Is a new coating needed to achieve a solid white bottom for my tub, despite multiple attempts with cleaners being unsuccessful?
Asked by Aleksa Milovanović 
7 months ago
Last Updated: May 5, 2024
I’ve been working on getting my tub bottom completely white. I’ve already tried scrubbing it with cleaners, but it just doesn’t seem to be working. Do you think it might need a new coating or top layer?
Hey, have you ever given a magic eraser a shot?
There’s a lot of scrubbing involved! You’ll need a firm scrub brush and some comet. We also have a brush attachment for a drill that works really well for tough scrubbing. Another trick is to pour baking soda down, cover it with a towel, and saturate it completely with vinegar. This helps make the scrubbing process easier. This is all due to soap residue.
It’s pretty impressive how effective comet/Ajax is, e.
Spritz some WD 40 and allow it to soak for about 10 minutes. After that, grab a magic eraser.
Oh my goodness, please be careful…you might trip! Haha
Trust me, it really does work! Just follow up with a bit of Dawn to clean up any leftover residue
Give it a good spray of CLR and leave it to sit for around 30 minutes, then give it a scrub with a magic eraser. Make sure to keep the vents open as the smell can be pretty bad, but it really does the trick!
Mix equal parts of washing soda (not baking soda) and borax for a powerful cleaning solution. Add a few cups of the mixture to a tub with a little water, soak for a while, and use any leftover for laundry detergent or scrubbing the deck.
For an easy solution, try using AWSOME by simply covering the surface and letting it sit overnight. Make sure it is fully submerged for best results.
Try out the Pumice PUMIE Heavy Duty Scouring Stick by U.S. Pumice, measuring 5.25×1.25×0.75, to eliminate toilet stains and hard water rings. Available in a pack of 1 at https://a.co/d/cBXkz9y
Definitely worth a try for that. I’m a fan of the pumie.
Same here…it’s really effective for removing hard water stains. I used to clean houses and always had this ready to use
Avoid using abrasive materials as they can cause scratches on the surface. Instead, use Dawn detergent to effectively remove accumulated dirt.
It seems like your gel coat has worn away and now requires reglazing or a complete replacement.
When cleaning the toilet, I like to use Lysol gel toilet bowl cleaner. Just rub it around, let it sit for roughly 10 minutes, and then remove it with a magic eraser.
I agree with on this one. It always works perfectly whenever I try it.
I tried using this on my floor grout and even on my son’s soap scum-covered shower doors. It worked wonders!
I had to share this too! I had some tough stains on my tub and sink that I thought would never come off. This product did the trick!
Also mentioned this! It’s fantastic!
Use a drill brush attachment similar to what car detailers use along with some scrubbing bubbles
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Brand new with the help of scrubbing bubbles and magic eraser
If you’re dealing with soap scum, grab some blue Dawn and squeeze it out all over the affected area. Then use a wet sponge to spread it around, place a damp towel on top to prevent it from drying out. Let it sit for about 30 minutes before scrubbing with a scrub brush or something with a bit of grit. It should come off without too much effort.
Just so you know, any type of dish soap will do the trick. You can also use your synthetic broom or dustpan brush to scrub it onto the bathtub and remove the soap scum.
I found that using bar keepers friend and magic eraser did the trick for me too.
https://low.es/3ESsJk3
It seems like the finish has been damaged. If that’s the case and replacing it is not an option, you could consider painting over it with Rustoleum Topside Marine paint.
I absolutely love using Borax, it’s the best!
I’ve worked as a house cleaner for 26 years and encountered some really tough cases. To tackle stubborn stains, sprinkle baking soda at the tub’s bottom, then apply blue original Dawn dish soap followed by vinegar. This will create a paste. Spread it across the surface, let it sit for around 30 minutes, then scrub away. In some instances, a second round may be necessary, and using a brush can help reach textured areas.
Heating the vinegar will make it work even better.
You already have some good options to work with. I’d recommend giving baking soda a try, followed by a mixture of white vinegar and Dawn dish soap. Let it sit for a bit and then scrub it down using a brush or sponge. Just be sure to wear rubber or latex gloves.
I haven’t come across anything that works on my tub quite like magic erasers do.
You’ll definitely want a reliable cleaner, but the key to getting this clean is to grab a scrub brush and put some muscle into it. I found that using brushes of varying sizes helped me reach every spot. The end result will be worth it!
I agree with . As a professional cleaner myself, I recommend checking out power drill brushes specifically designed for tough cleaning jobs like scrubbing tubs. You can easily find them on Amazon.
I’ve been dealing with a rust stain in the bottom of my tub for 3 years, and nothing has worked. But then I tried this product, and the stain disappeared immediately!
Hey, can you pass me that pink paste and some elbow grease? I’ve heard that using bleach or Lysol toilet cleaner can damage the fiberglass coating on this tub. That’s probably why it looks so bad. Once we get it clean, we can use some Dawn dish soap to maintain it.
Yeah, it definitely needs a fresh coat. It seems like the original finish is fading away. But no worries, there are plenty of great companies that can refinish it easily.
You should consider giving toilet bowl cleaner a shot!
This might sound a bit strange, but I actually have a tub with built-in anti-slip feature. It wasn’t in great condition when I first got it. I used a can (or two) of oven cleaner. Make sure to open a window or turn on a fan. Leave it for at least 20 minutes, maybe longer. Then use Barkeeper’s Friend and a green scrub pad.
The second oven cleaner is truly like magic! It works wonders for sure.
Heat up a bit of water in the microwave, about 1 cup, then mix in 1/2 cup of cleaning vinegar and a generous squeeze of Dawn. Stir well, spray the solution, and ideally let it sit overnight before scrubbing. Another option is to try out the new Dawn spray.
Whoever came up with the idea of textured tubs clearly never attempted to clean one. It seems like you have some valuable tips. Best of luck!
The pink solution works wonders for these types of problems, Ajax is another great option, try using hot water to remove it.
I always clean mine with a non-bleach Clorox wipe and a magic eraser.
Have you tried Bar Keepers Friend? It’s great for cleaning all sorts of surfaces.
I personally prefer using the pink stuff with a scrub sponge on our tub, and it manages to clean everything up. If it’s really tough, I also resort to using Zep’s acidic toilet bowl cleaner. You apply it, let it sit for 5 minutes, then scrub with a coarse sponge.
I can’t believe how amazing this stuff is! Just spray it on and let it sit for a bit. You usually won’t need to scrub. You can find it at Lowe’s/Home Depot.
The outdoor storage box on the left was the one I used. It resembled the one on the right previously.
Back when I worked at a cleaning company, we would come across this issue. We would saturate rags with shower cleaner and place them all over the tub or shower floor, letting it soak for 15 minutes. After that, we would scrub with a brush and wipe with a magic eraser. That method worked wonders!
First, soak the area with vinegar, then scrub it using Dawn dish soap and a green scrubbing pad.
You should give Awesome Orange from the dollar tree a try!
Just plug the drain and allow vinegar to sit in it. I had stubborn stains that I couldn’t remove no matter what I tried, so I poured a bottle of vinegar into the drain and let it sit. The stains came out easily after that.
Are you positive that’s dirt? It kind of seems like the fiberglass might be coming apart
I used to have a tub that looked similar when I lived in an apartment. The landlord didn’t think it could be cleaned. I decided to fill the tub with water, add CLR, and let it sit overnight. The next morning, it was easy to rinse clean.
Magic erasers are really effective for that kind of thing especially when used with Kaboom cleaner and hot water
Found that magic erasers ruined the finish on hers and caused it to get dirty faster. She learned to always test a spot first.
Give fume-free oven cleaner in the blue can a try, as the yellow can is not effective. Spray it on generously. You may need two cans. Let it sit for an hour – it works like magic. Our shower was dull from soap residue, but this product removed it completely. It now looks brand new despite being 22 years old.
At Home Depot or Lowe’s, they sell painting kits that work really well. It all comes down to prepping it properly.
To get it back to white, I used Bar Keeper’s Friend and a scrub daddy. It was a lot of scrubbing, so I did it in sections.
You should try using a magic eraser
Please avoid using toilet bowl cleaner on anything other than the inside of your toilet to prevent damage. Instead, try powdered Barkeeper’s Friend on the tub. It may require multiple applications, but it will do the trick!
Soak it overnight with white vinegar for best results.
CLR, a magical eraser, and some elbow grease are all you need.
You won’t believe how great Magic Erasers work in the bath!