Rub-a-Dub-Dub You Need 3 Things For Your Tub!

And what do you think they are? 

Scrubbing Bubbles®, a soft cloth and water! 

The best things to use by far!

Now that you have that song stuck in your head, let’s get cleaning! 

Tubs are great, but can get messy and cluttered, especially if you have children. From bath toys and colorful markers to glitter bath bombs, the tub can be a chore to clean! With teens you may have a collection of bath and hair care products on the ledges with yesterday’s congealed soap clinging to the peeling caulk where the fiberglass tub meets the tile. Or maybe the tub is yours alone and you just enjoy having a good soak every night – but is it truly spa-like when you’re surrounded by old stains and grime? 

Whatever your situation is, it is important to clean your tub regularly. I’m going to show you how.

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All the stuff, get it out!

First thing, take everything out and away from the bath area. Go through your products and recycle any empties and rinse off all of the bottles you’re keeping. Then vacuum (Canada) (USA)  in and around the tub with a horsehair brush attachment (Canada) (USA), which helps to pick up all the dust and hairs. Check your drain for any nasty hairs and crud too, yuck!

Cleaning acrylic and fiberglass tubs

As a cleaning company, we have seen hundreds of tubs of all shapes and sizes. The most common being fiberglass and acrylic. They may be freestanding, such as the elegant claw tubs, or tub surrounds where there is a shower included. Whatever the case may be, they all require a very similar approach.

Spray Scrubbing Bubbles® all around your tub and fixtures (We also recommend water, Bleach and Tide®,  Microban® 24 Bathroom cleaner, or Bar Keeper’s Friend®. Choose your own adventure, find what works for you, and scrub with a soft sponge. The Vileda® scrunge is great as it won’t scratch your tub. Do not use the abrasive side of regular sponges as they will scratch your finish. Then rinse it with water. Use a dry cloth to remove any excess. If you still have scruffs or stains that didn’t come up, squirt some Bar Keepers Friend® on those areas, let sit and wipe away with a soft cloth, then rinse. (May require some gentle buffing) This will bring your tub back to its original shiny clean look! 

Next, use Windex® to polish your fixtures. And, if you have a shower head with hard water build up, see this article for how to remove it.

Don’t forget to wipe the outside of the tub down if it is freestanding or the tile if it has any surrounding it. Tide® and hot water will do the trick for both scenarios.

Now for the shower curtain and liner, if you have one

If you have a tub surround that has a shower curtain, this is a good time to assess your curtain and liner situation. Replace the liner if there is any mold. Check the tags on your fabric shower curtain for washing instructions. Most are machine washable, and they should be washed seasonally. 

If your shower curtain is plastic, it can be hand washed with a paste of baking soda and water, and a microfiber cloth. (Scrub the entire curtain then rinse with warm water.) However, I’d recommend just tossing it. You can easily purchase another one for $5 to $15 at Target (USA) or on Amazon (Canada) (USA). There’s no sense in spending a ton of time scrubbing something that’s still going to look a little nasty even after you’re done. Save the time, spend a few bucks, and get a crisp new shower curtain. 

If it’s a tub that gets a lot of use, I would replace the curtain seasonally/annually. If it’s a tub in a guest bathroom that’s only used a few times per year, you can replace it less frequently. Just keep an eye on the shower curtain and toss it at the first sign of stains, mold, or mildew.

Create your spa, or just organize the kids sh!t

Now that the tub is sparkling, replace any items you need. This is a great time to think about what you can add to make your tub better. Invest in some storage solutions for your kids’ bath items and place them by the tub or away in a cupboard. Shower shelves can be handy to place items in. And while they don’t look the greatest, a shower caddy that hangs on the side of the tub is a great option for keeping items like soap and shampoo accessible, yet not in direct contact with the tub itself. (This makes your job cleaning the tub so much easier and faster in the future.)

1. Bath Tray (USA) (Canada) 2. Candle (USA) (Canada) 3. Eucalyptus (USA) (Canada) 4. Toy Storage (USA) (Canada) 5. Shelves (USA) (Canada) 6. Succulents (USA) (Canada) 7. Tub Caddy (USA) (Canada)

If it’s the master bathroom or a guest bathroom and you want  that spa feel, there are plenty of options. For example, purchase a tub shelf for your book / reading device and glass of wine. Include a candle or two for added ambiance. Make it a clean, functional and soothing place for you or your guests.

Scrub-a-Dub-Dub

Time in the tub should be fun for kids and relaxing for you. Take the time to clean regularly and just enjoy this space. And for more great cleaning tips, techniques, and best practices, check out the interactive GoCleanCo Basic Training course!

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• Denise @gocleanco