How to Clean a Bathtub Using Bleach

Cleaning the bathtub can be a tough job. Especially if your tub is texturized to help prevent slipping. Grime and soap scum can stain your tub, making it look dirty all the time. Using a little bleach will help you get your tub looking bright and clean again.

Things You'll Need

• Old clothes
• Cleaning gloves
• Sponge or rag
• Face mask or ventilation
• Bleach
• Water from the bathtub faucet

Instructions

1. Put on old clothes, to clean the bathtub. Bleach will whiten or stain any thing it gets on, so if you would prefer not to ruin your nicer clothes, wear something old.

2. Put on the face mask. This a a paper mask that can be purchased at most any paint store or even your local Wal-Mart. This will help protect your lungs from the chemical fumes. It is also a good idea to open a window or turn on the ventilator in your bathroom to prevent the fumes from being trapped in the bathroom.

3. Don the cleaning gloves. You will probably need to dispose the gloves after one cleaning with the bleach. Or you can try cleaning them with soap and water right after you've used them to clean the tub. The bleach will probably destroy the gloves eventually, and could be a hazard.

4. Plug the drain and run warm water in the tub. Allow the tub to fill with enough water to barely cover the entire bottom of the tub. Pour in five to seven caps of bleach. Allow the solution to sit for about five minutes.

5. Take your old rag or sponge and dip it in the solution. Use circular motions to gently scrub the sides of the tub. Scrub the bottom of the tub as well. It should take you anywhere from five to 10 minutes to scrub the tub down--maybe more if the bathtub is very dirty.

6. After scrubbing, allow solution to drain from the bathtub. Throw away or wash the rag or sponge, and rinse the bathtub with warm bath water. Rinse well to remove any remaining bleach solution from tub.

7. Remove gloves and face mask and allow the bathroom to continue to ventilate for the next 30 to 40 minutes.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use baking soda to scrub the tub before you use the bleach, if you want to shorten the length of time it takes to clean with the bleach. Keep disposable cleaning gloves and face masks on hand for household uses.

• Breathing in chemical fumes for a long period of time can be dangerous. Do not use bleach if you or anyone using the tub has sensitive skin.