What to do if the bathtub has turned yellow?

Housewives are faced with the problem of how to clean the yellowness from the bathtub at home and how to restore its whiteness. The source of the problem is tap water, which contains mineral salts and microorganisms. They fall on the surface of the bath, eat into it and form a yellow coating over time. Removing this plaque, especially the old one, sometimes seems like an impossible task.

Products for cleaning cast iron bathtubs from yellowness

The enamel of cast iron bathtubs is strong and reliable, but when cleaning it, it is not recommended to use abrasives or cleaning agents containing acid. The latter can lead to micro-cracking of the bathtub enamel. Toilet cleaners are not suitable for cleaning bathtubs as they damage the enamel.

Cleaning products for cast iron bathtubs can be divided into two large groups - folk remedies and household chemicals. Folk remedies include:

• baking soda;
• citric acid;
• table vinegar;
• soda ash;
• bleach;
• ammonia.

These remedies can be combined, which gives the best effect. Below are basic tips for cleaning yellow stains from a cast iron bathtub.

1. Cleansing with baking soda. Baking soda is sold in grocery stores and can be used to clean both minor and more intense stains. To do this you will need from a quarter to a whole pack of soda. Pour soda onto a damp sponge with a soft abrasive coating, sprinkle water on top so that the soda becomes like a thick paste, and begin to scrub off the contaminated areas.The procedure must be repeated several times until the yellowness is cleared. In case of heavy contamination, you will have to repeat the procedure several times.
2. Cleaning with table vinegar 9%. Fill the bath with warm water, dissolve a half-liter bottle of table vinegar in it and leave to soak for half a day. Then drain the water and wipe the bath with a soft cloth.
3. Baking soda and 9% table vinegar. For heavily soiled surfaces (especially old enamels), it is recommended to use table vinegar in addition to soda. Pour vinegar onto a soft abrasive sponge and thoroughly wipe the contaminated area. After this, pour soda onto the same sponge, lightly moisten it (sprinkle it) with water and continue cleaning the enamel.
4. Cleaning the bathtub with soda ash. To clean heavy stains, you will have to buy soda ash at a hardware store. When working with it, be sure to wear gloves. Cleaning is done in the same way as cleaning with regular baking soda: pour it onto a sponge, moisten it and wipe the dirty areas.
5. Cleansing with citric acid. Dilute 15-20 g of citric acid in a glass of water, and thoroughly wipe the bath with the resulting solution. Second option: fill the bath with warm water, dissolve 300 g of citric acid in it and leave for half a day. Then wipe with a sponge or damp cloth.
6. Bathtub cleaning mixture – drinkable and soda ash, vinegar, dry bleach. You can prepare a mixture of soda ash and baking soda (2-3 tablespoons each), lightly moisten it and rub the moistened surface of the bath.After 15 minutes, prepare a mixture of bleach (3 tablespoons) and table vinegar (0.25 cups), rub it over the soda and leave for another half hour.
7. Bathtub cleaning mixture – soda ash, laundry soap, ammonia. Soak half a piece of laundry soap in 0.5 liters. water for 12 hours. After it has dissolved and a jelly-like mass has formed, mix 3 tablespoons of soap and 3 tablespoons of soda ash. Add 5 drops of ammonia. Rub the resulting mixture into the bath and leave for an hour or an hour and a half. Then rinse with warm water, removing any remaining dirt with a sponge.
8. Cleaning strong yellow stains using Sanitary powder. A very effective remedy, but at the same time, it has a bad effect on the enamel. Can only be used for old bathtubs that are planned to be replaced. The bath is moistened, “Sanitary” powder is scattered over its surface, also moistened, rubbed over the walls and bottom of the bath and then covered with a damp cloth. After 20 minutes, the powder is ground again, and the yellowness from the bath will begin to disappear. You can only work with gloves.

Features of cleaning acrylic bathtubs from yellow plaque

Acrylic bathtubs are very demanding in caring for their surface, as it is easily subject to mechanical and chemical attack. Do not place heavy objects in an acrylic bathtub that could damage it. The use of synthetic powders and prolonged contact with them lead to yellowing of the acrylic bathtub.

When cleaning from yellowness, you should use soft sponges and rags, and it is better to refuse brushes, even soft ones.

1. Baking soda for cleaning an acrylic bathtub.Soda (2-3 tablespoons) is thoroughly dissolved in water, after which the yellow stains are rubbed off with the resulting solution. Do not use sponges with an abrasive layer!
2. Lemon acid. Dissolve a sachet of citric acid weighing 10 or 15 grams in water so that not a single crystal remains. After this, rinse the contaminated areas and leave for 20 minutes. After this, repeat the procedure and rinse the surface of the bath with running water.
3. Table vinegar 9%. Moisten a soft cloth or sponge without an abrasive layer with vinegar (9%) and wipe the bath.
4. Liquid laundry soap. Soak a piece of household ointment (200 g) in hot water for several hours. After softening, mix everything, apply to a rag or soft sponge and wash off the yellow coating.
5. Liquid dishwashing detergent, special detergents for washing acrylic bathtubs. The product must be applied to a soft cloth and treated with it in the bath, leaving it to soak in the product for 10-15 minutes. Then rinse thoroughly with water with a soft sponge.

Cleaning steel bathtubs

Cleaning bathtubs made of steel from yellowness is carried out using specific methods, some of which are similar to methods for cleaning cast iron bathtubs:

• use of cleaning creams and gels according to the instructions on the packages;
• using a mixture of ammonia (2 parts) and hydrogen peroxide (1 part) for treatment (apply for 20 minutes, then wash with soapy water, wipe);
• removing yellowness using powder bleaches; Make a paste from them (dissolve them in water 1:1), cover the contaminated area with it, wait until it dries, and rinse with warm water.

Basic principles of bath care

The most important principle when caring for a bathroom: the appearance of a yellow coating on its surface is easier to prevent than to clean it later. Therefore, to prevent the appearance of yellowness, you must follow the basic tips:

1. After each use of the bath, be sure to rinse it and dry it (you can wipe it with an absorbent towel).
2. Rinsing and drying the bathtub daily is a mandatory procedure.
3. Wash the bathtub weekly with laundry soap, baking soda or special bath cleaners. After this, rinse it (first with hot and then with cold water) and dry it.
4. When cleaning the bathtub, use soft brushes or sponges with a soft cleaning surface on one side.
5. Do not allow water from the spout or shower to constantly drip or flow into the bathtub while using the sink.
6. Ensure sufficient air flow into the bathroom.
7. Do not soak laundry in an acrylic bathtub.
8. Do not use bathtub cleaning products containing acid, chlorine, or abrasives.