What ingredients are in Bathroom & Shower Cleaner?Updated 7 days ago
TL;DR: Bathroom & Shower Cleaner lists every ingredient in full on the box, and each one is unpacked below. It's a mildly alkaline formulation rather than pH neutral, keeps for around 12 months and is made in Australia. Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) certified, Sensitive Choice approved, Dermatest tested, Eczema Association of Australasia recognised. No chlorine bleach, no phosphates, no added fragrance, no quaternary ammonium disinfectants, no aerosol propellants. Ethanol is one of them, and it's what you notice as a light clean smell while you spray.
What's in the formula, and what's left out?
✓ What is in there
Each ingredient has a job. Water, a solvent, two surfactants, a hydrotrope, a builder, a chelator, a polymer, a thickener, a preservative, one enzyme and vitamin E. The full list is on the box and every one of them is unpacked below.
✓ What is not in there
Each of these is a specific absence you can check against the ingredient list on the box, rather than a general claim about the formula.
✓ What each ingredient does
Made in Australia. One enzyme. No added fragrance.
Full ingredient list, as printed on the box: Aqua (Deionised Water), Ethanol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Xylene Sulfonate, Sodium Metasilicate Pentahydrate, Trisodium Dicarboxymethyl Alaninate, Polyacrylic Acid Sodium Salt, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Lipase, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E).
See what each ingredient does below.
Aqua (Deionised Water)
Deionised water, filtered to remove the minerals that leave spots.
Ethanol
The solvent. Evaporates fast, so glass and tapware dry without streaks.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Lifts soap scum and body oils off tiles and glass.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Helps the foam spread into grout lines rather than run off.
Sodium Xylene Sulfonate
Stabilises the foam so it clings to a vertical shower wall.
Sodium Metasilicate Pentahydrate
The alkaline builder. It's what cuts through soap scum and organic matter, making it easier to clean.
Trisodium Dicarboxymethyl Alaninate
Binds hard-water minerals so they do not leave a chalky film.
Polyacrylic Acid Sodium Salt
Holds lifted grime in the foam so it rinses away.
Xanthan Gum
Thickener. Gives the foam body so it stays put on tile.
Phenoxyethanol
A preservative. Keeps the bottle stable for 12 months.
Lipase
An enzyme that breaks down the body oils and fats in soap scum.
Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E)
An antioxidant.
Does it contain ethanol, and will I smell it?
✓ Ethanol is in there, and here's what it does
Ethanol is the second ingredient on the list. It is the solvent in the formula, there to cut oils and help the foam spread evenly across a shower wall rather than run straight off it.
There is no added fragrance in the formula. No perfume, no masking scent. What you may notice is a light clean smell while you spray, and that is the ethanol rather than anything perfumed. It clears as the surface dries.
There are no aerosol propellants either, so nothing is pushed into the air as a fine mist the way an aerosol can does.
What's the pH, shelf life and origin?
pH
Mildly alkaline
Not pH neutral. Milder than an acid descaler or an ammonia cleaner.
Shelf life
About 12 months
From manufacture, sealed, cool and out of direct sunlight.
Made in
Australia
Mixed, filled and quality-tested in Australia.
How long a box lasts
About 6 months
One box, weekly cleans, average home. Heavier use runs shorter.
⚠ Two storage notes worth knowing
Don't freeze it and don't leave it in a hot car or on a sunny windowsill. Heat and freezing both work against the thickener and the enzyme, and a box that has been through either can look or pour differently. Store it sealed at room temperature and it behaves the same on the last spray as the first.
Where can I find the Safety Data Sheet?
✓ Safety Data Sheet
A technical document for regulatory and workplace safety compliance. Most people at home won't need it. Handy if you keep a workplace chemical register.
Get the Safety Data Sheet
Opens as a PDF in a new tab.
GECA certified, Sensitive Choice approved, Dermatest tested, Eczema Association recognised. Mildly alkaline, made in Australia.
Bathroom & Shower Cleaner, Ultra Pro Bathroom Mitt and Foaming Spray Bottle. New to Koh, this is the one to start on.
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Last reviewed: September 2026 · Koh Australia