New life to an old bath
Even with timely and careful care, the surface of the bathtub can become dull and covered with plaque. The reason is the poor quality of tap water. This problem can be eliminated with folk remedies and special preparations.
How to clean a bathtub from plaque
There is a wide selection of specialized products on sale that can be used to return bath its original appearance. Using them is quite simple - you just need to make sure that the product is created specifically for this type of bath and follow the directions on the packaging exactly.
If there is no special remedy at hand, folk wisdom will come to the rescue. Every apartment has something that can be used to wash away plaque. For example, baking soda works well in combination with vinegar. Soda powder must be diluted with water to form a porridge. The bath is pre-moistened and then soda is applied to its walls. After this, you need to wait a quarter of an hour and spray vinegar on top of the soda. After waiting half an hour, the surface is washed with a sponge and plenty of water.
Abrasive substances cannot be used on an acrylic bathtub. For this coating, citric acid and ordinary vinegar are suitable. Fill the bath with cool water and pour in 500 ml of vinegar. After 12 hours, drain the water and rinse the walls of the bath to remove any remaining vinegar. If you decide to clean an acrylic bathtub with citric acid, then it is used in the same way. For a standard bath you will need 30 sachets of citric acid.
If streaks and stains appear on the bathtub soap scum, then regular soda will help eliminate them:
- Dilute a pack of baking soda with water until a thick mixture forms.
- Wet the bathtub with water.
- Using a soft sponge, cover the surface of the bath with baking soda and let it sit for 30 minutes.
- Wipe the walls of the bath with a sponge and rinse well with water.
How to whiten a bathtub
When bleaching the surface of the bathtub, it is important to take into account its condition and the material from which it is made. The easiest way to bleach an old cast iron bathtub. Any abrasive cleaning powder will do here. It must be rubbed forcefully into the walls of the bath and then rinsed with water. The effect will be better if you use a metal sponge for cleaning.
If the bathtub is new, then using abrasives is not recommended. They can damage the enamel and leave scratches. Here, products with a cream base are recommended, and instead of a hard sponge, use a soft cloth.
Particular care must be taken when handling an acrylic bathtub. Mild cleaning products, such as those intended for washing dishes, are suitable here.
If rust has become embedded in the walls of the bathtub, it can be removed with oxalic acid. To do this, the powder is stirred with water until it becomes mushy and applied to the rusty stains for 40 minutes. After this, the dirt must be rubbed with an abrasive cleaner. Especially stubborn stains are rubbed with sandpaper, degreased and covered with nitro enamel.
A faster way to remove rust is to use bleach. In this case, fill the bathtub with water and pour a bottle of bleach into it. After 10 hours, drain the water and rinse the walls of the bath well with water.
A mixture of turpentine and salt does an excellent job of whitening. This method will help remove even stubborn large stains from yellowness and rusty stains. Mix salt and turpentine. Using a brush, apply this mixture to the walls of the bathtub and clean, especially carefully treating the stains themselves. Wait a few hours for the mixture to take effect, and then rinse well with water.
There are many ways to clean a bathtub. But to prevent contamination, it is necessary to rinse the bathtub after each use and wipe its walls well. Then the coating will remain snow-white longer.
