How to Clean a Bathtub

Have you ever bathed in a tub where dirt, grime and soap scum are visible? In that instant, it doesn’t truly feel like your getting a good scrub down, despite the clean water and soap you’re using. Therefore, you’ll have to clean your bathtub regularly to keep the surface sparkling. On top of regular cleaning, you’ll also have to give it a deep clean. 

Getting your bathtub free of soap scum, limescale, dirt and mineral deposits may seem difficult. However, you can ensure you give it a squeaky clean feel in just a few simple steps. 

How Often Should You Clean the Bathtub?

How often you clean your bathtub depends on the frequency of its use. A tub used daily by a family will need cleaning more often than someone who uses it weekly. If you use the bathtub regularly, every other week or more is good enough. 

Additionally, it would help if you gave it a deep clean — meaning lots of scrubbing — at least once a month.

Here’s how to clean a bathtub properly.

How to Clean a Bathtub

Before cleaning a bathtub, it’s essential to use the right products for a particular tub. For example, scrubbers can damage an acrylic tub. The same goes for enamel tubs as well. So you’ll want to be sure you’re not using the wrong brush for your bathtub.

Furthermore, you should wear gloves to protect your hands from the cleaning products. You’ll also want to ventilate it by opening a window or using the bathroom fan to protect yourself from breathing in harsh chemicals.

What you’ll need:

• Tile cleaner

• All-purpose cleaner or bathroom spray

• Toothbrush or cleaning product with bristles

• Grout brush

• Cleaning cloth or sponge

1. Remove Accessories From the Tub

Before cleaning, remove everything from the tub like toiletries, shampoo bottles, toys and loofahs. This step is essential, so you don’t get the cleaning products on them. This part also gives you a chance to toss any empty items, or you’re not going to use anymore. 

You can also wipe down these items since soap scum and mildew can build up on them. Moreover, you can get the bath toys extra clean by placing them in the dishwasher. If that’s unnecessary, you can also set these items aside to put them back in the bathtub later.

2. Wipe Down Tiles and Walls Around the Tub

Grout can build up mildew and dirt after each use. To clean these areas, use a tile cleaner and your grout brush. Working your way from top to bottom, be sure to follow the instructions on your tile cleaner. Once you finish scrubbing, you can rinse down the tile cleaner residue with hot water.

Next, you can spray down the walls with your all-purpose cleaner. Wipe down the walls thoroughly with paper towels, a sponge or a clean cloth. Pay special attention to any sticky residue and obvious areas with dirt.

3. Clean the Interior of the Tub With an All-Purpose Cleaner

Once you spray down the bathtub with your all-purpose cleaner, let it sit for 3-5 minutes. Doing so will allow it to break up the grime and make wiping up easier. After waiting a few minutes, you can wipe the tub from top to bottom and rinse it with hot water.

If you have soap scum, grab the toothbrush, vinegar and baking soda to scrub the areas where soap scum stains and buildup remains. To scrub away larger stains, use a scrubbing brush and cleanser to remove them.

4. Finish Wiping

Once you finish scrubbing, you can dry out the bathtub to ensure it doesn’t build up residue, water spots and mildew. Grab a clean towel or cleaning cloth and dry every wet area you see in the tub. 

Final Tips for Maintaining Your Bathtub’s Cleanliness

To keep your bathtub fresh and clean for a longer amount of time, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Every time you use the bath, make sure you rinse the tub thoroughly and wipe off the excess moisture. Doing this will prevent mildew, soap scum and limescale buildup.

• Use dish soap to clean the stubborn buildup like soap scum.

• If you notice mildew forming around the tub, use bleach spray to get rid of it and prevent even further growth.

A Fresh Clean Bathtub

Once you know how to clean your bathtub properly, you can ensure you keep a lasting freshness every week. In addition, cleaning your tub must be done regularly. Make sure you use the proper cleaning supplies, and you’ll be well on your way to giving it a good deep clean.