How to Clean Your Bathtub and Tiles
If you enjoy taking a nice hot bath , then you’ve probably paid attention to the condition of your bathtub and surrounding tiles (or you certainly should). If you’re someone who just hops in and out of the shower without lingering, it can be easy to let the dirt build up over time, until one day you notice black dirt between the shower tiles and are forced to face facts. : Your bath looks pretty disgusting.
In such a situation, it can be tempting to just close the shower curtain and hope that no one will look back. But you probably want to clean it up. It may sound like a big project, but it really isn’t that bad. Here’s how to clean your bathtub and tiles, broken down by steps and different methods.
Warm it up
Before you get really dirty, do yourself a favor and warm up your bath . Just pour some hot water into the tub to get rid of any grime and sticky deposits before you start washing. Consider filling the tub with about four inches of hot water, sprinkling it on tiles and other surfaces, and letting it settle. After a few minutes, the surface will be warm and ready to be cleaned.
DIY baking soda and vinegar
When your bath is nice and warm, it’s time to apply a cleaner of your choice. There are many options, both store-bought and those you can make yourself. The Old Farmers’ Almanac contains the following cleaning instructions using baking soda and vinegar:
Sprinkle baking soda over the cleaning powder in the tub or on the stovetop. Rub with a damp sponge. Rinse thoroughly.
To remove plaque from the tub, apply strong vinegar to a sponge and wipe the surface. Then use baking soda as a cleaning powder. Rub with a damp sponge and rinse thoroughly.
Vinegar removes most of the dirt without wiping off and leaves no film. Use ¼ cup (or more) vinegar per gallon of water.
To clear the solution, pour 3 cups of baking soda into a medium bowl and add 1 cup of warm water. Mix with a homogeneous paste and rub the solution with a sponge or toothbrush. When done, rinse thoroughly and discard any remaining paste.
Grapefruit and salt
Another DIY option is to clean the tub and tiles with grapefruit and salt. As Whitson Gordon previously wrote for Lifehacker , “Just grab a medium to large grapefruit, cut it in half, sprinkle with kosher salt and head out into town. Using a grapefruit to wash your bathtub (plumbing and everything else) will do surprisingly well to remove grime and grime, and when you’re done, all you have to do is rinse it out. ” Bonus: smells great.
Let it sit, then rub
Once you’ve chosen your cleaning agent, apply it to your bathtub, shower, and tiles, making sure everything is evenly coated . Then leave the cleaning agent for a few minutes to take effect. This is followed by the most stressful part of the process: cleaning the area. You can use a rag, sponge, or brush to clean, or you can insert a cleaning disc or brush onto the end of an electric drill to reduce the amount of lubricant needed for the job. When you’re done, wash off any surfaces you just cleaned.
Get the solution
If your grout requires special attention, you can buy various products for this area. You can also just use lemon juice . Either way, apply the cleaner with an old toothbrush and rub until the solution is the desired shade.
Use an oven cleaner as a last resort.
Sure, an oven cleaner is the exact opposite of making your own eco-friendly bathtub and tile cleaner, but it’s good to know that it can serve as a last resort for removing stains and debris from your bathtub. If all else fails, you can try, making sure you take all necessary precautions when handling harsh chemicals. (First, put on gloves and make sure the room is well ventilated.)
Clean on the go with the Dish nozzle
If you prefer to clean your tub and tiles on the go rather than wait months (or years) for build-up build up, you can put one of these reusable dish heads in your shower . As Alan Henry previously wrote for Lifehacker, “Add some vinegar and dish soap or dish soap and a few drops of bleach to the handle and leave it in the corner of the shower.” Better yet, you can repurpose dish chopsticks that have become too rough for real utensils for use in the bathroom, and you will never feel ashamed about the cleanliness of the bath when you bathe again.