let's pretend you bought a house w/a NASTY bathtub

[luvmyfam444]

that obviously hasn't been cleaned in months...what would you use to clean it? what's the strongest product out there that will make that plastic look white again & not dingy gray? What do you scrub with? AND how do you clean the funk of the brush that you clean with???

 

[Sandcass]

Yikes, I don't know what I'd use. Soft scrub w/ bleach and a scrub brush? but then the scrub brush would definitley go into the garbage when I was done.

 

[lulugirl]

I use Scrub Free on my shower/bathtub. It works well, there is a formula for mold/mildew and one for soap scum.

 

[RadioNate]

I also was going to say Soft Scrub with bleach. Also, I'd consider refinishing it if that was possible.

 

[dcgrumpy]

x-14 soap scum remover and magic eraser


Our house is over 90 years old and still has the original claw foot bathtub. When we moved in i thought it was dingy grey looking because it was so old, until I cleaned it

 

[Sandy V.]

Soft Scrub with Bleach or Comet, depending on the tub finish and a sturdy scrub brush. Old toothbrushes are great for getting in the small cracks and crevices.

I have also had good luck with filling the tub with a 50/50 water bleach solution and letting it stand for awhile to lighten some set-in stains. (Make sure you turn on the exhaust for this and keep it running the entire time so you don't keel over from the fumes!!)

If it's that dirty, then the scrub brushes would end up in the trash!!

 

[C.Ann]

If it's gray due to a hard water situation it will be difficult - if not impossible - to ever get it looking white again.. Bath tubs aren't all that expensive and if it wouldn't be a problem (clearance wise) to get a new one in there I wouldn't even bother trying to clean it..

 

[katerkat]

If it's gray due to a hard water situation it will be difficult - if not impossible - to ever get it looking white again..

Ditto - we have hard water and where it pools in the bottom of the tub near the drain, it's grey and I've tried everything to clean it. My husband said maybe sand-blasting it.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I would attempt to use Soft Scrub and alot of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers.
If that did not work, I would get a new tub.

 

[phisigprincess]

Pretend?? Try my bathtub in the house we rented my junior year of college. It took us 3 hours to go from NASTY to pretty gross. We tried every product out there. Ultimately, we got a porcelin paint and painted the tub - it still didn't look 100%, but it was better than when we started. I think we picked it up at Home Depot.

 

[siouxi31]

I must say that I'd have to replace it.
But, if that's not an option, I did see those cleaning ladies on TV clean the bottom of a completely gross shower using lemons, baking soda and salt. It turned out pretty good afterward but I'd image you'd need alot of lemons.

 

[puffkin]

I'd replace it. I am funny about that kind of stuff. Be careful with soft scrub. You can't use that on the newer type tubs because it strips the finish off (then you will have problems with ground in dirt over time). It works great on porcelin tubs though.

 

[cruisnfamily]

I'd use clorox clean up. Spray it on, let it sit for 10 minutes or so, scrub, rinse, repeat.

 

[S. C.]

The Works tub and shower cleaner. spray it on let it set than scrub and rinse. We had hard water and had to get a water softner.

 

[2BigKIdz]

We had hard water stains in one of our tubs. I tried everything! I even tried scraping with a razor blade. I was at the point of replacing the tub when I tried Easy Off Bam. I sprayed it on and left it about 15-20 mins then cleaned with a rough sponge. My tub looked brand new! I was amazed. It is the only thing I use to clean my tubs now.

 

[lucas]

Try Greased Lightning. Spray it on, let it sit overnight and then spray some more and scrub.

 

[jfulcer]

Eh, don't clean it. You're just going to get it dirty anyway.

God made Dirt. Dirt don't Hurt.

 

[FreshTressa]

Soft Scrub with Bleach or Comet, depending on the tub finish and a sturdy scrub brush. Old toothbrushes are great for getting in the small cracks and crevices.

I have also had good luck with filling the tub with a 50/50 water bleach solution and letting it stand for awhile to lighten some set-in stains. (Make sure you turn on the exhaust for this and keep it running the entire time so you don't keel over from the fumes!!)

If it's that dirty, then the scrub brushes would end up in the trash!!

I would do the same

 

[terri01p]

Ok, I don't know if this will help you but I will tell you what I did for my dd when she moved into a rented house with a tub out of "the bottomless pits of hell " , I took three old towels and drinched them in water, then I poured straight bleach all over the tub and tryed to get as much of the sides as I could, then I placed the towels on top to hold the bleach , we let it sit over night, the next day you would not beleive how good that tub looked after just a basic cleaning. Might want to give that a try.

 

[MouseWorshipin]

Way back in my younger days, I cleaned apartments that people had moved out of/been evicted from to get my rent for half-price. I cleaned EVERY SINGLE disgusting kind of thing you can imagine off of tubs, toilets, and (God help me) radiators.

For regular old tub dirt, I like Scrubbing Bubbles.

Bar Keeper's Friend, if you can find it, is an excellent cleanser. Old-fashioned, not super pleasant-smelling, but really good. Comet smells better, but this stuff works better, especially if you have to leave it set a while.

If all else fails, and I know this is going to sound weird, try Drano Max. I realize it isn't *designed* for this purpose, but it'll take off just about anything. Just be sure to keep a window open and/or leave the room when you get funky. Also wear rubber gloves.

And get a bunch of those green scrubby things (or steel wool, if you don't mind little scratches) instead of sponges or rags. Pay the extra quarter or whatever for the name-brand green scrubby thing. The others don't work well for long.

Good luck!