If you invest in your dream bathroom,you're going to want to keep it clean and in the best shape possible. Manyhomeowners purchase porcelain bathtubs for their master bath but don't know howto clean a porcelain tub, or how to care for it properly. The same can be saidfor acrylic tubs and showers. If you're wondering how to clean bathtub stainsnaturally to minimize damage to your tub's exterior, it's much easier than youthink; you can even DIY bathtub cleaner with baking soda to use for your ownpersonal projects. Keep reading to find out how to best clean your tub and whatto stay away from.

Best Practices: Cleaning YourPorcelain Tub

Porcelain tubs tend to be heavierand more expensive than acrylic tubs, so you want to make sure that you cleanthem in a way that doesn't do damage to their outer coating. The best practicewhen cleaning a porcelain tub is to approach it as naturally as possible anduse a mixture of hot water and baking soda or lemon juice on tough stains. Makesure you use a non-abrasive rag or sponge for scrubbing, since a toughermaterial like steel wool will scratch the tub's surface. A mixture of ammonia,baking soda, and hot water should do the trick for everyday stains, while alittle salt and lemon juice should help eliminate those hard to erasesplotches.

Worst Practices: What Not todo with Porcelain

Just like there are things to dowhen cleaning your porcelain tub there are also things you should never try.Among these is using harsh, commercial-based cleaners or detergents on theporcelain surface and using any steel wool or abrasive brushes for scrubbing.Harsh chemicals can chip the outer coating of the tub, causing the porcelain todamage and discolor faster, and caustic cleaning tools can chip the material.

Best Practices: How to CleanYour Acrylic Tub

Like a porcelain bathtub, you'regoing to want to use a soft terry cloth when you scrub down the exterior ofyour acrylic tub; using rough materials to scrub out stains will also damage anacrylic coating. Be sure not to use any chemicals that say ""not suitablefor use on acrylic surfaces"" on their label and check all solution warninglabels before you get started. White vinegar, borax powder, hydrogen peroxide,and baking soda are some of the best materials to use, in combination with hotwater, to rinse down an acrylic surface.

How to Clean a Bathtub withBleach

The biggest thing to keep in mindhere is that bleach can be used to clean a white, porcelain bathtub but not anacrylic or colored porcelain tub. If you use chlorine-based bleach on coloredor vintage porcelain it will damage the finish. Bleach is also too harsh forany acrylic coating. If you're using bleach and baking soda to clean a bathtuband it's white porcelain, you're good to go. It's recommended that you use asofter, powdered/liquid oxygen bleach or a bleach diluted with water, so thatthe damage done to the tub is minimal. Also make sure to never mix bleach withammonia or any other cleaner.

Create a protective layer of papertowels on the surface of the tub and spray the bleach on that. After aboutthirty to sixty minutes, you can remove the paper towels and run warm waterover the tub to rinse off the chemicals. Keep in mind that if you're going touse bleach, you should always ventilate your bathroom and wear gloves andprotective eyewear. Thumb through the CDC's guidelines to cleaning with bleach to stay safe while using it.

Best Way to Clean BathtubMold

Whether you have a porcelain oracrylic tub it will be highly susceptible to mold because mold thrives inhigh-moisture areas. The most important thing to keep in mind when cleaningmold in your tub is not to scratch or scrub at the mold, since that willrelease dangerous spores into the air which you may breathe in. Instead, fill aspray bottle with a 100% vinegar solution and spray the affected areas. Let itsit for an hour, then get a bathtub cleaning brush with a long handle and wipeyour tub clean. Follow this with a bleach bath to help keep the mold at bay longer.

If you're wanting to keep yournewly installed tub clean and pristine, Expo Home Improvement can help educate you on how tomaintain your porcelain or acrylic tub over the course of its life. You canschedule a free consultation to find out how you can rejuvenate your bathtub and take one stepcloser to the bathroom of your dreams.

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