How To Clean A Bathtub In 7 Easy Steps

Plus how to get rid of mold, rust and hard water stains.

What’s more glorious than a hot bath? Very few things are as satisfying as sinking into a steaming, bubbly—and freshly scrubbed—bathtub. That’s right, we said it. The bath will feel better, both physically and emotionally, if it’s just been cleaned. Or at least, if it’s been cleaned in recent memory. So stop ignoring the mildewy grout lines, hard water splotches on the fixtures and soap scum film around the drain. Do yourself a favor and clean the dang tub. Then reap the benefits of having a fresh (perhaps citrus-scented?!) bathtub to relax in.

For fiberglass bathtubs

• Fiberglass is one of the most commonly used bathtub materials.
• It’s super easy to clean, but be careful not to scratch its surface by scrubbing too hard.
• Once again, our 7-step bathtub cleaning process should do the trick. You can also incorporate the vinegar bath technique (mentioned above) to treat tough stains.
• Furthermore, you can even apply a paste made of 2 parts baking soda and 1 part hydrogen peroxide to spot treat any mildew or mold spots, letting it sit for up to an hour.

For porcelain or enamel bathtubs

• Porcelain bathtubs are sleek and dreamy. Best to treat them with care. They appreciate a gentle touch (who doesn’t?!).
• For porcelain tubs, you can make a DIY cleaning mixture of equal parts warm water and baking soda in your bucket and scrub with a microfiber rag or soft sponge.
• You can also exfoliate your porcelain or enamel bathtub with a salt and lemon juice solution. Allow it to sit for about an hour ,and then scrub it off with a clean, damp rag or sponge.
• Continue to rinse thoroughly with hot water, as normal.
• You can even polish up the porcelain or enamel with a few drops of lemon essential oil on a soft microfiber rag, if you’re really digging that citrus vibe.
• Avoid using vinegar in your porcelain or enamel bathtub because its acidic properties may damage the surface.

For stone resin bathtubs

• Man-made stone resin is crazy durable and nearly impossible to stain or scratch.
• Our 7-step bathtub cleaning guide is fine for stone resin tubs.
• Sometimes you’ve got to give stone resin tubs an extra rinse to make sure all the soap or cleaner has come clean.

Bathtub cleaning pro tips

• Don’t forget the bathtub when doing your daily bathroom wipe down—we like to spray all the surfaces that get wet throughout the day with a multipurpose cleaner (like 9 Elements Bathroom Cleaner) and wipe dry. It keeps the bathroom fresh and tidy and makes your weekly deep cleaning that much easier.
• When cleaning your shower and bathtub, go from top to bottom. (The same rule of thumb goes for cleaning nearly anything, and especially dusting.)
  • Clean the wall tiles first, then the shower curtain and save the tub for last. (Because that grime from the walls and the curtain will end up in the tub. Thanks, gravity.)
• Don’t destroy your body to clean your tub. If you’ve got kneepads, bust them out. Or you can create DIY kneepads by folding up a towel multiple times and kneeling on it while cleaning the tub.
• Is your drain not draining? Try pouring about 4–5 tablespoons of baking soda down the drain and flushing it with 2 cups of white vinegar. It’s going to bubble like a science experiment, don’t worry. Then add several cups of boiling water down your drain to rinse the mixture down, which should clear out any gross blockages.
• Consider keeping your bathtub drain clean with a mesh drain catcher, so all those soapy hair balls don’t make a nest down there in the future.

How to remove bathtub stains

Even if you keep up a solid routine of bathtub cleaning, stains happen. There are all sorts of minerals in your water that could cause your tub’s surface to become discolored. There’s no shame in that. We’ve got your solutions to bathtub stains.

How to remove bathtub mold stains

Before using abrasive cleaning solutions like bleach or vinegar on your tub, see our notes from earlier regarding various bathtub materials. For example, acrylic tubs generally don’t pair well with bleach. And enamel hates vinegar. In some cases, you may want to substitute hydrogen peroxide, which is equally as effective but less abrasive. And hey, always be sure your bathroom is well ventilated when using bleach products so you’re not inhaling too much of the stuff.

• Make a solution of hot water with about 3–4 tablespoons of bleach in your spray bottle.
• Spray it directly onto any moldy spots or areas, and allow it to soak in for several minutes.
• While the bleach is soaking, sprinkle baking soda throughout your bathtub.
• Soak a soft bristle scrub brush into a soapy solution of hot water with a few drops of a gentle dish soap, like Dawn, and scrub the baking soda into the bleach-soaked tub.
• Rinse everything thoroughly with hot water.
• If mold persists, try a store-bought antifungal surface cleaner, and follow the directions on the label.
• Finish by sanitizing the tub with Microban 24.
• Wiping your tub dry between uses sounds like a silly amount of work, but it will also help with preventing the growth of future mold and mildew.

How to remove bathtub hard water stains

Hard water is when your water contains higher-than-usual mineral content, typically in the form of calcium and magnesium. When hard water evaporates, it often leaves minerally stains and residue in your sink, shower or bathtub and on the showerhead. From glass and porcelain to tile or metal, hard water sticks to all of it. Sometimes you’ll even see hard water marks on your clothes or dishes after washing them. Hard water isn’t bad for you, it’s just sort of annoying. Especially if you’re a neat freak.

Warm water + white vinegar

• Combine equal parts warm water and white vinegar into your spray bottle.
• Spray the solution in your tub and shower, and let it sit for about 5–10 minutes.
• Wipe the bathtub and fixtures clean with a damp rag.

Baking soda + vinegar paste

• A baking soda and vinegar paste will also eliminate hard water spots from your bathtub and its fixtures. Just apply the paste to the offending spots, let it sit for about 15 minutes, then wipe clean.
• If you’re bathtub is porcelain or enamel, you can substitute the vinegar for water to make the paste.

Lemon juice

• Another option to remove hard water stains is lemon juice, especially on areas around the fixtures and faucets. Just spray the lemon juice directly onto the spots, let it sit for about 10 minutes, then wipe the area clean with a damp rag and dry cloth.

Note: The thing about hard water is that you’re probably still using that water to clean the hard water spots, so … if you really want to enjoy a moment without them, be sure to then wipe your tub and fixtures dry after cleaning so the water doesn’t have time to air dry and leave more hard water spots.

How to remove bathtub rust stains

Now for a quick science lesson: rust occurs during oxidation, when iron reacts with water and oxygen to form hydrated iron. Sometimes bathtubs get rusty. There are several ways to remove bathtub rust.

Lemon + salt

• Squeeze the lemon juice over any rusty stains until they’re saturated.
• Sprinkle salt over the dampened rust spots.
• Let this solution sit for 3–4 hours.
• Using a damp microfiber cloth, gently scrub the mixture away.
• Rinse the entire tub thoroughly with hot water until all residual rust, salt and lemon juice wash down the drain.

Baking soda

• Make a paste with baking soda and a few drops of water (it should be thick, like cake batter).
• Spread the solution directly onto the rust stains.
• Let the paste sit overnight in your bathtub.
• Scrub the paste (and rust!) away with a damp microfiber cloth.
• Rinse the entire tub thoroughly with hot water until all residual rust and dried baking soda wash down the drain.

Okay, by now your tub should be sparkling. Now bust out the bath bombs and your favorite book, and settle in for the kind of true relaxation only a clean home can provide.

*Effective against Aspergillus niger.