The Cleaning Hack Martha Stewart Swears By For A Sparkling Bathtub

Who doesn't love Martha Stewart's cleaning hacks? This is especially true if you have significant dirt building up in commonly used areas of your home, like your bathtub. When you bathe, your skin's oils mix with soap and water, creating a grimy layer on your tub that requires a regular deep clean. Add in all the moisture in your bathtub, and you'll get mold and mildew inside your shower area too. But Stewart recommends baking soda as one of the easiest ways to clean your bathtub, thanks to its abrasiveness. If it's not already in your pantry, you can purchase baking soda relatively cheaply at the store. And, if you have a septic tank, it's safe to use. 

Every time you take a bath, soap scum and various personal care products mix and begin to adhere to your tub's walls. The next thing you know, you have an unsightly ring around your tub that won't shift. Sure, you can close your shower curtain, but out of sight, out of mind doesn't work with tubs. This is especially true when bathing children in them. For instance, a square inch of space on a tub drain plug has upwards of 120,000 bacteria. This includes E. Coli, mold, and more. But baking soda is a safe, non-toxic cleaning agent that's great to use if you have kids, in particular, as you won't have to worry about exposing them to any harsh chemicals.

Baking soda can dissolve various organic compounds commonly found in bathtubs, including general dirt. According to homemaking icon Martha Stewart, the best way to deep clean your bathroom and keep it clean is with a bit of baking soda and a sponge. As detailed in a YouTube video, simply wet your sponge first, wringing out excess moisture before adding your baking soda to it. Whatever caked-on grime is in your bathtub should slough away with ease. Since baking soda is mildly abrasive, you won't have to worry about damaging the surface of your tub either, with some notable exceptions. 

Baking soda may scratch fiberglass bathtubs, so always spot-test this cleaning hack before using it on your entire tub. If you're unsure if your tub is fiberglass, grab a magnet, as they won't stick to fiberglass or acrylic tubs. If yours is fiberglass and you don't want to risk damaging it, mix equal parts white vinegar and warm water in a spray bottle and then cover the affected area of your tub, before sprinkling with baking soda and leaving to sit for around 10 minutes. Then, wipe away — microfiber is a great, non-abrasive option and you can wash and reuse it after each use. Finally, rinse.

Likewise, you can combine Stewart's baking soda hack with vinegar too for an especially deep clean. As mentioned, tubs contain a ton of harmful bacteria. But vinegar is a safe, non-toxic way of upping the ante with your bathtub cleaning regimen. You can use it regularly to remove some germs and viruses commonly lurking in your tub. Just ensure you don't mix it with bleach.