How to Get Bad Stains Off Porcelain Tubs

Clean, porcelain bathtubs are sanitary and visually appealing.

Neglecting to clean porcelain tubs regularly allows the grime, soap scum and hard water spots to build up and become stubborn. The longer the buildup remains on porcelain, the harder the bathtub becomes to clean. Since coarse abrasives in grime buildup are capable of scratching porcelain, promptly remove stubborn stains from these tubs.

Things You'll Need

• 2 oz. baking soda
• 2 oz. household ammonia
• Bucket
• Nylon sponge
• 2 soft, white cleaning cloths
• 1 tbsp. trisodium phosphate
• Cleaning gloves
• Nylon brush
• White towel

Instructions

1. Mix 2 oz. of dry baking soda and 2 oz. of household ammonia into 1 qt. of warm water. Combine the baking soda and ammonia solution in a bucket.

2. Scrub the ammonia and baking soda solution onto the porcelain bathtub using a nylon sponge. Remove as much stubborn soap scum buildup and water stains as possible.

3. Wet a soft, white cleaning cloth with warm water, and wipe the porcelain with the watery cloth to flush off the ammonia and baking soda solution. Thoroughly rinse the porcelain bathtub.

4. Inspect the porcelain for remaining stubborn dirt, soap scum and water spots. If any stubborn grime stains persist, dilute 1 tbsp. of trisodium phosphate in 1 gallon of hot water. Stir the diluted trisodium phosphate in a clean bucket while wearing cleaning gloves.

5. Scrub the porcelain with the diluted trisodium phosphate using a nylon brush. Remove the remaining stubborn dirt, soap scum and water stains from the bathtub.

6. Wet another soft, white cleaning cloth with warm water, and wipe the porcelain with the watery cloth to flush off the trisodium phosphate. Thoroughly rinse the porcelain bathtub.

7. Wipe the porcelain bathtub with a white towel.

Tips & Warnings

• You can substitute chlorine bleach for trisodium phosphate, but it permanently sets rust spots on porcelain bathtubs.

• Buff the sides of the porcelain tub with lemon oil to prevent stubborn stains and to add shine.

• Spot-test the ammonia solution and the trisodium phosphate solution on porcelain to avoid major tub damage.

• Never mix the trisodium phosphate solution with other cleaning products.

References

• HomeTips.com: How to Clean a Porcelain Enamel Bathtub
• Apartment Therapy; How to Clean a Porcelain Bathtub or Sink; Kimber Watson; January 2011
• Porcelain Enamel Institute, Inc.: Care and Cleaning of Porcelain