Eliminate Stubborn Bathtub Stains With Two Cleaning Items You Already Have

Had a bad day at work? Perhaps you're tired of running after your kids all day and want a moment to yourself. Or, maybe you just need a break from all the stressors in your life. Whatever the situation, a soak in the bathtub can offer a welcome break for your aching muscles and jumbled mind. However, visible soap scum stains and grime can make a relaxing soak a lot less appealing. Fortunately, you don't have to cancel your plans just yet. That's because you can tackle everyday grime and soap scum with two cleaning items you may already have: dish soap and a scrubbing brush.

Since the best dish detergents are formulated to break down grease, soap scum stains (made up of residual soap and our body oils) don't stand a chance against this cleaner. Faint mildew stains will be a breeze to remove, too. To make scrubbing easier, grab a nonabrasive brush that's appropriate for your tub's surface. Better yet, a long-handled scrub brush can make the job easier by reducing how much you have to bend or reach into the tub. That being said, don't take any chances with your tub. Check your tub manufacturer's cleaning instructions first, and test the brush on a small, inconspicuous area before continuing. Otherwise, you could end up trading in soap scum stains with unsightly scratches. Also, make sure its bristles are clean before use, or you'll end up with more marks than when you started.

To remove soap scum from your bathtub, grab the bottle of dish soap and squirt a little all over its surface. Clean the upper lip as well, along with the areas around any jets. Keep the soap off the bathroom floor to avoid creating a slipping hazard. Then, dampen the bristles of your brush with clean water and start scrubbing the surface. For light buildup, you can begin scrubbing immediately. Heavier soap scum may benefit from a few minutes of contact time before you scrub. In such cases, apply enough soap to cover the affected area and let it sit briefly before scrubbing.

After you've scrubbed the tub from top to bottom, use your handheld showerhead to rinse the surface thoroughly. If you don't have one or it's located too far, fill a bucket instead. Don't forget to rinse the brush as well and store it away only after it dries to ward off bacteria. Though this is one of the least time-consuming and easiest ways to clean your bathtub, don't try this on your natural stone, a.k.a. marble or granite, tubs. This is because certain dish soaps, like Dawn Powerwash, can cause them to lose their inherent shine since they leave a residual film behind. Moreover, scrubbing these tubs aggressively with hard-bristled brushes can scratch their surface. So, it's best if you use dedicated cleaners for such tubs and use dish soap to clean acrylic, porcelain, or enamel bathtubs only.