Since acrylic tubs are soft, cleaning them requires some care. These kinds of tubs are becoming a common phenomenon in today’s homes. It is good to clean it quite often. This is because taking care of the tub is a necessity. Regular cleaning also ensures that the tub lasts for long. A clean tub is a source of a healthy environment and a general body.
Cleaning is a necessary duty which should be undertaken daily. Therefore how is the cleaning done? What are the materials to be used in this exercise? For more information, please read through this article.
How to clean acrylic tub?
Cleaning an acrylic tub is more or less similar to cleaning any other tub. Differences could emerge from the material used to make the tub. However, cleaning remains the same. These tasks can be done using three distinct ways namely:
- Regular maintenance.
- By use of commercial cleaning products.
- Use of natural cleaning products.
How to clean the tub using every step above is as explained below:
⇒ By regular maintenance.
Strict maintenance of the tub is a good way to avoid getting dirty. This exercise should be done as frequently as possible. Since it is made of soft materials, it also requires soft material to clean it. Any abrasive material wills casual damage the walls of the tub. Therefore, maintenance is done by:
Regular cleaning.
One way of maintaining the health of the tub is by regular cleaning. This exercise can be done once or twice a week. However, if you are so preoccupied and do not have sufficient time, you can clean it every week. This will prevent tough stains from accumulating on the surface of the tub pipe. There is cleaning material which is recommended for use when doing the regular maintenance.
You can also do a monthly clean up exercise. This will, however, require you to use some strong cleaning material. The more the tub remains unclean, the stronger the cleaning material you will need to use and the opposite is true.
Thoroughly rinse the tub drain.
After cleaning the tub, it is important to rinse it thoroughly. Clean water will wash away any dirt down the drain. Dirt tends to settle on the walls at the slightest chance. The force of water, though, can remove this dirt before fully settling.
Always use a soft material to clean.
Since the acrylic tub is made of the glass surface, abrasive cleaning material is highly discouraged. This is because it may easily get damaged. You should always have as much soft material as possible. Another alternative to cleaning a glass surface is by use of a microfiber. This, therefore, implies that you can use it to clean even more delicate surfaces with little risk of damage. The risk of damage stands at zero chance. This ensures that the tub will serve you for a long amount of time.
There are specialized towels too which are meant for cleaning such tubs. Whenever you can, it is better to use it rather than a soft cloth. Such a towel is a terry cloth towel.
Keep fire or smoke away from the tub.
The acrylic tub is sensitive to both fire and smoke. Smoke can cause it to stain within a short time possible. To avoid this, try out the following:
- The kitchen and the bathroom should be at a safe distance. This is so especially when you are using conventional cooking methods that emit smoke in the house.
- Avoid smoking near the tub. Smoke from the cigarette, no matter how insignificant it may look like, can damage the tub. This is by discoloring it by smoke. You should always enjoy your cigar in a designated place, away from the acrylic tub.
- Avoid placing the incinerator next to a tub. When in the process of burning waste products, the incinerator produces a lot of smoke which may damage the tub’s wall color.
- Do not burn vegetation near the acrylic tub.
There more to be done when trying to keep maintenance of the acrylic tub. The above-explained steps are not exploitative.
⇒ By use of commercial cleaning products.
This involves a lot of cleaning of the tub. The products to use in the cleaning exercise are bought from local stores. They are very efficient in cleaning the acrylic tub by eliminating all tough and persistent stains.
Steps:
Apply a mild soap.
Not all mild soaps are safe for washing the tub. Therefore go for one which is safe to use. Such kind of soap is the normal dishwashing soap. This will require you to dampen a soft cloth with mild soap. Using the same damp cloth, gently scrub the surface of the acrylic tub until all the stains are removed. Take care of the glass surface when scrubbing because it may either get damaged or even harm the person washing.
Rinse the tub thoroughly.
You can either rinse the tub by use of water or by using spray products. Rinsing is a way of removing the weakened dirt and mild soap traces. Repeat the process for some time until all the dirt has been eliminated from the face of the tub. Keep on checking to find out whether there is still dirt on the surface and scrub it off if any.
Wipe the tub dry.
After rinsing with either water or spray, do not leave the liquid to settle on the surface of the glass. This is because leaving liquid on the surface leaves behind traces of the stain. When dry, these stains will appear as whitish dots on the surface of the acrylic tub. Use a soft and clean cloth to wipe off this excess liquid. For the safety of the tub, remember to always keep away abrasive cleaners from the acrylic tub. This helps in maintaining the newness of the tub.
⇒ By the use of natural products.
It may not be possible to always have access to commercial cleaning products. Commercial cleaning products too come at a cost. You do not have to keep your tub dirty while you can access such natural cleaning products.
Steps.
Use of hot water and vinegar.
This method has been in use since time immemorial. Hot water and vinegar have the power to soften the hardest of the stains. While vinegar will act on the stains, hot water acts as a catalyst. Vinegar has some strong acids which act fast against dirt and stains. Hot water and vinegar are not used to clean the tub. Rather, it is used to weaken dirt before being cleaned off. The acid in the vinegar does not harm the tub. It only acts on dirt and stain while preserving the fresh look of the tub.
Add baking soda.
Baking soda is used for more cleanliness. It works well when sprayed to the surface when it is still wet. This is because water will absorb it into the dirt and mold. It will then soak out dirt. Baking soda should be left to settle on the dirty acrylic tub for a few minutes. This is meant to allow the soda to act fully on the dirt. Baking soda tends to dissolve even the hardest stains. This explains why it is the favorite of many to use this element in removing tough stains.
Scrub the tub.
As usual, you will need to use a soft cloth or a sponge to do the cleaning. Soak a soft cloth or a sponge in water and use it to scrub the tub thoroughly. Scrub the entire leaving no surface untouched. You will notice that the soda will form a paste. The paste will spread evenly as you continue scrubbing the surface. It is this paste that is active in eliminating dirt.
The corners and the edges.
The edges of the tub might be difficult to clean by use of the sponge or a soft cloth. On the other hand, corners and the edges store most of the hardest stains. This is because such surfaces are not easily accessible. To clean these places, you will need a soft brush. Remember that using a hard brush will damage the surface of the tub. A soft brush will remove the stains while maintaining the face of the tub.
Rinse the tub.
After removing the stains, you will have to rinse it with water or even a sprayer. Rinse as many times as possible until all the dirt is off the surface. It is advisable to sprinkle some lemon over the clean surface to treat the tub.
Dry the tub.
Use a soft cloth to wipe off any excess water after rinsing. Leaving water to dry naturally will leave traces of white stains on the surface of the tub.
Conclusion.
The acrylic tub is a bit delicate since it has a glass coating. It requires non-abrasive cleaning material. Everything to be used in this exercise should be soft or should be able to act on dirt while keeping the tub safe. Before it gets to having stains, you are advised to do weekly maintenance. This will help prevent it from accumulating dirt. Regular cleaning helps in preventing the stains from accumulating on the surface of the tub. I hope you will do regular cleaning, won’t you?