We Tested Dollar Tree's Dupe Against The Pink Stuff And One Squeaked Ahead

If you've spent any amount of time scrolling through TikTok — or CleanTok, specifcally — you've no doubt heard about a "miracle" cleaner called The Pink Stuff. What exactly is The Pink Stuff? The Pink Stuff describes itself as a mild abrasive paste cleaner that can be used on nearly any surface in your home, from ovens to saucepans, sinks, tile grout, showers, sneakers, boats, and more. This gritty alkaline paste is especially useful for scrubbing away stuck-on grease, soap scum, and other gunk. A 17.6 ounce tub of The Pink Stuff normally costs just under $6 on Amazon, but Dollar Tree may have an even more affordable dupe — a generic product it calls "Multi-Purpose Cleaning Paste." According to some folks, this Dollar Tree cleaning paste could bring the same amount of cleaning power for a cheaper price per container, but even so, is it really worth it? Is this mystery paste one of the Dollar Tree cleaning supplies that will save you money and make your home sparkle, or is it just another off-brand dupe that won't live up to expectations? 

To find out the truth behind these claims, I decided to put these two cleaners to the test. I had never heard of a cleaning paste before, much less known what to do with it, but I decided that any decent product claiming to be an "all-purpose" cleanser should be tested on some of the messiest home areas. Here's how I used The Pink Stuff and Dollar Tree's multi-purpose cleaning paste in the kitchen, the bathroom, and beyond, and which product I think delivers more bang for your buck.

I picked up a 17.6 ounce jar of The Pink Stuff from Walmart for $5.97, then zipped over to my local Dollar Tree and found a 7 ounce jar of the multi-purpose cleaning paste for $1.25. Right off the bat, it was easy to see that The Pink Stuff comes in a larger container than Dollar Tree's cleaning paste, offering considerably more product. However, that didn't automatically make The Pink Stuff a better deal. I checked the ingredients and directions next. The Pink Stuff package claims to contain 5 to 15% soap as well as preservative Laurylamine Dipropylenediamine and perfume, "among other ingredients." A bit vague, no doubt, but the note that it is made of 99% natural and non-toxic ingredients might make a purchaser feel somewhat reassured. The Dollar Tree brand is more transparent in its ingredient list with no claims to be natural or non-toxic. It contains water, kaolin, sodium stearate, glycerin, DMDM Hydantoin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, fragrance, Red 40, and Yellow 5.

Dollar Tree's pinkish paste was a slightly brighter shade than The Pink Stuff. Both products smelled fresh and pleasant, but the Dollar Tree brand had a stronger fragrance that reminded me of the soap used in drive-through car washes. The Dollar Tree product was also slightly harder to scoop from the container, and when in use, had more of a thick lotion-like texture that spreads smoothly while The Pink Stuff was more like a gritty toothpaste. Neither product states that gloves are necessary, but I wore them anyway to avoid cross-contaminating the results — and because I'm leery about handling mystery pink substances with my bare skin.

The first test for these two products was my greasy glass stovetop. To dirty it up a little more, I drizzled the stovetop in olive oil with a sprinkle of pepper for good measure. Following the directions, I applied a generous scoop and rubbed each product into the stovetop in circular motions for about 10 to 15 seconds, using The Pink Stuff on the left two burners and Dollar Tree's paste on the right. After rinsing and wiping dry, both products cleaned the glass stovetop remarkably well, leaving it shiny and streak-free. Some may worry that abrasive cleaners like The Pink Stuff can scratch a glass stovetop. I didn't find this to be the case, but Dollar Tree's paste could be a gentler dupe for those concerns. 

I was skeptical about how either product might perform on my old, overused stainless steel pans, particularly the discolored copper bottoms. I repeated the same cleaning process on two separate pans and found that, while both products restored color and shine to the copper, the Dollar Tree brand left some discoloration on the stainless steel it touched, which seemed strange. I flipped the older, dirtier pan over and tested them again on some burnt-on residue, using The Pink Stuff on the left and Dollar Tree on the right. The Pink Stuff indeed felt more abrasive and effective, and within about 10 seconds of circular rubbing, had completely obliterated the dark crust. Dollar Tree's paste was not very effective on the burnt residue, and after the same amount of time and pressure, had barely lifted the stains. Needless to say, I finished cleaning the pan with The Pink Stuff instead.

To test the bathtub, I had to let it get a little bit gross, building up a good ring of soap scum around the edges. After smearing The Pink Stuff on the right and Dollar Tree's cleaning paste on the left, I found that both products were effective, but The Pink Stuff was marginally better. The Pink Stuff had an abrasive quality similar to the Soft Scrub Lemon Cleanser from Amazon, my typical go-to for bathtubs. This made it easy to lift off the buildup with minimal effort. The Dollar Tree product required more scrubbing to yield the same results, and failed to remove discoloration. If you're worried about scuffing up your tub, the Dollar Tree brand could be gentler, but in this case, I once again opted to finish cleaning with The Pink Stuff.

Moving over to the bathroom countertop and sinks, I was especially curious about how the cleaners might stand up to hard water stains. You should think twice before using this TikTok-approved product on stained marble surfaces, but I was confident that our white quartz countertop would be fine because it's non-porous. I cleared off the countertop and once again used Dollar Tree's paste on the right side of the vanity and The Pink Stuff on the left. I found that both products left the countertop, sink, and faucets looking shiny and polished. However, even after thoroughly rinsing per the directions, The Pink Stuff left behind a dusty residue from its abrasive particles, while Dollar Tree's paste left everything smooth and clean. For countertops, I would rather reach for the Dollar Tree cleaning paste. 

Although it's mostly used as a multipurpose home cleaner, The Pink Stuff claims to have an assortment of other purposes, including cleaning athletic shoes, outdoor furniture, barbecue grills, and even boats. Dollar Tree's cleaning paste doesn't list as many miscellaneous uses on the side of its container, but to see if it really could be a dupe of The Pink Stuff, I decided to put it to the test anyway. I grabbed a pair of dingy white gym shoes that have since been relegated to the trunk of my car and smeared each product over the mesh tops and rubber soles. After rubbing in the pastes and thoroughly rinsing in the garden hose, I let the shoes dry outside overnight. When I checked in the morning, both products had cleaned and brightened the shoes, especially the rubber soles. The Dollar Tree brand may have done a slightly better job at brightening the shoes, but I couldn't see a drastic difference between them. Based on these results, I think either product could be good for cleaning outdoor cushions, too.

Because I don't own any metal patio furniture, a barbecue grill, or a boat, I decided to test the cleaners' more "heavy duty" results on my car's hubcaps, which seem to always have a generous dusting of red clay dirt and roadway grime. I applied each product to two different wheels, rubbing it in circular motions around the hubcaps' curves and edges, then rinsing thoroughly with plain water. The Pink Stuff required slightly less physical scrubbing, but once again, both products were able to easily lift the grim and leave the hubcaps looking shiny and fresh, with no drastic difference between them. 

Both products tackled grease, dirt, stains, and grime on a variety of surfaces, including the glass stovetop, quartz countertop, bathroom fixtures, dirty mesh sneakers, and car hubcaps. To give the Dollar Tree paste some credit where it's due, the formula seemed to stretch further per ounce. Its grease-like texture was easier to spread than The Pink Stuff, which I found myself having to repeatedly dip from the jar. Dollar Tree's cleaning paste also left no residue on the bathroom counter, unlike The Pink Stuff, which left a slight grainy film even after rinsing. While they are remarkably similar, there were a few key areas where I feel TikTok's favorite cleaner barely edges out the competition. The Pink Stuff did a much better job at cutting through the grimy bathtub ring and removing discoloration from the bathtub. It was also phenomenal at scouring and brightening my stainless steel pans, even with baked-on dark stains. 

In conclusion, I think it's safe to say that Dollar Tree's multi-purpose cleaning paste is an acceptable dupe for the popular The Pink Stuff cleaner. Because the Dollar Tree formula may last longer, it's not necessarily a bad deal, and with The Pink Stuff priced around $0.33 per ounce and Dollar Tree's paste priced around $0.18 per ounce, the Dollar Tree product offers a nice bang for your buck when used for the right application. If you aren't sure how much use you'll get out of a cleaning paste or you just happen to be shopping at Dollar Tree, pick up a jar of their multi-purpose paste to give it a try. Otherwise, I'd recommend sticking to The Pink Stuff when you need a deep clean.