It’s funny to think just how dirty a place known for cleaning can get. That’s right–we’re talking about bathtubs, which can quickly accumulate soap scum and other stains after several washdowns or so.
But bathtubs are far from one-size-fits-all when it comes to cleaning; depending on the material it’s made from, a bathtub may be suited to one type of cleaning method over another, and may also require a different kind of maintenance to keep it sparkly. There are some all-purpose cleaning methods, but serious stains will require you to match your method to your tub’s material.
For this reason, we’re going to dive into different types of bathtubs, the materials they’re made from, and what cleaning methods are the most well-suited to each.
What Makes a Bathtub Dirty?
The usual suspect is soap scum or grime, which is what remains after washing yourself in the tub. However, hard water is another culprit known for discoloring tubs over time. Hard water is water that’s chock-full of minerals and metals, all of which form those unmistakable blotches on your tub’s surface.
Some people worry about the health hazards of bathing in hard water, but the good news is it’s pretty safe. The only danger it presents are tough-to-clean stains on your tub–and fortunately, those are much easier to fix and prevent!
Natural All-Purpose Bathtub Cleaners
If you’re worried about messing around with a lot of toxic chemicals while cleaning your tub, you’ll be happy to know that there are a few environmentally-friendly alternatives. Keep in mind, though, that these methods are generally for lighter stains and blotches, as is the case with most natural cleaners.
Baking Soda
Even though baking soda is generally lauded as an all-purpose household cleaner, you shouldn’t use it on stone resin tubs. Not only will baking soda leave these kinds of tubs feeling filmy, but it’ll gradually damage the finish as well. What’s more, baking soda is only really effective for small stains and blotches; anything tougher will require a stronger cleaner.
If you’re worried about it being too abrasive, dilute it with vinegar or ammonia to lower your chances of damaging your tub during cleaning.
Vinegar
Because vinegar has a much higher acidity than baking soda, it’s ideal for busting tough tub stains and blotches. Better yet, a vinegar and baking soda solution has a one-two punch effect: not only is it gentler on your tub’s surface, it acts fast on tough-to-clean stains thanks to the abrasiveness of the baking soda and the dissolving properties of the vinegar.
Vinegar is ideal for cleaning soap scum on most tub surfaces, but its acidity will spell trouble for stone resin or porcelain-enameled tubs, and other tubs with enamel finishes.
Lemons
Like vinegar, lemons are naturally acidic, and therefore great for breaking down stains on certain surfaces. They’re also a bit less abrasive which make them perfect for surfaces that need a gentler touch, like acrylic tubs.
However, lemons tend to be even weaker than vinegar, so skip it if you have tougher stains, like those left by hard water. You’ll also want to avoid using lemons on tubs with chemically reactive surfaces, like copper tubs.
Caring for Any Type of Dirty Bathtub
Different types of bathtubs feature different properties, and therefore, different ways of cleaning them properly. While the sky is the limit when it comes to what your bathtub can be made of, we’ll explore the most common materials and how to appropriately care for each kind, complete with dos and don’ts.
Acrylic
Bathtubs with an acrylic finish are a bit softer than others, and consequently need a non-abrasive scrubber to get the job done without leaving any scratches. Even though acrylic’s softness makes it perfect for molding into bathtubs, harsh chemicals like acetone and bleach can damage it. This is why you’ll want to stick to “greener” cleaning products when spit-shining your acrylic tub.
DO
- Rub hard water stains with a lemon until they loosen up, then rinse with warm water and wipe dry with a microfiber cloth
- Use environmentally-friendly all-purpose cleaners (double-check to see if it’s suitable for acrylic tubs)
- Fight tough stains with a half-vinegar, half-water solution; use sparingly, as vinegar can gradually damage acrylic
- Scrub the tub with a gentle, non-abrasive brush
- Care for your tub by regularly cleaning it with antibacterial dishwashing soap and a soft sponge
DON’T
- Use acetone, chlorine bleach, or other harmful chemicals to clean your tub
- Scrub with highly abrasive materials, like steel or copper wool
- Smoke cigarettes near your tub–the tobacco smoke can discolor the acrylic
Fiberglass
Like acrylic, fiberglass is another common material used for making bathtubs. Its economical and lightweight properties make it an effectivematerial, but it’s prone to scratching–also like acrylic.
Periodically cleaning your fiberglass tub with non-toxic household products is one of the best ways to keep grime at bay, but there are other “green” ways to get rid of particularly stubborn stains.
DO
- Spray the surface of your tub with distilled vinegar and let sit for 30 minutes
- Sprinkle your tub with baking soda and wipe it down with a vinegar-soaked sponge
- Rinse away any remaining baking soda or vinegar with warm water
- Clean your tub regularly with antibacterial dishwashing soap and a soft sponge
- Use acetone or hydrogen peroxide sparingly for the toughest stains
- Wear rubber gloves when cleaning with harsh chemicals
- Polish and wax your tub twice a year with a clean cotton cloth
- Keep your tub as dry as possible to prevent water stains or soap scum
- Soften your water to get rid of extra minerals in your water
DON’T
- Use abrasive materials like steel or copper wool to clean your tub
- Leave items suctioned to the tub’s surface–this will create tough soap scum or grime rings
Porcelain Enamel
Porcelain enamel is made by melding powdered glass onto a metal, glass, or tile base at extremely high temperatures–think 750°F! The glass powder liquefies and evenly coats the base, forming a smooth, hard, and sturdy finish.
As for how to clean it, make sure you use particularly abrasive chemicals sparingly, as long-term use can slowly erode the surface. If you do decide to use chemicals like hydrogen peroxide or chlorine bleach, make sure you dilute them with water and ventilate the area well. However, in most cases a mixture of warm water and detergent will usually do the trick.
DO
- Wear rubber gloves when cleaning with acidic solutions
- Use a hydrogen peroxide or chlorine bleach solution for tougher stains
- Regularly wash your tub with warm water and detergent
- Use fine scouring powder to scrub your tub
- Rinse the tub thoroughly with water after each cleaning
- Use commercial bathroom cleaners if you’d like (don’t forget to dilute them first)
- Repair small chips and surface cracks with an inexpensive touch-up solution
DON’T
- Clean with acidic solutions too often–they’ll disintegrate the porcelain enamel finish over time
- Use baking soda at all, for the same reason above
- Scrub with rough scouring powders, which can scratch your tub
Cast Iron
Cast iron bathtubs have been around for ages, and thankfully, they’re pretty easy to clean. Most household cleaners will work just fine on them, and be sure to pat the tub dry afterward to avoid future stains or splotches. Also steer clear of bleach here–it’ll leave unsightly red streaks inside your tub.
DO
- Use a diluted white vinegar solution-soaked sponge to wipe down the tub first
- Let the vinegar sit for five minutes before sprinkling baking soda inside the whole tub
- Wipe the foamy residue with the same sponge
- Rinse with warm water
- Pat dry to maintain the finish and preserve the integrity of the tub
DON’T
- Clean with bleach–this will leave red streaks in your tub
- Scrub with steel or copper wool
Stone Resin
As pretty as stone resin bathtubs are, they require a little extra elbow grease to keep them clean. This is because soap scum and other residue are much more likely to get into the cracks and stay there if the tub isn’t rinsed and dried properly after each use.
The actual cleaning methods are pretty straightforward: you can use solid surface cleaners, ammonia-based cleaners (excluding window cleaners), or good, old-fashioned soapy water. These solutions will generally take care of most stains, but you might need to use something stronger if these aren’t working.
DO
- Use a mildly abrasive cleaner and damp cloth or sponge to buff out blotches
- Make small circular motions and overlap each area until the entire tub is cleaned
- Rinse the entire tub thoroughly with warm water
- Pat the tub dry to prevent more blotches or stains from appearing
- Apply more pressure when scrubbing if stains don’t come out at first
DON’T
- Use harsh chemicals to clean a stone resin tub
- Clean with baking soda–it’ll leave a film and damage the finish
Marble
Marble tubs are made from polyester resin and crushed limestone, and are coated with a gel finish to create a transparent yet sturdy surface. Because their surface is non-porous, they typically do not stain very easily.
While it’s possible to use harsh chemicals to clean a marble tub, you absolutely have to dilute them with lots of water so as not to damage your tub. This is also true for less acidic solutions like distilled vinegar, which must be diluted as well before cleaning.
DO
- Fill your tub with warm water and add 3 tbsp of dishwashing soap as the tub is filling up
- Half a cup of bleach (or distilled vinegar) to the tub once it’s completely filled
- Scrub the inside of the tub with a soft, non-abrasive brush to get the gunk off
- Drain the water and re-fill the tub with fresh water to rinse out the tub
- Wipe off any remaining water with a thick towel once the tub is emptied again
DON’T
- Apply harsh chemicals like chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide directly to the tub’s surface
- Use abrasive scrubbers on the tub’s surface–it might damage the gel finish
Copper
Copper tubs are relatively easy to care for thanks to their chemical composition. Like many of the other tubs on here, it’s best to regularly wash it with warm water and antibacterial dishwashing soap or detergents and avoid deep cleaning with harsh chemicals–it could change the tub’s finish, or patina, over time.
DO
- Use a soft cloth to spread dishwashing soap or detergent all inside the tub
- Lather the soap up and continue rubbing gently until the spots and stains are gone
- Rinse out the tub with warm water after cleaning
- Pat the tub dry to avoid future water stains
- Routinely wax your tub to maintain a pristine surface
DON’T
- Use harsh chemicals to clean any copper surface
- Use lemon on the tub’s surface, either–it’ll change the color
- Scrub with particularly abrasive materials, like steel or copper wool
What if I Have Mold and Mildew in My Bathtub?
Fear not–mold and mildew can easily be cleaned off of any bathtub, but you’ll have to take a couple of extra steps before you start scrubbing.
Fill a spray bottle with hot water and four tablespoons of bleach. Spray on the moldy or mildew-y areas and let it soak in. Bleach is a biocide, or a chemical compound that can kill living organisms. It’s important to kill the mold and mildew before washing it off, as washing off live mold or mildew may cause the spores to get in even more places and make matters worse.
Just try to use this method in extreme cases; using bleach routinely could pose health hazards over the long-term. Never mix bleach with other ammonia-containing cleaning agents (you’ll make toxic fumes) and also ventilate your bathroom well before spraying on the hot water and bleach solution.
Also, note that this bleach solution is not recommended for certain types of tubs, like copper, cast iron, acrylic, and marble tubs. For these types of tubs, substitute the bleach with vinegar, which should achieve a similar effect.
Scrub a Dub Dub
Though cleaning a tub isn’t as simple as it sounds, it’s not exactly rocket science either when you’re armed with these simple tips. Whether you’ve got a little bit of soap scum on a standard acrylic tub or you’ve let your marble masterpiece sit unused until it got moldy, we’re sure our strategies will give your tub—and you—sparkling and shining again.