Sooner or later, every housewife notices that the initially snow-white bathtub becomes dirty and loses its ideal appearance. Hard tap water can leave rusty stains, yellow spots, and limescale on it, which are quite difficult to get rid of. We invite you to find out how to clean your bathtub and quickly get rid of all types of dirt so that it pleases the eye with its dazzling cleanliness again.

Types of pollution

A rusty coating on the bathtub is formed when the iron content in the water is high.

To understand how to properly clean a bathtub, you need to familiarize yourself with the main types of contaminants:

• yellow spots and smudges. They are formed due to various impurities contained in tap water(salts, metals, chlorine, etc.);
• rust. Appears on the walls of the bathroom due to the increased iron content in the water, as well as due to old and rusty water pipes;
• limescale. Appears due to hard salts contained in water (magnesium + calcium);
• household pollution. Formed by regular bath use. Fortunately, traces of shower gel, soap, shampoo and other products are very easy to clean off. Perhaps this is the simplest type of pollution that every housewife encounters;
• mold and mildew. The dark deposits in the corners of the bathroom and in the seams of the tiles, which cannot be removed, are huge colonies of mold. Mold not only spoils appearance bath, but can also harm your health. Therefore, after its removal, disinfection is required;
• old bath. It is much more difficult to remove dirt from an old and worn-out bathtub than from a new one. The fact is that its coating is very worn out over time;
• bathroom after renovation. Of course, during repairs it is better to cover the bathtub securely, otherwise you can stain it with paint, glue, lime, etc.;
• coloring matter. These include brilliant green, iodine, blue, potassium permanganate, and hair dye.

How to clean different types of bathtubs depending on the dirt?

The optimal cleaning method is selected depending on the bathtub material and the type of contamination. Before we look at individual cases, we will mention methods that are suitable for removing dirt from any bathtub.

Products suitable for all types of baths

Baking soda, vinegar and citric acid will help clean a bathtub made of any material.

1. Soda. You need to dilute water with soda to make a paste. It is applied to contaminated areas and left in this form until dry. Then it will be enough to wipe the remaining soda with a sponge and rinse with water. This remedy will be effective if the contamination is minor. Otherwise, you will have to repeat the described procedure several times to whiten the surface until it shines. The advantage of this method is that soda not only cleans, but also perfectly disinfects the coating.
2. Vinegar. Soak regular paper towels in apple cider vinegar and place them on the dirtiest areas of the bathtub. After 2–3 hours, it is necessary to remove the remaining napkins and rinse the surface thoroughly with water.
3. Toothpaste. It will perfectly remove minor dirt, water marks, yellowness, and small stains.
4. Washing powder or dishwashing detergent. Remove small dirt from the surface of the bath.
5. Lemon acid. First, you need to dissolve one sachet of citric acid in a glass of warm water (250 ml). The surface of the bath is treated with the resulting solution. After 15 minutes, the bath is wiped with a sponge. This should be done with gloves so as not to harm the skin of your hands. This solution will help you get rid of even quite stubborn dirt and limescale.

Products for cast iron and enamel baths

For the cleaning cast iron bath Do not use chlorine, acids, alcohol and alkali

For cleaning cast iron and steel baths used wide range funds. These include:

• Gels, powders and creams. Be sure to use gloves when applying them. Be careful: if these products come into contact with your clothing, they may leave stains. "Cillit Bang", "Cif" and "Comet" are the most popular products in this category.
• Peroxide and ammonia. You will need these substances to create a cleaning solution. Mix them in a glass container in a 1:2 ratio and treat the contaminated surfaces of the bath with the resulting solution. Wear gloves. After 20 minutes, the solution is washed off with plenty of water.
• Bleach. Powdered bleach must be diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio. You should get a paste-like mixture. It must be applied to a dirty surface and left until completely dry, then rinsed off. If necessary, the procedure can be repeated several times.

Remember that to clean cast iron and enamel bathtubs you cannot use products that contain:

• chlorine (one-time use is allowed to remove mold);
• acids (except natural ones - malic or citric);
• alcohol;
• alkali.

Useful information: Under no circumstances should you clean an enamel bathtub with toilet products, even if they are labeled as suitable for this purpose. They contain aggressive substances that destroy enamel.

Products for acrylic baths

It is advisable to clean an acrylic bathtub no more than 1-2 times a month

These bathtubs are the most popular among buyers today. Acrylic has many advantages, but there are also disadvantages. This material requires especially careful care. This is why many substances that are used to clean enamel bathtubs are not suitable for acrylic ones.

Helpful advice: It is not recommended to wash acrylic bathtubs more than 1-2 times a month. However, gentle disinfection should be carried out weekly. There are dozens of special products that are simply poured into the bath for a certain time and then thoroughly washed off with water. If you don’t have a good disinfectant on hand, you can use laundry soap. Apply it to the entire surface of the bath and then rinse.

As mentioned above, acrylic bathtubs require special handling. The most important thing is to promptly clean minor dirt, rinse the coating with warm water and remove excess moisture.

How to properly clean an acrylic bathtub? First you need to check whether the selected cleaning product is suitable for it. It should be applied to small plot and wait half an hour. If the surface is not damaged, feel free to proceed with cleaning. You can use special products that are specifically suitable for acrylic bathtubs. This list includes “SunClean”, “PaniVanna”, “Triton”, “Mr. Chister”, etc.

It is strictly forbidden to use solvents, acetone, ammonia, preparations containing chlorine, abrasive pastes and powders, alcohol solutions, alkali, formaldehyde preparations, and acids. All of them can damage acrylic and ruin the bathtub.

To disinfect the coating, fill the bathtub with water, add 1 liter of 7% chlorine solution and leave for a couple of minutes. Then rinse it and wipe with a dry cloth.

Useful information: Acrylic bathtubs cannot be cleaned with metal scrapers and sponges with abrasive properties. They will cause scratches on the coating.

Please note that plastic bathtubs are cleaned in the same way as acrylic ones.

Hydromassage bath

It is necessary to regularly clean not only the surface, but also the internal elements of the hot tub.

The hot tub needs to be cleaned especially carefully. The fact is that in the process of removing contaminants, not only the surface, but also the massage holes can be damaged. It is recommended to clean it no less three times per month using gentle means. It is important to ensure that cleaning agents do not get inside the massage holes. If this happens, then it’s very easy to fix everything: just turn on the hydromassage mode for a while, and it will wash out of them.

Disinfect and clean the inside of your hot tub every month. Follow the manufacturer's instructions. You can also use the following proven method:

1. Fill the bathtub with warm water to about 10 centimeters above the top jets.
2. Turn off the air supply. After this, only water will circulate through the pipes; it will not mix with air.
3. Add detergent to the filled water. 50 milliliters of a slightly foaming substance is enough. For example, a powdered product for dishwashers. You can choose Cascade Complete: it is based not on acid, but on enzymatic activity. Acidic cleaners will eventually remove the sealant layer from the finish, causing it to become dull. As a last resort, use dishwashing detergent.
4. Pour 100 milliliters of household bleach into the bath. Bleach is an affordable and effective disinfectant.
5. Start the hydromassage mode for 10–15 minutes. Set the maximum system pressure. After this, you will see a lot of dirt getting into the bathtub. Believe me: it is much better than if it remained in the pipes.
6. Drain all water from the bathtub. Clean up the sediment. Then fill it again with cool water 10 centimeters above the nozzles.
7. Run the hydromassage for another 10–15 minutes. It is necessary to thoroughly wash away any remaining dirt and chemicals.
8. Drain the water again and rinse the coating.

How to avoid damaging the coating when cleaning

A metal scraper cannot be used to clean bathtubs, as it damages the coating

You cannot clean the bathtub with hard brushes with metal bristles, as this will damage the top layer and cracks will appear on it in the future. You should also not use products that contain aggressive surfactants. Make sure that there are no sudden temperature changes during the washing process (do not alternate cold water with boiling water): they have a bad effect on the coating.

Bonus: Review of the most popular bath cleaning chemicals

Special cleaning products will help you remove any dirt from the surface of the bathtub

• "Cif" is a universal cleaning product for bathrooms, tiles, washbasins and toilets. Available in the form of cream and spray. Simply apply it to a dirty surface, leave for 10 minutes and rinse thoroughly with warm water;
• "Sannox" is another very effective remedy for cleaning the bath. It is good because it perfectly removes fat and organic deposits, helps get rid of plaque, rust and old, stubborn stains. Using this substance you can also get rid of the unpleasant odor in the bathroom;
• Comet is a well-advertised product that is best suited for cast iron bathtubs. Available in gel and spray form. Contains the necessary components that will help remove old dirt and lime deposits. It contains a special polymer, which after cleaning forms an invisible film on the walls of the bathtub that “repels” dirt;
• Phenolux is another product that will help quickly eliminate contamination. Available in gel form. With its help you can get rid of rust, limescale and soap stains. Unlike other products, Phenolux does not need to be left on the bathroom surface for a long time, since it begins to actively “work” immediately after application.

Helpful advice: If the bathroom is heavily soiled, fill it with warm water and add 20 milliliters of natural vinegar essence. Wait 3 hours, then drain the water and rinse the sides and bottom thoroughly.

How to whiten a bathtub at home

You can restore your bathtub to its original shine in the following ways:

• Cover the surface paper towels, pre-moistened in a special solution (washing powder mixed with white to form a liquid slurry). Leave the wipes on for half an hour, then remove them and rinse with water. This method is only suitable for new bathtubs.
• If the bathtub is not new, use the following method to help clean it white: mix baking soda, bleach and vinegar in equal proportions and apply to the dirty areas of the surface for 20 minutes. Then rinse the bathtub thoroughly with water.

Pollution prevention

The bathtub should be kept dry between uses. If necessary, wipe away any remaining moisture with a towel.

Try to constantly change the angle of rotation of the tap so that water does not flow into the same area. This will help protect the bathtub from rusty deposits. If you have a faulty faucet and water drips from the faucet all the time, replace it. Otherwise, this can lead to the formation of smudges and yellow marks, which are quite difficult to get rid of.

If after draining the water remains at the bottom of the bathtub, it means that the bathtub is not installed level. Remaining liquid should be soaked with a washcloth or towel.

Helpful Hint: After removing stains, leave the bathroom door open to allow the cleaning agent compounds to evaporate quickly.

Do not soak laundry in the bathroom for a long time. Washing powder contains components that can ruin the appearance of the surface.

If you regularly take care of your bathroom, clean it, and don’t wait for old and difficult to remove stains to form, you won’t have to put much effort into cleaning it. And the coating will always remain snow-white. As a last resort, use the methods suggested above to remove various types of contaminants. Don't forget to consider what material the bathtub is made of when selecting cleaning products.

First of all, you need to put on gloves, choose the right washcloth and the right product. And here everything will depend on what exactly and from which bath you need to remove.

How to clean different bathtubs

1. Enameled cast iron baths. They should not be rubbed with steel wool or hard sponges. This leaves scratches and thins the enamel layer. Also, for cleaning you should not use aggressive products with a high chlorine content.
2. Enameled steel baths. When washing, do not turn on too much hot water. The enamel can crack even on a new bathtub due to sudden temperature changes. As in the case of a cast-iron bathtub, hard and metal sponges are prohibited.
3. Acrylic baths. You need to wash it carefully, because even medium-hard sponges can leave unsightly streaks on such a bathtub. Use only soft sponges and special cleaning products, preferably gels or pastes. Do not use abrasive substances, washing powders, emulsions with alcohol, acetone, gasoline, or chlorine. A solution of soda and vinegar can be applied extremely rarely and only to particularly severe stains. In other cases, it is better to replace soda with lemon juice.

How to clean a bathtub from small stains

Every time after water procedures Some skin particles remain in the bath. This type of plaque is very easy to remove: you just need to thoroughly rinse the surface with water.

Soap accumulates on the surface of the bathtub, causing unsightly streaks and stains. Regular baking soda can handle them.

1. Wet the surface of the bathtub.
2. Dissolve half a pack in a bowl of water baking soda so that you get a thick mixture.
3. Apply baking soda to the surface with a soft sponge and leave for half an hour.
4. Wipe the bathtub with a sponge and rinse off the baking soda with water.

How to clean a bathtub from limescale

Hard water contains a large number of magnesium and calcium salts. When they settle, a coating appears on the plumbing fixtures, which is more difficult to get rid of than soap.

Method 1. Vinegar-soda solution

1. Mix ½ cup baking soda, ½ cup water and ¼ cup vinegar. If you are going to clean an acrylic bathtub, replace the baking soda with lemon juice.
2. Apply the solution to the bath and leave for a while.
3. Scrub the surface with a sponge and rinse off the vinegar solution with water.

Method 2. Soda + lemon solution

1. Mix baking soda with water to form a paste.
2. Apply to the bath and leave for a while.
3. Add citric acid to water in a 1:1 ratio.
4. Apply the solution to the baking soda and wipe with a sponge.
5. Rinse the bathtub with water.

How to clean a bathtub from yellow deposits

Yellow plaque may appear due to poor quality tap water or rusty pipes. You can remove it using dry bleach diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio. You should get a thick mixture similar to sour cream. Rub the bath with it, let it dry and rinse with water.

But keep in mind that chlorine bleaches can attack enamel, so it's best not to use them. And for acrylic bathtubs, as we wrote above, this method is definitely not suitable.

Rusty streaks in the bathtub are the result of bad pipes or damaged enamel. In this case The best way forget about the problem - eliminate its cause. But there are also several home recipes.

Method 1. Ammonia + hydrogen peroxide

1. Pour 100 ml of ammonia and 50 ml of hydrogen peroxide into a glass container. Mix well.
2. Using a cloth, apply the solution to the problem area.
3. Rinse off with water after 10–15 minutes.

Method 2. Lemon juice

1. Squeeze out a little lemon juice on a rust stain.
2. Leave on for 10-15 minutes and rinse with water.

Method 3. Soda

1. Add water to the baking soda until you get a paste-like consistency.
2. Apply the resulting paste to the rust stains with a sponge.
3. Rub and rinse with water.

How to use household chemicals

If you can’t get rid of dirt with home remedies, use cleaning powders and gels.

1. Read the composition and consider the type of bath.
2. It is better to use environmentally friendly substances, but they are more expensive.
3. Follow the manufacturer's instructions. For example, sometimes the solution needs to be washed off immediately, sometimes it needs to be left for a while to make the bath clean.
4. Some products have a strong, unpleasant odor. This means that to use them, yours must have good ventilation.
5. Never clean a bathtub without gloves.

The cleaning agent is selected depending on the material from which the bathtub is made. Kvaril, acrylic, starilan and cast marble are washed with warm soapy water, sometimes you can polish the surface with felt with the addition of a special polish. Enameled bathtubs are cleaned with mild alkaline compounds. Heavy contamination is best washed with industrial products; before purchasing, make sure that the composition does not contain acids, chlorine or abrasive particles.

There are very unusual bathtubs made of glass, wood or brass - these are expensive products made to order. More affordable options are made from acrylic, enameled steel or cast iron. Relatively recently, plumbing fixtures made of cast marble, quaril (quaril) and starilan have appeared on sale. Bathroom care directly depends on the material from which it is made.

Let's talk about how to clean a bathtub at home. We will tell you the basic rules for caring for each of the materials described and show you how to remove rust, yellowness and limescale deposits.

Enameled baths

They are made of cast iron or steel and covered with enamel on top. The enamel is quite durable and wear-resistant, but over time, cracks and rust stains may appear. If you rinse and wipe the bathtub after each use, you will not have to wash off a thick layer of limescale. How to properly care for enameled plumbing fixtures?

What can you wash with?

You new bath and you want it to last for many years? Then you need to learn how to properly care for enamel. Observing simple rules, you will extend the life of the product and preserve the beauty of the enamel.

1. Before use, the bath is doused with warm water, this is necessary so that microcracks do not appear on the surface due to temperature changes.
2. Wash the bathtub after each bath and dry it dry. Use only a soft cloth; in case of heavy contamination, it is permissible to rub reverse side kitchen sponge, but no hard brushes or metal scrapers should be used!
3. Any alkaline detergent is suitable for washing: laundry or liquid soap, baking soda or soda ash diluted in water, dishwashing liquid (effectively removes sebum, but does not cope with limescale).
4. To remove limescale, you can use a weak solution of citric, acetic or oxalic acid, but it is better not to let this happen.
5. Cream-like or gel-based cleaners cope well with contamination: Sif, Pemolux, Fini, Frosch etc.

Do not soak laundry in the bath, because powders, stain removers and chlorine bleaches damage the enamel.

Folk remedy:

0.5 bars laundry soap;
Juice of 1 lemon;
2 tbsp. l. glycerin;
0.5 glasses of water;
0.5 tbsp. vodka

The soap is grated and poured with water, stirring and simmered in a water bath until the mass acquires a creamy consistency. When the soap has cooled a little, squeeze out lemon juice and add glycerin so that the mixture does not harden. Vodka is added last and everything is mixed well.

The resulting product is applied to the contaminated surface, thoroughly cleaned and left for 5-10 minutes. then wash off running water.

What not to wash

No matter how durable the enamel is, it is better not to use cleaning powders and metal brushes. They leave tiny scratches that quickly fill with dirt, the same goes for aggressive acids, they make the surface porous and, like a sponge, absorbs dirt, subsequently caring for such a product takes a lot of time and effort.

When purchasing bath care products, carefully read the label. The composition should not contain chlorine, sodium hypochlorite, as well as aggressive acids: hydrochloric, phosphoric, orthophosphoric, sulfuric, formic, etc.

Many “experienced” housewives advise removing yellowness and rust hydrochloric acid. Under no circumstances should this be done! Yes, after such cleaning the bathtub will indeed become snow-white, but not for long.

The use of acids and chlorine-containing agents can only be justified if:

1. The bathtub is already very old and dirty, you are planning to replace it in the near future, but before the renovation you would still like to contemplate clean plumbing.
2. You have moved into an apartment where other people lived; the old rusty bathtub needs cleaning and disinfection.
3. Very hard, rusty water; a thick coating has formed on the walls of the old bathtub, which cannot be washed off even with soda ash.

If you decide to clean with acid, it is safer to use industrial acid-containing products. Professional chemists have calculated the dosage so that you get maximum results with minimal risks.

Remember that when high temperature The activity of acids and alkalis increases many times over! By increasing the temperature, decrease the exposure time and vice versa.

Before you buy a product, read the reviews and remember that cheap products are not the best. The bottle should indicate that this product is suitable for cleaning enamel.

Strong acid-containing products, for extreme cases: Domestos, chlorine bleach, “Silit”, “Sanox”, “Adrilan”, “Sanelit”.

Before using any chemical cleaner, carefully read the instructions; they are written for our benefit. Strictly observe the dosage and exposure time so as not to worsen the situation. Don't forget about rubber gloves and good ventilation in the bathroom.

Why can't you clean your bathtub with acid?

It is important to be aware that enamels and metals are destroyed by exposure to any acids. Some have a very aggressive effect and are capable of destroying the enamel after the first cleaning, while others spoil the coating slowly and almost imperceptibly.

For example, you can use citric acid in low concentrations year after year to remove scale and limescale, and the coating will remain well preserved, or you can clean the bathtub once with electrolyte and the enamel will become brittle and rough.

Factory or primary enamel is applied to the surface of the bath, and then fired at a temperature of about 1000°C. After firing, the coating becomes hard and durable. To understand why acids are harmful to enamel, let's find out its composition. Main components of enamel:

• Feldspar from 13 to 50% is destroyed by acids.
• Salt boric acid(borax) from 4 to 40% - actively reacts with acids, the coating is destroyed at the molecular level.
• Crystalline quartz SiO2 (glass) – does not interact.
• Soda from 5 to 15%, thanks to this component, the product becomes resistant to alkalis - upon contact with acid, a reaction occurs with abundant release carbon dioxide.
• Fluorspar, nitrate, titanium oxide no more than 20% are not affected by acids.

Now it becomes clear that you shouldn’t wash your bathtub with acid-containing products unless your goal is to damage the enamel.

Acrylic bathtubs

The usual steel and cast iron bathtubs are being replaced by modern materials. Bathtubs made of acrylic have been very popular lately and it is not surprising - it is strong, beautiful, durable and does not “make noise” from the impact of water jets. Acrylic sanitary ware is pleasant to touch; it is never cold.

Maintenance is extremely simple: after use, rinse the surface from the shower and wipe dry. From time to time, the acrylic bathtub is washed with liquid soap or dishwashing detergent.

Products recommended for acrylic: "Akrilan Bagi" (Israel), “Mr Muscle bathroom expert 5in1” (Ukraine), "Team Profi" LLC "Legia Lux" (Russia), "Sun Klin" (Ukraine), RAVAK Cleaner (Czech Republic), Triton Acrylic cleaner (Russia), "Mr. Chister" (St. Petersburg "Nevskaya Cosmetics"), Kolpa-San CLEANER (Slovenia).

Home remedy:

10 tbsp. liquid soap
10 tbsp. soda
3 tbsp. glycerin

Mix all ingredients, you can add a few drops if desired essential oil for scent (rose, lavender, orange, etc.) and disinfection (tea tree, pine). Moisten the bath with water, apply the mixture to the surface of the bath with a soft sponge, wait 10-15 minutes, rub lightly and rinse with warm water.

Products based on probiotics

Separately, we need to talk about products with probiotics; these are cleaning products without aggressive substances, chlorine, acids, alkalis. They contain natural components: enzymes, spores of symbiotic bacteria. Thanks to the action of bacteria, it is possible to achieve not only cleanliness, but also disinfection.

How it works? In short, beneficial bacteria displace harmful ones and feed on organic debris: dirt, grease, remains of insects and pathogenic microflora. Bacterial strains are identical to the microflora living in the intestines healthy person and on his skin.

The product does not cause allergic reactions. Some products are universal, others are used only for cleaning, laundry or as cosmetics. Suitable for the most delicate surfaces, they do not spoil the coating; with these products you can wash all plumbing fixtures, kitchen surfaces, and clean upholstered furniture, spray to remove unpleasant odors. The only disadvantage of products with probiotics is their price.

Manufacturers: Probiotic, Chrisal Sanitary Cleaner, PiP, Biotos, ECOVER, BINATEC, Tri-Bio (from unpleasant odors), Green Pin, etc.

What not to clean acrylic:

1. Abrasive powders, hard sponges, metal brushes and dish meshes. All this is not suitable for acrylic; a scratched surface looks much worse than any stains.
2. Chlorine-containing products will leave cloudy stains on the surface and the appearance of the product will be spoiled.
3. There is no need to remove stains from the acrylic surface with acetone and other solvents; with short-term contact with these substances, the material will become cloudy and lose its gloss, and after prolonged contact it will begin to dissolve.
4. Ammonia, also known as ammonia, spoils the material no less than chlorine bleach.
5. Few people decide to wash the bathtub with boiling water, but out of ignorance, any housewife can drain the water in which the laundry was boiled. No need! Wait for the water to cool and pour it into the toilet. Hot boiling water causes acrylic to become deformed, and it’s even worse if it’s boiled with bleach. To be fair, it should be noted that to maintain shine, acrylic bathtubs are recommended to be rinsed after each use. hot water from a shower head, Maximum temperature such water is 45-55°C.
6. Read the labels carefully; the product should not contain: alcohol, formic and other acids, ammonia, solvents, formaldehyde, alkalis.

Sometimes housewives soak their laundry directly in the bathtub, and at the same time the dirt on the enamel softens, meaning less cleaning. That's right, this method is more or less acceptable for enamel sanitary ware, but not for acrylic!

You cannot soak laundry in a bathtub made of starilan, quaryl, cast marble and acrylic; manufacturers warn that washing powder, bleaches and stain removers, the appearance of the product deteriorates over time.

If the bathtub has lost its shine over time, you can restore the appearance of the product using polish and a soft rag.

Suitable for this: Acryl-Star, “Samodelkin”, Cramer Reparatur-Set (suitable for ceramics and acrylic), VEGA, etc.

Starilan

Starylan– high quality material from the company Kaldewei. The bathtub consists of a steel body with an acrylic coating. Combines steel strength and advantages acrylic coating, does not “make noise” during filling, is warm and pleasant to the touch.

To wash a bathtub made of starilan, quarry or cast marble, you can use special cleaners or get by with an acrylic cleaner.

Kvaril

Composite material from company Villeroy & Boch. Quaryl cast from a mixture of acrylic and quartz sand. The material has the same advantages as acrylic High Quality, but its main advantage is its plasticity and the ability to cast bathtubs of any shape, including products with steep sides, which is impossible for other materials. Unfortunately, only baths are made from quaril. The rest of the plumbing will have to be selected by color.

Caring for quarry is no more difficult than for ordinary acrylic; the same products will do.

Cast marble (polymer concrete)

Bathtubs made of polymer concrete look as if they were hewn out of natural stone: onyx, marble, dolomite, granite, malachite or even coral. In fact, marble chips, quartz sand, acrylic resin and special dyes are used.

Plumbing made from this material does not like abrasive powders and aggressive detergents. Cast marble requires careful handling and proper care. After each bath, rinse the bath clean water and wipe with a soft cloth. Wash polymer concrete with a sponge and soap solution. With this type of care, limescale and greasy film simply do not have time to appear. If the owners follow these simple rules, then the bathtub will delight their household with its beauty and intricate patterns for many years.

Specialist. artificial marble care products: Vega, Akemi, MELLERUD, HG, etc.

To add shine, the surface is polished from time to time with a special paste or car polish; for this it is convenient to use a drill with a felt attachment.
Accidentally appearing scratches, cracks and chips are repaired independently or a repairman is called to your home.

The area where the chip appeared is degreased with acetone and wiped dry, the scratch is filled with gelcoat mixed with a hardener. The remaining composition is removed with a rubber spatula. After drying, carefully sand the area with fine sandpaper and polish.

How to remove yellow stains from a bathtub

They worry about making sure there are no rust spots on the bottom during repairs. The bathtub is installed so that the sides are strictly level; if everything is done correctly, the water flows towards the drain and there are no rusty puddles at the bottom. It would be nice to replace the old ones metal pipes plastic and install flow filters in the apartment, as well as repair all faulty taps.

Removing rust from enamel

Rust stains are removed from enamel surfaces with acids; it is worth remembering that acids destroy enamel, so cleaning is carried out in several stages. Apply rust remover to the stain, rub vigorously and rinse off. If the stain remains, the process is repeated.

Suitable products: Cillit Bang, "Sanox gel for plumbing", "Comet-anti-rust", Frosch, "Adrilan", "Sanelit", Bath Acid, etc.

If your mother-in-law looks askance, maybe this is not a manifestation of her bad character - look in the bathroom, is everything okay there? The bathroom has special cleaning requirements. Often the bathtub is used not only for its intended purpose: we sometimes wash and wash things in it, and bathe pets. Active pollution associated with daily use appears in the bathtub; it must meet hygienic requirements, because we wash ourselves and bathe children in it. The question of how to make a bathtub snow-white is acute for any housewife, even if weekly visits from the mother-in-law are not a threat.

What causes a bathtub to get dirty?

Let's look at the main troubles that happen to bathrooms, ways to combat them, and the best cleaning products for the bathroom:

• Common pollution. Contaminants that arise during use are soap deposits and dead skin washed away during washing. This is the simplest type of contamination; in most cases, it is enough to rinse after use. Removing dirt while it is fresh is the least expensive way to clean a bathtub;
• Soap scum. No matter how strange it may sound, the soap used for washing itself leaves behind a difficult-to-remove residue that you have to deal with from time to time;
• Limescale. If the area where you live has hard water, you should be familiar with the problem: limescale. By the way, it appears not only on plumbing, dishes and household appliances are affected - washing machines, dishwashers;
• Plaque of rust. An increased iron content in water leads to the appearance of another plaque - brown spots rust. Rust is also a difficult-to-remove contaminant that requires special attention during cleaning and complicating ongoing care behind the bathroom;
• Yellowness. This problem is associated with worn-out plumbing systems and can also cause a lot of inconvenience - not every store-bought bath detergent can effectively cope with this type of pollution;

• Fungus and mold. Black-bluish coating at the corners of the walls and in the seams ceramic tiles that cannot be washed is a mold colony. Not only does it look disgusting, it is also dangerous to health. The mold that we most often encounter may belong to different types, for example, to the species Cladosporium, Ulocladium, Stachybotrys, Alternaria, Penicillium, Phoma, Aspergillus, Chaetomium, Wallemia and others. They have varying degrees of pathogenicity. Mold of the Alternaria species belongs to the 4th pathogenicity group and grows well not only on walls, but also in human lungs. Or Aspergillus - pathogenicity group 3, is the cause of aspergillosis in humans and animals - numerous diseases caused by inhalation of Aspergillus mold spores. The fight against mold is no longer a question of the beauty of the bathroom, it is a fight for the health and safety of your loved ones - in addition to cleaning, disinfection is needed;
• Old bath. Bathtub with old, damaged coating, separate a big problem. The question of how to clean an old bathtub most often worries many housewives;
• Bathroom after renovation. It would be better, of course, to securely cover the bathtub during the renovation, but anything can happen, and sometimes the surface becomes stained with building compounds, which creates a problem than cleaning the bathtub after the renovation. Its solution depends on what the builders stained;
• Spilled dyes. Even the most careful person sometimes spills something that has a lasting coloring effect. Knowing how to wash potassium permanganate from a bath, remove brilliant green, and wash off drops of hair dye or other strongly coloring substance will not be superfluous.

Removing contaminants of various origins requires the use of various bathroom cleaning products. Variety of materials from which they are made modern baths, makes this task even more difficult. Let's try to understand the intricacies of such a procedure as cleaning a bathtub at home.

Cleaning common stains

Every housewife should have a bath cleaner in her arsenal. We will not discuss which of the products offered by modern household chemicals is the best bathroom cleaner, because this is a matter of habit, financial capabilities and advertising effectiveness.

If the bathtub is new, to make life easier and keep the coating on long time, care for the surface regularly using your regular bath cleaner. Contamination after use can be easily washed off using detergents or bath cleaning gel. The method of using the thorough cleaning product is almost the same:

• moisten the surface with water;
• apply the product using a soft sponge;
• rinse with plenty of water;

Important: Please note that the product you choose for your bath does not contain strong acids. Chemical composition care products are especially important if you have an acrylic bathtub made of artificial or natural stone. And modern cast iron ones with an enamel coating are no longer the same ones that our mothers were familiar with: the enamel on them is thinner and more delicate than on the old ones.

Removing soap scum

Let us repeat once again - regular maintenance of plumbing requires less physical effort, money for means for daily cleaning of the bathtub, and does not require the intervention of heavy chemical artillery, which is effective remedy for cleaning the bathtub, but along with the dirt it can also take away the beautiful coating. Soap scum in combination with hard lime water dries on the surface and forms a hard coating that is difficult to remove.

The easiest way to clean a sink or bathtub is to prevent the foam from drying out and turning to stone by washing off the foam flakes with water. A way to prevent the appearance of soap deposits is to use liquid soap for washing. Talc is added to solid soap, and it is this that settles on the walls. Moreover, not only the bathtub suffers from plaque, but also the tiles on the walls, the chrome surface of faucets, the sink and other surfaces.

How to remove hard soap scum from walls and faucets, how to clean a bathroom, and how to clean a sink? There are special products on sale for cleaning bathtubs from soapstone; if you want to know how to clean a bathtub without chemicals, then there are traditional methods. Although, of course, citric acid, soda, vinegar, salt are also chemicals. But many, when choosing which product is best to clean the bathtub, prefer to do without products from the household chemicals department.

Tip: The easiest way to clean a bathtub from soap scum at home is lemon juice. Take natural lemon juice, squeezed from a lemon, or dissolve a package of citric acid in a glass of warm water, dilute the natural juice with water 1:1. The lemon juice solution can be placed in a spray bottle or applied to the surface with a soft sponge, left for a while, and rinsed off. warm water.

This method will not only help to cope with the resulting soap deposits, but will also solve the problem of how to clean the bathtub so that it shines.

Cleaning limescale deposits

If the water is hard, hard limescale deposits will inevitably appear. One way to combat it is to install pre-filters with a cartridge for water softening. This will reduce the rate of formation of lime stalactites on the surface of the bathtub and sink, on the walls household appliances and an electric kettle.

If limescale does form, you can use a ready-made cleaning product to clean it. store product, lime remover, or use a home remedy. Good remedy To clean a dirty bathtub, use a mixture of baking soda, vinegar and liquid dishwashing detergent. Take 1/2 cup of baking soda and mix with 1/2 cup of liquid detergent, add with 1/4 cup of vinegar.

Apply the resulting mixture to the contaminated surface, leave for a while and rinse with water. To clean the delicate surface of acrylic, you should not use soda: although it is soft, it is still an abrasive. You can remove lime from an acrylic surface either with lemon juice, as described above, or with a mixture of ammonia and hydrogen peroxide, taken in equal proportions.

Rusty stains

To combat the appearance of rust stains, it is also better to use products that prevent their appearance: pre-cleaning filters and working faucets. If the question of which bath cleaner is best to use to remove rust is relevant to you, then when choosing what to clean your bathtub from rust stains, pay attention to such representatives of household chemicals as “Surzha” and “Cif”. They cope with rust stains quite easily. As in all cases of household pollution, there are ways to kitchen cabinet and first aid kits” that allow you to achieve excellent results. These are already known, soda and citric acid or vinegar.

Tip: You can use mustard to clean an acrylic or stone bathtub. Use homemade, no preservatives. Apply a thick layer of fresh, strong mustard onto the rust stain and leave for 9-10 hours. After the specified time has elapsed, moisten a layer of mustard with warm water and rub it over the surface, rinse with water.

Fighting yellow stains

The cause of yellow stains is old water pipes. How to clean the bathtub in this case? The best way is to eliminate the cause, rather than fight the effect. A the best remedy To clean the bathtub from any yellowness that has appeared, use dry bleach diluted with water to a paste. Apply the mixture to the stain and leave until dry, rinse with water. More severe methods can also be used. A solution of hydrochloric acid is sold in hardware stores. Pour the acid onto a soft cotton cloth and wipe the stain.

Remember! It is necessary to work with hydrochloric acid with extreme caution; use rubber gloves. It is necessary to protect the chrome surfaces on the bathtub and faucet itself. Acrylic and natural stone should not be cleaned with chlorine-containing substances.

What to do when black plaque appears in the corners?

Black plaque growing in the corners of the walls and the edge of the bathtub is mold. It is useless to carry out a superficial fight and use disinfectants. Mold is a fungus, except for the upper, visible part, there is a mycelium, mycelium, which can penetrate deep into the surface finishing materials. Most often, mold does not affect the surface of the bathtub itself, but the joints: between the side of the bathtub and the wall, tile seams. If mold has settled in your bathroom, it may be worth thinking about repairing, or at least updating the surfaces where it has found a place, and installing ventilation.

Remove old grout from the joints, and you should also clean the tile joints, removing the old grout. Re-grout the tile joints with new grout, and when dry, coat special means, preventing the appearance of fungus, for example, KIILTO CLEAN. When using silicone caulk, choose a product that is resistant to mold. And most importantly - do it supply and exhaust ventilation, which will protect your home from mold;

Old bathtub with damaged surface

How to clean a bathroom with noticeable damage? A bathtub that has reached the end of its service life has all the above-mentioned contaminants. Cleaning is complicated by a damaged, rough surface that absorbs dirt like a sponge. Considering that it is difficult to clean an old bathtub, it is no less difficult to keep it clean even with regular maintenance, the best way is to change it.

Note: If, to save money, you are thinking about updating an old bathtub with a new coating, you will not get any significant savings, - quality products expensive, their price is comparable to the cost of a new simple cast-iron bathtub. No method of express surface renewal at home can compare with the strength of the enamel layer applied in a factory.

If the time to replace the bathtub has not yet come, there is a way to clean the old bathtub. For this you will need, in addition to baking soda, soda ash. Soda ash, unlike baking soda, is a stronger alkali, with a pH of 11. Soda ash is sold in household chemicals departments; you can find it in the laundry detergent section. By the way, it softens hard water well.

Mix baking soda and soda ash in a 1:1 ratio; you can dilute it to a paste with water for ease of application. Using a brush, apply the mixture to the surface of the bathtub. Don't be afraid to make significant efforts: it's not acrylic bathtub, and for the rough enamel of an old bathtub it won’t be any worse. Leave the applied composition for 10 minutes.

Prepare a mixture of vinegar and powdered bleach, taken in equal parts, and, without rinsing off the previous detergent soda, apply the mixture with vinegar on top. After thirty minutes, rinse with plenty of water. This method of making a bathtub white is effective, but you may need to repeat the process again, depending on the degree of damage and dirtiness of the bathtub. But it's worth keeping in mind that damaged enamel very soon it will need cleaning again.

Removing traces of repairs

So, how and with what to clean the bathtub after renovation? Try to close the bowl during even the smallest repair work, then you won't need a product for your bathroom, because some construction compounds They simply cannot be washed off surfaces; to wash others, special solvents may be required, which, together with construction contaminants, can dissolve and ruin the surface.

And some building materials themselves, in addition to being polluting, are also substances that damage the surface of enamel, acrylic, and stone. To avoid wondering how to remove paint from a bathtub, try to immediately wipe off a drop of paint while it is fresh. Traces of limestone mortars are removed using products such as Duty Extra - a solution remover. But it should be used extremely carefully to clean the surface of the bathtub;

How to remove traces of various dyes

Potassium permanganate, or potassium permanganate, leaves behind a persistent brown coating that is difficult to wash even from glass. To understand how to clean a bathtub from potassium permanganate, you will need basic knowledge of chemistry. Brown oxide MnO₂ is oxidized to colorless Mn₂ with a solution of hydrogen peroxide and acid, for example, the already tested citric acid.

You don’t need to think too much about how to clean a bathtub from spilled greenery. A fresh stain can be removed with alcohol if it is not an acrylic bathtub. And over time, with normal use and washing, the stain will come off on its own.

Conclusion

A snow-white bath at home is not a luxury, but a necessary guarantee of truly hygienic procedures carried out in it. And the answer to the question of what is the best way to clean a bathtub depends on what stained your bathtub. When choosing a product, follow our advice and customer reviews. Although, as it turned out, baking soda and citric acid will help clean the bathtub at home from most contaminants.

The bathroom is a place in the house where you can perform hygiene procedures. Therefore, it should always be clean and well-groomed. However, the bathtub, which contains yellow spots and stains can significantly spoil the mood and worsen the appearance of the interior. Many people do not know how to clean the bathtub from yellow plaque. And to do this, in fact, is not so difficult.

Yellow spots on the surface of the bathtub can have different causes. Sometimes the means for cleaning them have to be chosen after they have been identified. Most often, pollution of this type is of the following nature:

• Sediment from low-quality tap water;
• Soap scum;
• Rust;
• Old age of the bathroom (stuck in old dirt);
• Mold and fungi;
• Paint and construction debris;
• Limescale.

Important:

Finding out the cause of contamination is necessary in order to know how to wash them. Any dirt may require an individual approach.

Preparing the bath

Before removing limescale and any other type of stain, it is necessary to prepare the surface. It includes:

• Studying the type of surface (to determine the cleaning products that can be used);
• Preparation of instruments (hard metal brushes are not recommended);
• Pre-washing from remnants of shampoos and various shower gels and soaps.

Bathroom care rules

In order to wonder as little as possible about how to wash a surface from old plaque, it is necessary to carry out prevention using the following rules:

• The bathtub should be washed after each use. To do this, just use clean warm water and a soft sponge.
• The bathtub must be disinfected at least once every two weeks. However, it is important to remember that using too aggressive chemicals for this is not recommended.
• Metal objects on the sides of the bathtub can leave stains that are difficult to clean.

Video: how to care for your bathroom?

Advice:

Washing after each use can minimize the number of deep cleanings.

Cleaning bathtubs made of different materials

Determining the material and coating is very important, since hard cleaning of bathtubs with too capricious surfaces is destructive and can cause irreparable damage.

Cast iron

Nowadays, cast iron units have become rare, so they are most often found in old apartments. Nevertheless, you can use them, but with the condition of frequent cleaning and washing. The following tools are best suited for this:

• Powders. To clean cast iron with them, you can use a stiffer brush. To do this, you need to moisten it and apply the powder for fifteen to twenty minutes, then rinse with warm water.
• Ammonia and baking soda. Mixes in a one to one ratio. Using a brush, apply the composition to the surface for half an hour, then rinse off.
• Soda ash and baking soda. Mix in different quantities and apply to wet cast iron for one hour, after which it is washed off. The mixture helps against many types of contaminants, including rust.

Video: using soda for plaque:

Enamel

Enameled bathtubs are more common than cast iron. And the approach to them should be different. How to wash enamel? You can use the following tools:

• Baking soda. Apply to a wetted surface and leave for ten to twenty minutes. After this, the powder can be washed off and the procedure repeated if necessary.

• Laundry soap and ammonia. Rub a little soap into one glass of warm water and add five drops of alcohol. The composition is applied for fifteen minutes using a sponge.
• Plumbing preparations. Any soft powders and gels will do. Use according to instructions.
• Lemon acid. How to remove limescale? Citric acid in in this case is an excellent tool. In addition, it gives freshness and shine to the enamel. It is necessary to dissolve in water and cover the bath for half an hour, then rinse with a rag or sponge.

Important:

Enamel is a rather fragile coating that does not tolerate impacts and hard metal brushes.

Acrylic

Acrylic is one of the most capricious coatings, so it is important to know what not to use when cleaning it:

• Chlorine preparations;
• Formaldehyde;
• Solvents;
• Abrasives.

But how then can you clean the bathtub from yellow deposits if it has so many restrictions? There is a way out in this situation. The following products are usually recommended for use:

• Acrilan. Special chemical drug, designed for washing surfaces of this type. It has a soft and non-aggressive composition, so it does not damage acrylic.
• Acetic acid. It is necessary to take a full bath of warm water and pour a weak acid solution into it. It is enough to leave this composition for twelve hours. You can use apple cider vinegar in the same way.

Important:

Steel

It is highly not recommended to use brushes with hard bristles for cleaning steel bathtubs. The use of aggressive chemicals is also undesirable. However, there are tools that can be used safely:

• Liquid detergents, including dishwashing detergents. Apply a foamy product to a damp surface and leave for half an hour, after which it can be washed off.

• Baking soda. On steel, the powder begins to act very quickly, so it is enough to apply it for a few minutes.
• Ammonia. A solution of a glass of warm water with a tablespoon of chemical is used. They need to wet the bath for fifteen to twenty minutes.

Cleaning up traces of repairs

Regular fresh paint wooden surfaces can be cleaned with vegetable oil or solvent. However, in this case, you need to be careful with more capricious coatings. Dried paint is extremely difficult to remove without damaging the structure, but spatulas and knives should not be used for this.

Duty Extra is a universal cleaning product after renovation. However, the drug is one of the most aggressive and requires careful use.

Updating a damaged bathtub

There are situations when a bathtub that is almost out of order requires updating. On the one hand, it may have a strong frame, but it quickly becomes covered with stains of various structures and natures. Moreover, even black deposits can settle at the bottom of the container. It is no longer possible to wash off such contaminants if the coating is severely damaged and contributes to the accumulation of ingrained dirt.

You can try using the strongest products, such as a mixture of soda ash and baking soda or acetic acid. In addition, yellow stains in some cases can be easily removed using powder and gel bleaches. If cleaning does not lead to any result, the bath should be replaced or its surface should be updated with an acrylic coating. If you choose the second option, you will need more delicate care for her.

Conclusion

Yellow or black plaque on the surface of the bathroom is a nuisance that spoils the appearance and reduces the hygienic properties. However, whatever their nature, removing dirt is not as difficult as it seems. Currently, there are a lot of household chemicals and folk recipes who can easily cope with the problem. In addition, it is very simple to facilitate the task of large-scale cleaning by carrying out daily washing after each use, as well as following the operating instructions.

Video: how to clean a bathtub?