabric softner, 1 cup white vinegar and fill it up with water. That is what they get for charging so much for the dadgum refill. :)

[buddysfa]

I think this can't work becase the bottle has to be pressurized.

[008]

You guys must have some super special units to have these problems. I unscrewed it with my hand, put in whatever bathroom cleaner I have available (I like Lysol mildew remover diluted 10:1), screw it back on and it works just fine. You spill a few drops when putting it back in, so what? The unit is still weak enough that I need to manually spray the far end of the tub every now and then, so I pretty much gave up on it and spray the entire tub down myself. Since we have a window mid-tub I might find a way to mount it there instead and let the unit spray more evenly.

[alex00]

I use a method to refill similar to Buddysfa. First I take the empty bottle and flip it so the cap is up. I squirt 10 shots of a mold/mildew cleaner directly into the hole (hold it up against it). I then take 2 flexible straws (the flexible kind kids get at restaurants) and connect them by folding a "v" in one end of one straw and pushing it into the end of the other straw. You end up with one long straw with the flexible ends at either side. Then I fold another "v" in one of these ends and stick it into the small hole of the container. (The "v" is created by flattening a 1/2" section of the end and folding in half.) I take the other side and place it up to the faucet and adjust the water and straw so the water begins flowing into the bottle. The "v" allows air to escape while the bottle is filling. When it is full I let the cap dry and put one 3" piece of tape from one side of the cap over the hole. Finally I put another piece of tape around the grip of the cap and over the 1st piece and put it back in the holder. Works like a charm and is simple to do.

[Norbo]

I have another option. I cut off the top of a 2 liter pop bottle, I cut a small hole in the top of an empty scrubbing bubbles $3.89 refill, then I siliconed the pop cap on top of the hole, then I used a funnel and filled it with a $2.00 shower cleaner from family Dollar. Now all I have to do is remove the cap, put in the funnel and fill it up and put the cap back. I have pictures

[gitemstevedave]

I utilized this instructable, due to my hard water. After trying a multitude of ways to seal the bottle after removing the cap, including wax paper, o-rings, etc... , I finally have a solution. I took a piece of what I was told is boat cover vinyl. I cut out a circle that matches the top of the bottle itself. I placed this back in the cap, and marked the center point, where the pointy thing from the unit pierces the original paper would go. I then pulled it out, and after using a o-ring for a sizing guide, made a hole in the material with a leather punch. I made the hole smaller than the piercer thing, because I wanted it to create a seal. I can honestly say it works amazingly. I think if I had access to a sheet of rubber gasket material, it would accomplish the same task. Just my 2 cents. I also re-fill with Method from Target, and it does wonders to help clean the orange tint my shower has due to my well water.

[BuddyK]

I found that if I use a channel lock pliers the top of the bottle comes off easily. I just refill it and put the sprayer unit on top of the bottle, flip it right side up, and it works great. I have not had to create any type of vacuum other than the natural vacuum that occurs when I flip the unit upright. So refilling take very little time. I have never had the liquid run out this way and I save a ton of money refilling the unit myself.

[gitemstevedave]

You might not notice it, but without the paper in the cap, when the water from the shower heats the air in the bottle, it forces fluid out. The "seal" that the paper creates prevents that for the most part. I have the unit with the caddy attached, so taking the whole thing apart to be able to invery the srayer isn't that convienant for me. I don't know why people think there is a vacuum or that it is pressurized. It does create a tiny suction as the pump sprays the cleaner, but the piercing point allows air to flow into the bottle. It's mostly a gravity fed system.

[keepitsimple]

The soap stays in the bottle when it is upside down because there is a partial vacuum above the liquid. Taking the cap off the bottle would destroy a seal, which causes air to get in when the bottle is upside down. The air replaces the vacuum and the liquid runs out. You can't refill the bottle by pouring liquid soap through the little hole in the cap, because the air in the bottle and the surface tension of the soap will not allow the soap past the hole. Smart design! But the following refill method works really well for me. 1. When the bottle is empty, turn the entire unit (with bottle) upside down. Lift the dispenser off the bottle and set it aside. 2. Pour liquid soap in a plastic bowl. (A 6x6x3 inch bowl works well). 3. Squeeze the plastic bottle with one hand. This will push out some air. Don’t squeeze too hard as to not damage the bottle. 4. Put you finger on the hole in the cap. As you relax your grip on the bottle, you feel your finger being sucked against the cap. 4. Turn the bottle upside down into the liquid soap. 5. Take your finger off the hole while keeping the hole below the surface of the liquid and a little above the bottom of the bowl. 6. The plastic bottle will try to regain its shape. As it does, it will suck in the soap. 7. Put your finger back on hole while the hole is still submerged. 8. Turn the bottle right side up and take your finger of the hole. 9. Repeat steps 3 thru 8 until the bottle is almost full. (You may have to pour more soap in the bowl a few times.) 10. Put the dispenser back on the bottle and turn the entire unit right side up again. I have been able to almost refill the entire bottle this way by repeating steps 3 thru 8 between 3 and 6 times. It takes less than 2 minutes! Good luck.

[dlbadert]

I've been trying to figure this one out! Thanks!!!!

[cleansweep]

I have used the shower cleaner for a year. Now the thing beeps on its own, when no one has pushed the button. I have replaced the batteries, and dried out the insides, but nothing helps. The thing still works, but also beeps by itself throughout the day. Any ideas how to fix this?

[ac1D]

I had the same problem. What I did is, open it, and add a switch for the battery--That way, i switch on, press the button, switch off.

[jdfay]

Call 1-800-558-5252 and explain the problem you will have to furnish the code stamped on one of the little ears next to the battery compartment visible with the unite upside down it should start with a letter and about 5 numbers they will send you a coupon for a new unite. They never asked me for a date of purchase or sales receipt.

[iPodGuy]

1. Buy a unit from the store 2. Call and give the number like you said. 3. Get coupon 4. Return unit to the store & get refund 5. Get a new one with the coupon Presto! A free shower cleaner!

[swartley3ga]

I like the way you think lol I could use a free shower cleaner! this works with other things...like electric toothbrushes as well lol

[whitedogpurple]

I heated the empty refill bottle up just enough in my microwave to soften the 'teeth' under the cap so I could unscrew the top easily; then I poured in a $1.00 bottle of liquid shower cleaner from the dollar store! Since every microwave is different, I'd try 10 seconds at a time - don't want to overheat, release any toxic chemicals or distort the plastic so it no longer fits the dispenser. Thrift, (sometimes) the Mother of Invention!

[dyril]

I get my laziness by being unlazy up front: What I did to the second refill bottle that came with my unit was make a hole on the bottom of the bottle, big enough to hold a beverage nozzle and cap (as pictured, I used a Powerade bottle's top). It's friction-fit at the moment, but I may later seal it with epoxy.

[crankyjew]

you can just fill the little tank thing with just about anything you woud normally clean ur shower with... if u buy a gallon of concentrated simple green it lasts forever...

[elaine851]

Anyone know about a rebate for this product?

[surfrescue]

I have an improvment to the process. I can confirm that if you press down on the lid while turninig it anti clockwise (lefty lossy) then the top dose simply unscrew (feels like a child lock but its not) once you get the darned lid off you will see the issue! on the bottle there are two sets of double teath moulded into the bottle, a little light work with a small file removes these anoying and funtionless teath (im sure they are specificvally designed to discourage the casual user from the REFILL!) you can now remove the lid without any further bother and fill the thing up with a cheaper alternative! as a person who works out and showers twice a day as well as having a family, it was getting darned exspensive using the named brand. if only scrubbing bubles was not rapping the consumer at $4.00 a bottle then perhaps this would not be necasery. I dont mind paying for a good producty idear, but the price of the refills are nothing short of outragouse. now if we could only find a way to keep the battery compartment truly water tight (which the darned thing is NOT!) so i could use rechargable batterys in the thing and not ruine them due to moisture id have it made!

[tperk100]

Bought Starter Pack and am on third bottle of cleaner. Started with a shiny clean ceramic tile shower. Shower is older and is only about 3 by 4 ft. Scum and mildew has been slowly but steadily building up. This product DOES NOT WORK as advertised.

[Rabbeb]

For Scrubbing bubbles and Swifter wet mop I use a piece of tubing, heat it with propane torch and melt a hole in the bottom of the bottle and plug it with a rubbler cork. I used 1/2" copper tube, pick size to match cork. A little practice on an old bottle to get the right temp and you can melt a nice clean hole, no smoke and smooth edges. Works good for me!

[buddysfa]

If you can't get the cap off... I refill by simply placing the empty container under the faucet and setting the faucet to drip every five seconds or more. The problem is that if there is no way for the air to escape the container, new water can't enter into the container. To bypass this problem insert a stirring straw (like for mixing sugar and coffee) into the hole in the cap and tape it to the side of the faucet. Water flows into the container via the outside of the straw and air escapes via the inside of the straw. It will take less than a day for the container to fill up this way. The water will automatically stop filling the container once it reaches the straw, leaving about a one-inch space in the container. This space is for the cleaner. Use any heavy concentrated cleaner, right now I'm using 409. Whatever you use, it needs a spray nozzle. Set the spray nozzle to 'stream' if you can, place it over the hole in the cap, and spray away. If you're wondering if that is enough cleaner to do the job, it is. All the 'everyday shower cleaner' products are just watered down versions of their sister products, i.e. Scrubbing Bubbles refill is a watered down version of Scrubbing Bubbles Foaming Action spray.

[bigrig]

Thanks for posting this...I also gave up on unscrewing the lid and tried to refill with a funnel. :P Got kinda messy.

Check this out, I found the patent application for this device, and it gives some details on how it operates:
http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6820821-description.html

This part caught my eye -
The container and piercing post are constructed and arranged so that if the container is positioned in an assembled state with the piercing post, and then removed from the piercing post, the resulting construct will not permit re-assembly in a defect-free manner. This reduces the likelihood of a consumer refilling the container with inappropriate chemicals.

Is this why the dang thing leaks now??

[jeremye77]

I have it good authority (usually the back of the bottle) that almost all cleaners are 97% or more water anyways.

[fisherman23]

Brilliant! I am buying one tomorrow.

[maxmax]

I have it on very good authority that the dollar store cleaners are 99% water. If all you're worried about is mold, try using a bleach solution.

[lspcrash]

I found the lack of effectiveness of the Scrubbing Bubbles cleaner too. That's why we use another. Right now, it's the Arm & Hammer brand. Unfortunately, I am an idiot. I couldn't get the cap off even with a pair of channellocks (and I gave up easily). So, I tried making a funnel of wax paper. It worked great for about 3 seconds. How else was I going to get the new cleaner into the little bitty hole? Here we go. FIrst, with your new bottle of spray on stuff, take the top off. Cut off the tube attacked (that goes to the bottom). Pour all the cleaner out into a shallow dish (I used a tupperware container). Then I sucked some of the cleaner up into a turkey baster. The tube is just small enough to fit into the business end of the turkey baster. I squirted and squirted until the tube was full. Then as I'm squirting, I put the bottom end of the tube into the tupperware of cleaner (to keep it all from running out of the tube.) The next step in this super-simple procedure is to pull the turkey baster off the tube and cap THAT end of the tube with your thumb. See where I'm going here? Pick the tube up (your thumb capping one end will cause an inequality in air pressure and cause the fluid NOT to run out of the bottom. Stick the bottom end in the little hole in the bottle cap of the refill bottle that you haven't take the cap off of yet. The tube will just fit with just enough space around it to allow air to escape as the liquid fills the bottle. Now, for those of you who like things harder than they have to be, here's where it all comes together. Stick the other end of the tube with your thumb still over it under the surface of the refill fluid that it's in the tupperware dish. Upon removing your thumb, but keeping the tube under the surface, you should have a siphon effect. In just 30-40 short minutes, the refill bottle will be refilled, and you didn't have to take the cap off.

[ColumbusGEEK]

I would say its worth it for the 1.00 a refill thanks to zZiggy000, BUT it s not worth it for the full price of 4.00 a refill. It's also a great idea only if somebody ELSE buys you the initial unit. :) good usage of the girlfirend for the primary investment.

[Fake_Name]

As long as there's something like bleach or some other toxic solvent in the cleaner, it shoudl kill off any organic nasties. But then, I'm not sure how much of the cleaner it sprays about.

[zachninme]

Great plan! For the hole, why not put some tape over it? The machine should be able to punture the tape.

[FIXA]

Yup, using a piece of scotch tape works fine! This was just one less thing you needed, and the machine slips right off the shower head, so it isn't hard to flip the whole thing, then flip it back. Thanks for the comment!