How to Clean a Bathtub: The Best Ways to Clean Your Tub Like a Pro

Why Is It Important to Clean Your Bathtub?

If cleaning the bathtub isn’t part of your regular bathroom cleaning routine, here are why it’s important to change that immediately.

First of all, a really dirty bathtub looks ugly. Dirt, hair, soap scum, and unpleasant odors are all things that are repulsive to anyone.  In addition, these are not hygienic conditions, and due to the accumulated dirt, various bacteria can grow, which can damage your health.

When cleaning is neglected, scale or stains can build up and that will be more difficult to remove later because, over time, layers of dirt settle, forming ugly marks on the bottom of the tub and its edges. Regular maintenance of the tub helps prevent the development of bacteria, mold, and other pathogens that not only make the tub look ugly but can also end up on our skin, and then the problem takes on far greater proportions.

What You Need Before You Start Cleaning Your Bathtub?

Take our word for it, preparation makes the entire washing process easier, so we advise you to prepare everything you need before you start scrubbing the tub.

Equipment / Tools

What equipment will you need for cleaning?

Prepare protective gloves (especially important for people with sensitive skin prone to allergic reactions), bucket, sponge, scrub brush (for ground lines you can also use an old toothbrush), microfiber cloth, and spray bottle. You will use these tools for cleaning by the means you choose. There will be cases where if you prepare a solution for cleaning the bathtub yourself from white vinegar, water, and baking soda, you will need a spray bottle and a bucket, while using commercial means to remove limescale will not be necessary.

Materials

The most effective way to wash your tub involves preparing a range of products that will thoroughly treat the tub, drain, and grout lines. You will need a multi-surface bath unit solution, a descaler, and a mold treatment. If your drain is clogged and you notice poor liquid flow, before starting the scrubbing process, pour a solution into the drain to eliminate built-up residue inside the pipes and help the liquid pass through more easily.

Step-by-Step Guide to Cleaning Your Bathtub

How to clean a bathtub with natural products that are 100% safe?

Baking soda and vinegar are common cleaning agents because they are proven harmless agents that are safe for your skin and the environment. Later, we will look at the use of commercial means, and in this part of the text, we will describe what the cleaning process seems like if you decide to use baking soda and vinegar.

Sprinkle the Tub With Baking Soda and Vinegar

Baking soda is a natural abrasive that helps remove dirt, soap scum and limescale. Sprinkle it evenly on the bottom and sides of the bathtub, and pour the white vinegar into a spray bottle and spray well all over the bathtub. The vinegar will begin to react with the baking soda, creating a mixture that helps loosen stubborn stains and deposits. The proven combination of vinegar and baking soda will not negatively affect your skin and is suitable for cleaning all bathtubs, regardless of the type of material.

Scrub Away Grime

Allow the mixture to activate for better results (approximately 20 minutes). After that, take a sponge or a scrubbing brush and scrub the tub’s surface evenly. Focus on every part of the tub evenly, and use an old toothbrush to clean corners, edges, and other hard-to-reach areas.  Don’t forget to include the shower head and faucet.  By rubbing, baking soda will clean accumulated dirt and soap stains, and vinegar will help eliminate bacteria.

Rinse and Dry

When you have thoroughly scrubbed the tub, rinse it with liquid and eliminate all remnants of the soda and vinegar mixture. If the area still has persistent grime, you may repeat the washing process.

After rinsing the tub, dry it with a clean microfiber cloth. Drying after cleaning will keep the tub sparkling clean and won’t cause water stains and limescale build-up that would happen if you skipped this step.

How to Clean Different Types of Bathtubs?

You can use the described cleaning procedure with baking soda and vinegar on any occasion, regardless of the tub’s material. However, cleaning a bathtub with commercial cleaning products requires that you pay attention to the product’s purpose and the manufacturer’s recommendations. 

Tips for cleaning Fiberglass Bathtub

How to clean a bathtub if it is made of fiberglass? 

In most cases, cleaning solutions are generally safe to use, but you can always test the product before start to clean. Make sure you have good ventilation in the bathroom, and don’t forget to wear rubber gloves.

Tips for cleaning Porcelain Bathtub

How to clean a bathtub if it is made of porcelain?

As in the case of fiberglass tubs, the cleaning solutions are generally safe for this type of tub, but in both cases, abrasive cleaners should be avoided. Decide on those products that are adequate for cleaning the porcelain bathtub, and before cleaning, read the instructions for using the product.

How to Remove Stubborn Stains in the Bathtub?

Stubborn stains can be very persistent and difficult to remove, appearing as limescale deposits, soap scum, mold, or rust.

Cleaning Soap Scum and Debris

You can try and use an all-purpose bathtub cleaner or some of green solution in a form of liquid mixture of baking soda and vinegar to clean this type of stain. Spray the agent and gently scrub the entire bathtub with a sponge. Soap scum is relatively easy to remove, and cleaning these stains in most cases won’t take too much time.

Removing Rust Stains

The rust stains are notoriously technically challenging to remove. What you need to do is look for a product made specifically for this purpose. 

If you wish to look into some DIY methods, you can always try to clean with baking soda and white vinegar. Given the nature of the stain, it’s possible that you won’t get a result that you’d be completely satisfied with. Still, it’s worth a try, right?

Cleaning Mold and Mildew

What is the best way to clean a tub of mold?

If you notice mold and mildew on the joints and around the edges of the bathtub, know that there are products that are also specifically designed to remove mold and mildew. If you want to solve this problem naturally, make a solution of warm water and a few tablespoons of bleach. Fill the prepared spray bottle with the solution and spray the critical areas. After a few moments, you can sprinkle those areas with baking soda and wait a while for the reaction to occur. After that, scrub the joints and rinse. 

Remove Hard Water Deposits

How to clean a bathtub with hard water deposits? A descaling agent will help you (choose a product that does not contain abrasive ingredients and that will not damage the bathtub’s surface layer). You can also remove limescale with a paste of vinegar, soda, water, and a little lemon juice.

How Often Should You Clean Your Bathtub?

We advise you not to delay cleaning the bathtub if you want stubborn stains and dirt not to give you headaches. Cleaning a bathtub guarantees a hygienic environment, so it is recommended that you thoroughly clean the bathtub at least once a week and more often if necessary.

After every shower, wash away soap residue and remove hair so that cleaning the bathtub, head shower, and faucet in detail takes as little time and effort as possible.

What Are Some Additional Tips for Keeping Your Bathtub Clean Longer?

• If you adopted the habit of wiping and drying the bathtub after each shower, you would prevent mold and keep it continuously clean.
• Keep in mind that the curtains or glass panels on your bathtub should always be as clean as a bath itself, so you shouldn’t neglect them either.
• Don’t forget about the drain. Clean it with a solution of baking soda and white vinegar, leave it for a while, and rinse by pouring hot water down the drain.
• Do not allow the humidity in the bathroom to be too high, as this will encourage mold growth. Ventilate the bathroom regularly and use a fan to decrease humidity.

Conclusion

Maintaining hygiene is crucial to our health, and we achieve this by regularly cleaning every part of our home. Cleaning the bathtub is not too demanding when you are willing to take the time to do it and when you approach the job in a planned manner.

We hope that this text has helped you and that you have found useful information and tips.

Remember how much enjoyment a warm bath can bring you after a hard day, and let that motivate you never to skip cleaning the tub again.

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