How to Clean Bathtub Properly

batWhen it comes to keeping your bathtub in a sparkling state, it’s not always easy to know what the best cleaning techniques are. Nobody wants to spend hours doing something that can be done much quicker. So, if you want to easily scrub away lime scale, soap scum, and other dirt, follow these simple steps below that will help you to clean your bathtub properly. They will get your bathtub into a glossy condition.

For a lasting result, give it a clean every week or so to avoid buildup of dirt, and a thorough monthly scrub for a spotless effect. Keep in mind, different types of bathtubs require different cleaning techniques.

Therefore, some household items you might have on hand may not work for your bathtub. Always check what kind of cleaners work best for the tub to ensure no damage is caused to the surfaces, and the best cleaning result is achieved.

How Often Should You Clean Your Bathtub?

It depends on how often you use it. To avoid any remaining soap scum, mould and water stains, rinse the tub after showering or bathing. While washing it with a proper cleaning product, once a week, will maintain it in a clean state. Ensure you give your tub a frequent scrub and pay extra attention to the shower drain once every month, so you don’t have to deal with clogs and nasty smells.

What Do You Need for a Spotless Bathtub?

• Grout brush
• Cleansponges and cloths
• A small brush (a spare old toothbrush works, too)
• Powder or liquid bathtub cleaner and spray cleaner
• Tile cleaner (if necessary)
• Baking Soda
• Vinegar

Getting Started on Cleaning

It is important to choose the right cleaning products. Otherwise, you can permanently damage enamel, ceramic or acrylic bathtubs with the wrong kind of brushes or metal objects.

Remove any items on the sides of your bathtub. It is important to ensure that shampoos, gels, and toys are moved out of the way before you begin to spray cleaning products, which may contain harmful substances.

Clean the Space around the Bathtub

Before you wash the actual tub, clean the tiles, and check the sides for any sign of mould and grime around or under the sealer. Use special liquid or spray solutions for tile cleaning, then wipe it off with microfiber cloth. Pay extra attention to visibly dirty spots, then once you’re done, make sure to let in fresh air by opening the window, and/or turn on the ventilation.

Give the bathtub a slight rinse with warm water to rid the surface of any grime. Then you can either apply the cleaner right away or scrub the bathtub first.

Try Using Grapefruit for Scrubbing

Natural cleaning items are a godsend. They are on the cheap end, most of the time, eco-friendly and cruelty-free. All you have to do is cover the bathtub in sea salt, slice the fruit in half and sprinkle it with more salt. Then you scrub the tub, releasing the juice as you go and moving onto another area as you clean. It’s an easy and fuss-free method that we are sure you will use again.

Apply Cleaning Solutions to Bathtub Drain

If you are faced with a clog, there are a couple of options to clear it. You can use a cleaning product that will pretty much take care of the problem itself or try something different with a few household items you probably already have in your kitchen. White vinegar and baking soda can remove the clog due to the chemical properties of the mixture.

How to Unclog the Drain with Vinegar:

• Boil a kettle of water and pour it into the drain
• Follow it with half a cup of baking soda and leave it for a couple of minutes
• Add a cup of vinegar and a cup of boiling water – it will activate the cleaning properties of the baking soda
• Let it rest for 10-20 minutes
• Pour the remaining water down the drain

Apply Bathtub Cleaner

You can choose to use powder or liquid cleaners. Leave the solution in the interior of the tub for around five minutes, and then start wiping from top to bottom, finishing at the drain. You can also use additional cleaners for the metal parts of the bathtub, around the pipe, hose, or the shower head to get an extra shine. Always properly rinse off the area afterwards.

Tips for a Porcelain Bathtub

To get your tub back into its sparkling state, clean your porcelain enamel bathtub with some lemon oil and dishwashing soap once a month. Due to its fragile nature, harsh cleaners like powder chemicals, vinegar, or metal sponges may cause irreversible damage to your tub. Therefore, we suggest sticking to delicate cleaners.

Use either a store-purchased product to wash the tub on a weekly basis or try the scrubbing technique with hot water, soap and lemon oil, both can help you to achieve the desired result. Just check that the cleaner is safe for your bathtub surface, as some of them may consist of ingredients that won’t work well with your porcelain tub.

If there are any nasty stains, your usual bathtub cleaner can’t rid of, carefully use some baking soda and scrub with an old soft toothbrush until the mark comes off. This option works well for soap scum, too.

Tips for Acrylic Bathtub Cleaning

While acrylic tubs are more versatile and are slightly sturdier than their porcelain counterparts, cleaning should still be done with certain precautions as they tend to scratch easily if using an abrasive cleaning item. Be particularly careful if your bathtub is made of acrylic plastic. In such a case, try this option to achieve the spotless bathtub interior:

• Rinse the tub with warm water
• Pour baby shampoo over the bathtub and a little on a wet cloth, then go on rubbing in circular motions
• Repeat the two steps, occasionally washing all of the soap from the damp rug
• Apply wax to the surface and leave it to dry
• Finish off by buffing the bathtub with a cotton ball

How to Clean a Enameled Bathtub

Enamel is an exceptionally sturdy and heavy material. Bathtubs made of iron cast and covered with glaze are on the more expensive side, and consequently more durable.

Do not use harmful chemicals when cleaning your enamel bathtub.

Cleaning routine for enamel tubs:

• Use a correct cleaning solution for your bath
• Clean the tub, leaving taps and shower head for the end
• Scrub the stains with a soft sponge. Use a store-bought scrubbing product or make one yourself
• Rinse the tub thoroughly

Cleaning Tips for Fiberglass Bathtub

Fibreglass bathtubs are the cheaper version of enameled tubs, but they are just as durable. Again, we recommend you avoid the use of any harmful products. Follow these easy steps to get your bath into a squeaky-clean state:

• Mix half the cup of hot water and 1+2/3 cups of baking soda with ½ cup of liquid hand-soap
• You should get the mixture gooey enough for it to stick to the walls of the tub
• When the paste is done, apply it for 30 minutes to the bathtub surface
• Rinse the paste and wipe off what’s left with a cloth or a paper towel
• Polish the tub with some wax if you want to give your bath the shine it’s missing

A Few Natural Ways to Clean the Bathtub

There are several ways to go about cleaning your tub if you wish to take the eco-friendly route or just want to use whatever’s left in your kitchen.

Vinegar

Not only it unclogs the drain but it naturally cleans the bathtub surface. Make the vinegar spray by mixing half acidic liquid and half hot water, then spray it on the tub and remove filth with a clean sponge.

Baking Soda Paste

Yet another fantastic cleaning product you can whip up in less than five minutes. Add baking soda to water until a paste is formed, then apply it to the visible stains and rub them off with a rug.

In the case of stubborn stains, leave the paste for a few minutes for it to work, then spray some vinegar on top of it. This should remove the stains. If some stains still remain, repeat the procedure until they are gone.

Borax plus Citrus Fruit

Putting borax on a sliced lemon and rubbing the tub with it will help to clean the surface. Alternatively, you can sprinkle borax on top of the stain, let it sit for 10-15 minutes, then scrub it with lemon to rid your bathtub of the grime.

With these tips, cleaning your bathtub shouldn’t be difficult or a loathsome job. Getting into a regular routine is the key to sustaining your tub in a sparkling state.

You may also find our earlier blog post on how to clean your toilet bowl useful. If you prefer professionals take care of it all, then book an eMopper.