Eva asked: How do I remove an orange stain from the bottom and one side of my acrylic tub? It is only on the side which has the shower curtain and most of the bottom. I have tried Scrub Free, bleach and vinegar with no luck.
Stains in the bathtub can occur for several different reasons. Sometimes the water gets trapped and doesn’t dry completely, leaving a moist area for bacteria to grow. Other times, these tough stains are actually mineral deposits that are left behind from hard water. In either case, there are a couple of different methods that can be used to remove the stains and restore your bathtub to its original brilliance.
Dry Cleaner Method
You Will Need:
- Dry Cleaner such as Comet
- Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
- Water
Steps to Remove the Stains:
- Begin by mixing a paste with the Comet powder and water. It should be thick enough that it can be spread over the stains on the side of the tub with minimal dripping.
- Apply the paste to the stained areas and allow it to set for several minutes.
- Moisten the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser with clean water and use it to scrub the area that has been soaking.
- The combination of the Magic Eraser along with the dry cleaner are often effective in removing the mineral deposits and stains that can be otherwise difficult to remove from the surface of the tub.
- When the stains are gone, rinse the entire area with clean water until all of the cleaning residue is removed.
Baking Soda and Peroxide Method
You Will Need:
- Baking soda
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Water
- Nylon scrubber
Steps to Remove the Stains:
- This method also utilizes a paste, though this time it is made of two parts baking soda and one part hydrogen peroxide.
- Spread this thick paste over the stained areas and allow it to set for at least 30-45 minutes.
- After the paste has had plenty of time to set and soften the mineral deposits, scrub them away using a nylon scrubber.
- When the stains are removed, rinse the area completely with clean water.
Additional Tips and Ideas
- There are commercial cleaning products as well, but they are often caustic and are very harsh. If you choose to use one of these products, ensure that the tub is completely rinsed out prior to use.
- Vinegar has a natural acid in it that makes it effective in removing many of these deposits and stains. It may be more effective if it is allowed to soak on the stain. An easy way to accomplish this is to moisten some cloths with the vinegar and lay them over the stain for up to an hour before attempting to scrub away the deposits.
- Orange stains can also be caused by iron or rust from the pipes. To remove, follow the guidelines above. If iron in the water is the problem, it may be helpful to explore filtration systems to filter the water.
- If iron is the problem, you will most likely see the effects in other areas such as laundry items turning yellow or orange, discoloration in the dishwasher, etc.
I have terrible stains in my bathtub from my boyfriend working at a place where they make crankshafts for large things like trains and ships. The stains are from the powder graphite lubricant that they use for the press. I have never been able to get the stains out and I think the baking soda-peroxide mixture might just do the trick since I can leave it to set right on the stain.
Thank you so much for this article!
Never, ever use an abrasive cleanser like Comet on an acrylic tub. You’ll scratch it horribly.
The dry cleaner method worked beautifully on my very stained tub (a combo of hard water stains and soap scum). I left the Comet on overnight and in the morning the stains came out with just a little scrubbing. It has been stained for so long and now it looks great! Thanks.
Hi, it was indeed a helpful tip! But, before I start cleaning my shower tub edges, I would like to know if this mixture dissolves (ruins) silicon glue around it, and if it does, please advise what can use as an alternative? Appreciate it. 🙂
Zrinka,
The mixture of baking soda and peroxide should not dissolve the silicone on your tub edges, and neither will Comet. A Mr. Clean Magic Eraser could remove it though.
Source: HowToCleanStuff.net – How to Remove Silicone
Source: PlumbingZone.com – What is the best methog to remove silicone
How to wash the tub if it stinks? Very bad stain.
Shirley,
How to remove a stain depends on what the stain is from. Try searching the site for some of the causes you think the stain could be from (rust, hair dye, etc.). For the odor, you can try cleaning the tub with a mix of equal parts white vinegar and water – vinegar is a great natural deodorizer. You can also try deodorizing the area by setting a bowl of vinegar in the tub overnight, or setting a plate in the tub that has a good amount of baking soda or fresh coffee grounds on it; all of those are natural deodorizers. Be aware though that the coffee may remove the odor but leave a coffee odor in its place. Cleaning the drain might also help get rid of an odor. Good luck!
Source: HowToleanStuff.net – How To Deodorize your Closets
For deordizing stinky places, I use lavender essential oil. Just 4 drops should do the trick; I shake them into the drain in my tub and let it sit for a few hours, like right after the use of the shower or a bath. I also use it in the dishwasher when there are only a few dishes in it. Even though I rinse off my dishes before I put them in the dishwasher, it still gets stinky; I shake 3 or 4 drops of lavendar essential oil and it takes away the smell.