Having trouble keeping your bathtub clean? The bathroom is that one place in the house most susceptible to mold, hard water stains, and soap scum - and the tub can host all kinds of stains, bacteria, and mildew that make it look musty!
Keep a clean bath area with our ten best habits to maintain and upkeep your tub. These simple methods will get you to deep clean your tub less frequently, but still enjoy that sparkling-white cleanliness of the area!
How to Keep Bathtub Clean: 10 Best Habits to Remember
Rinse after Every Use
All those bath essentials, shower gels, and fizzy bath bombs can leave residue on the walls and sides of your bath. Keep a clean bathtub by simply rinsing your tub after every use. Rinsing gets rid of excess bath product which causes soap scum, mildew, and stains to form.
Rinsing with warm water also flushes down skin cells, dust, and dirt down the drain. These organic matter feed mold and mildew, so rinsing them down should minimize the frequency of mold growth as well, keeping your tub clean and pristine!
Wipe Dry
Excess moisture is one of the leading reasons why you get mold, mildew, and stains in your tub. Hard water deposits include minerals that can leave a caulky, rough feel on your otherwise smooth bathtub. The easiest way to keep hard water stains away from your tub is to wipe the tub dry after every use.
Even if you only filled the tub with plain water, the excess droplets can create a humid environment in your bathroom - perfect for mold and bacterial growth! Always wipe away water droplets to keep these from forming stains.
Turn the Fan on to Decrease Humidity
The humidity in the bathroom can be suffocating, and at the same time, it encourages the growth of mold and mildew around the bathroom. Prevent mold from growing by leaving the exhaust fan on, and the bathroom door open after a bath.
Kill Mold with Bleach
Most bathtubs, especially white ones, can withstand the cleaning power of bleach. Bleach should be safe to use on your tub as long as you thoroughly rinse out your bath afterwards. If mold is a persistent problem in your bathroom, you can kill mold and remove mold stains at the same time by giving your tub a good spray down of bleach!
You can make a mild bleach solution that works just as well as pure bleach in cleaning and sanitizing your bath: take a spray bottle, and fill half with water, half with bleach. Keep the spray around for a quick cleanup when your bath starts to look musty.
Make a White Vinegar Spray Bottle
A white vinegar spray can help dissolve the mineral deposits, as well as inhibit mold and mildew from growing. Create a simple vinegar spray by filling a spray bottle with white vinegar and water in an equal ratio.
Spray around your bathroom fixtures, and keep the bottle on hand to spray after baths. You can use the same solution to spray in your shower area, sink, and other fixtures in the bathroom. Wipe dry with a microfiber cloth, and you can keep your tub clean longer.
Use Lemon and Baking Soda to Scrub Soap Scum
Did you know that you can use half a lemon and a cup of baking soda in bathtub cleaning? The acidity of the lemon juice dissolves mineral deposits and soap scum similarly to vinegar, while baking soda provides a gentle abrasive that won't scratch the surface.
To clean bathtub with this mixture, sprinkle the powder all over the damp surface, and use the half slice of lemon as a scrubber, going in circular motions. Focus on each area a few seconds to a few minutes at a time, and rinse away the baking soda afterwards.
Recaulk your Grout Lining
When the grout is starting to crack or blacken, you may need to recaulk your grout lining to prevent mold growth within its cracks. First, remove the old grout and thoroughly clean the area. Sanitize the blackened areas to get rid of any mold, and line the grout with painter's tape.
Take your caulk and follow the direction of the painter's tape. Keep the caulk as smooth as possible to prevent any hidden spots where mold can restart a colony. Let the caulk dry before using, and rinse away any renovation particles. This will keep your bathtub clean-looking longer!
Clear your Drains
You can easily clear your drains using boiling hot water, and some rock salt! When the drain is clogged, the water from your bath will just sit as the water cannot pass through the clogged pipes. Worse is when the pipes start backing up the water, leading to dirt coming out of the drain.
Clear your drains by sprinkling a cup of rock salt down the pipes, followed by freshly-boiled water. Make sure you pour the water in a continuous flow to create enough pressure to clear your drains, prompting the clog to clear out.
Avoid using Clogging Bath Products
There are a number of bath products advertised as safe for the skin and hair, but are actually detrimental to your pipes. Anything with microparticles that don't dissolve easily in water can form clogs in your pipes.
Primary examples include coffee ground scrubs, body butter, body scrubs with plastic microbeads, and hair oils. These can accumulate in your drains, and because they don't dissolve easily in water, they can clog your pipes and lead to costly repairs. Best to avoid using these products to keep your bathtub in good condition.
Use a Magic Eraser for Stubborn Spots
You can scrub stain spots and grime away using a magic eraser! A magic eraser looks like a bar of soap, and works with just water. It is typically used to remove the most stubborn of spots from soap scum to hair dyes. Scrub the grime away, and give your tub a whole new look using a magic eraser.
Proper Home Cleaning
Proper home cleaning is when you can remove as much dirt from your household as possible. Deep cleaning is a tough task, and if you're not up for the hassles that come with it, it may be time to look into getting professional cleaning services from us. Give us a call today, and we can schedule you for a home maintenance service at your convenience.
