Cif Cream Cleaner Lemon 500ml

Full review

Cif Cream Cleaner is the UK supermarket-aisle default. The cream cleaner everyone’s grandma had under the sink, and the cream cleaner most UK kitchens still have today. It’s a perfectly competent product that does roughly 80% of what Astonish Cream does, at marginally cheaper per 100ml.

The formula is the same fundamental concept: mild abrasive suspended in a cream base. Performance on stained sinks, hobs, and bath rings is reliable. The lemon scent, the only meaningful differentiation from Astonish. Is mild and the only one of the cream cleaners that doesn’t smell vaguely industrial.

If you already have Cif under your sink, there’s no compelling reason to switch. The marginal performance gap to Astonish appears only on the very worst stains, which most UK households encounter once or twice a year, not often enough to justify changing brands.

Where Cif edges Astonish is convenience: it’s available in every supermarket and corner shop in the UK, often promoted at £1.50 a tub. On those promotional weeks it’s the cheapest UK cream cleaner full stop.

Where Cif loses to Astonish: slightly weaker on the toughest stains, the lemon scent (though pleasant) is more noticeable, and it’s not available in larger pack sizes.

Not a daily-use product, same caveats as Astonish. Use sparingly on the jobs that need it.

Subscribe & Save not enabled on Cif Cream on Amazon, buy as needed.

Buy this if: you specifically prefer a mild lemon scent, you find it on promotional offer, or you’ve used Cif for years and don’t want to switch.

Skip this if: you’ve never bought a cream cleaner and want the best UK option (buy Astonish), or you want a daily-use spray (buy Mr Muscle or Method).

For the full ranking of how this product compares with the alternatives, see our guide to the best cream cleaner.