How to clean a bathtub and get stains out of it

Step by step

1. 1

   Identify your tub's surface

   Cast-iron and steel tubs are porcelain enamel, a glassy coating fused onto metal. Acrylic and fiberglass tubs are plastic shells. Check the maker's care guide or model information; if you can't tell, treat it as acrylic, the most sensitive.

   Why: The surface decides which cleaners are safe. Using the wrong one can scratch, dull or void a warranty.

2. 2

   Apply a nonabrasive cleaner

   Rinse the tub with warm water, then apply a tub, tile and sink cleaner labeled for your tub, a nonabrasive all-purpose cleaner, or a paste of baking soda and water on a damp sponge. Test a new product in an inconspicuous spot first.

   Why: These remove soap scum and body oil without scratching. Porcelain also tolerates a mild liquid abrasive.

3. 3

   Let it work briefly

   For soap film, give the cleaner time to penetrate: on plastic tubs, at least 30 seconds. Don't leave it to soak for long.

   Why: Dwell time loosens soil so you need less force, but prolonged contact can damage finishes.

4. 4

   Wipe with a soft sponge or brush

   Wipe the walls, ledges and floor with a soft sponge or cloth. Use a soft nylon brush on a slip-resistant textured bottom.

   Why: Soft tools lift the loosened film. Scouring pads, steel wool and metal tools scratch every tub surface.

5. 5

   Rinse completely and dry

   Rinse every surface with clean water right away, then squeegee or towel-dry.

   Why: Leftover cleaner dulls the finish, and water left to evaporate starts the next ring of soap and minerals.

What your tub is made of, and what that rules out

Porcelain enamel (on cast iron or steel) is glass: it resists most stains and mild acids and tolerates a mild liquid abrasive. But a tub maker warns that high-alkaline or strong acid cleaners can cause gloss loss and etching, New Mexico State Extension notes chlorine bleach can dull shiny porcelain, and older porcelain can craze, trapping stains in fine cracks.

Acrylic and fiberglass are plastic shells that scratch and dull easily, so abrasive cleansers and pads are out entirely. Acrylic is also chemically sensitive: one tub maker lists acetone, alcohols, ethyl or amyl acetate, chlorine bleach, toluene and phenol as damaging, and warns against leaving petroleum-distillate cleaners on it. Spa and whirlpool tubs share these surfaces and their makers' care rules come first.

How often: rinse and wipe after each use, and clean weekly or as needed. For dull, lightly scratched acrylic, one maker suggests a fine automotive rubbing compound followed by paste wax. Chips, cracks, crazing and worn-through enamel are jobs for a refinishing or repair specialist.

How stains behave in a tub, and spot-treating rules

Most tub "stains" are soap scum, body oil and hard-water minerals, which the routine clean removes. True stains need the right chemistry, and the tub material limits your options:

• Hard water and mineral film: a mild acid. The American Cleaning Institute suggests an acid-based bathroom cleaner for hard-water deposits and rust on fiberglass, per the label. See hard water stains.
• Rust: use a rust remover, not bleach, which can intensify the color. See rust stains.
• Hair dye: rinse immediately, then an oxygen bleach paste for a few minutes at a time. Full steps: hair dye in a tub.
• Neglected porcelain: scour with powdered oxygen bleach or use liquid household bleach; color trapped in fine cracks of old porcelain needs repeated brushing and flushing.

Rules for any stain: test first, never use pads or steel wool, don't let products sit and soak, rinse completely, and never mix products. Specific stains on tubs are listed below this guide.

How to clean a bathtub drain

Slow, smelly tub drains are caused by a gelatinous film of soap, hair and body oils that builds up inside the drain and overflow and rots. Remove the stopper and pull out hair, then scrub inside the drain opening and the overflow with a stiff bottle brush. Where you can't reach, Penn State and Iowa State Extension suggest pouring boiling water slowly down the sides of the pipe, or using a bacterial or enzyme drain product per its label to break down the film.

Iowa State notes bleach and ammonia don't help with drain film. A rotten-egg or sewage smell is different: it usually means the trap's water seal has dried out or there's a plumbing problem, so run water into a seldom-used drain and call a plumber if the smell persists.

By situation

Porcelain enamel tub

A mild liquid abrasive or baking soda paste is fine for rings. Avoid chlorine bleach on shiny enamel, which can dull it, and strong acid or alkaline cleaners that can etch the gloss.

Acrylic tub

Use mild liquid detergent and warm water or a cleaner labeled safe for acrylic, with a soft sponge. No abrasives, bleach, acetone or solvents. Rinse right away.

Fiberglass tub

Use nonabrasive cleaners or a gentle baking soda paste. For hard-water deposits or rust, an acid-based bathroom cleaner can help, used per its label and rinsed promptly.

Textured slip-resistant bottom

Grime collects in the texture. Use a soft nylon brush with a water-soluble cleaner, then rinse well so no slippery residue is left.

Jetted or whirlpool tubs

Clean the surface like any acrylic tub, and follow the maker's directions for cleaning the jets and circulation system.

What not to do

• Don't use abrasive cleansers, scouring pads, steel wool or metal tools on any tub. They scratch and dull enamel, acrylic and fiberglass, and scratched surfaces soil faster.
• Don't use bleach, acetone, alcohol or solvents on acrylic. A tub maker lists them as damaging to the acrylic finish.
• Don't use chlorine bleach on rust stains. It can intensify the rust color.
• Don't let cleaners soak on the surface. Prolonged contact can damage finishes; rinse right after cleaning.
• Don't mix bathroom cleaners. Bleach with ammonia or acid toilet bowl cleaners releases toxic gas. See what never to mix.

Other methods that work

Baking soda paste

A gentle, mildly abrasive option for rings on fiberglass and enamel.

Caution: Test on acrylic first, use a soft sponge and rinse well.

Daily shower spray

Sprayed on warm, wet surfaces right after bathing, it can prevent buildup without rinsing, according to the American Cleaning Institute.

Caution: Check the label says it's safe for your tub material.

Stain still there?

A gray ring keeps coming back

That's soap film and body oil. Rinse and wipe the tub after every bath, and use a daily shower spray if your water is hard.

Acrylic looks dull or lightly scratched

One tub maker suggests a fine automotive rubbing compound followed by paste wax. Deep scratches or cracks need a repair specialist.

Brown stains in fine cracks of old porcelain

Color is trapped in crazing. Brush and flush repeatedly with oxygen bleach; if it won't lift, refinishing is the remaining option.

Safety

• Ventilate the bathroom and wear gloves with bathroom cleaners.
• Never mix bleach with ammonia, acids or toilet bowl cleaners.

Never mix cleaning products; see chemicals you must never combine.

Questions

Stains on a tub

• Hair dye on a tub

More guides for this room

• How to clean glass shower doors (soap scum and hard water)
• How to remove hard water stains from any surface
• How to remove rust stains from a toilet, tub, sink or concrete
• How to clean a shower curtain and liner (and the mildew on it)
• How to clean a shower head and remove calcium buildup from faucets
• How to clean tile grout, including mold in shower grout
• How to clean a toilet bowl and remove rings and stains