How To Clean And Shine A Porcelain Bathtub

How To Clean an Quondam Porcelain Enamel Bathtub or Sink

SaveComments

Nosotros independently select these products—if yous buy from 1 of our links, we may earn a committee.

(Image credit: Viv Yapp)

Cast-iron bathtubs and sinks are a common fixture in older homes, and now nosotros're seeing them pop up in many newer remodels because of their unique vintage charm. Unfortunately, years of use or neglect tin can make for one discolored and muddied tub or sink. Hither are a few tips to keep the porcelain on your antiquarian fixture looking adjacent-to-new.

Cast-iron is traditionally covered with a porcelain enamel that's fused to the bandage-iron in a furnace. While porcelain is a highly durable surface, it's susceptible to chips, swell, and a dulling of the finish. If you employ the incorrect products, you volition accelerate the degradation of the surface, so let's begin by talking nigh what non to use. Abrasive cleaners such as scouring powders, white vinegar (or other cleaners with a high acidic content), and steel wool should all exist avoided, as they can damage the end. For the best results, always start with the gentlest cleaner and work your way upwardly to more powerful applications. Remember, proper intendance will simplify ongoing maintenance.

Materials and Tools

• liquid dishwashing soap
• ammonia
• blistering soda
• lemon oil
• table common salt
• a lemon
• a saucepan
• soft (nylon) sponge
• cleaning rag

(Epitome credit: Ashley Poskin)

How to make clean your porcelain fixtures weekly:

Like annihilation else in your bathroom, your charming bathroom fixtures demand weekly cleaning. Here's a routine we recommend:

1. Mix 1 gallon of hot water with 2 tablespoons of dishwashing soap (anything with a grease cutting agent volition work)
2. Use a soft rag or sponge to dip into the soap mixture and scrub the tub or sink
3. Rinse well

(Image credit: Ashley Poskin)

How to deep clean your porcelain fixture:

Weekly cleaning with hot water and dishwashing lather is keen, but for deep cleaning, we recommend baking soda and ammonia. Try this routine if you lot have a make new fixture that needs a deep clean (when moving into a new home or cleaning up a newly purchased vintage tub or sink), and proceed it up at least one time a month or every other month:

1. Pour warm water into a bucket and mix ¼ cup of baking soda and ¼ cup of ammonia (While baking soda is slightly abrasive, it's balmy and generally rubber to use on porcelain. The ammonia is great for cutting grease and removing lather scum buildup.)
2. Soak a non-abrasive sponge in the blistering soda/ammonia solution and scrub the surface of your porcelain bathtub or sink, paying item attending to stained areas
3. Dip the sponge in the solution, scrub and echo until you're satisfied
4. Rinse well
5. Later on rinsing, wipe thoroughly with a clean rag or the blistering soda will leave a white film behind

(Image credit: Ashley Poskin)

How to remove rust stains from porcelain tubs and sinks:

If yous have a rust stain (or any other marks or filth that the above techniques can't impact) you lot tin can try this method equally a last resort:

1. Comprehend the stain with table salt
2. Have one-half of a lemon and clasp the juice over the common salt
3. Scrub the salt/lemon mixture with a make clean fabric or a nylon sponge
4. If the stain nevertheless doesn't come up, leave the paste-mixture on the stain for an 60 minutes or and then, then clasp more lemon juice on the stain and try scrubbing the stain again
5. Rinse and wipe make clean

(Image credit: Ashley Poskin)

To polish and add a protective blanket:

As a finishing touch on, here'south how to give your porcelain bathroom fixtures a little sparkle. The lemon oil will help repel soap scum and other clay to keep the sink/tub clean longer (and it smells good, too):

1. Squeeze a pocket-size amount of lemon oil onto a clean rag
2. Rub the lemon oil into the sides of the porcelain bathtub or sink, fugitive the bottom of the tub to prevent slipping

Additional Notes:

• Bathtub rings tin usually be blamed on oily bath products or a clogged bleed. Keep the drain clog-free, and if y'all utilize a bath oil production, make certain to practise a quick cleaning later on.
• Information technology's always wise to exam a pocket-size hidden section first to ensure that the cleaner will non cause any adverse effects to the surface of the porcelain.
• If none of these suggestions work and your tub or sink still looks a scrap lackluster, information technology might be worth the investment to have your fixture re-glazed by a professional person. While there are DIY re-glazing kits on the market place, the results are unremarkably shoddy and exercise non last. Dissimilar fiberglass or acrylic, your cast-iron fixture tin stand the examination of fourth dimension, so information technology's well worth the expense to hire a specialist for the job.

(Image credit: Ashley Poskin)

Edited from an original post published on 1.20.11 past Kimber Watson – TW

Ashley Poskin

Correspondent

Ashley traded the tranquillity life of a small boondocks in a big house for the hustle and hurry of the Windy City. On any given 24-hour interval you might discover her working on a freelance photo or blogging gig, wrangling her little darling, or walking Chuck the boxer.

Follow Ashley

SaveComments

Source: https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-clean-an-old-porcelain-enamel-bathtub-or-sink-137148

Posted by: rooneyabight.blogspot.com

Share this post