How to Clean Your Bathtub (And Yes, There’s a ‘Right’ Way to Clean It)

Next, rinse the tub and wall tiles with warm water to get rid of any loose dirt, debris, and hair.  If you have a detachable shower head, rinse off the top layer of grit and add a layer of water to help the cleaning solution take hold in the next step. In other cases, wipe down the walls and the tub with a wet rag or sponge.

You’ll want to work from top to bottom when cleaning your tub. That means you should start with the wall tile and then work your way down to the tub itself.

To clean the tile, begin by spraying it with your tub and tile cleaner and then follow up with a non-abrasive sponge. Then, you can use your grout brush or toothbrush to tackle the grout lines. Once the walls are clean, you can wipe them down with a wet rag, or if you have a shower head with a hose, you can use that to rinse the walls.

Take this moment to also address either the shower door or curtain. Cleaning a glass shower door is similar to cleaning other glass in your home, but be sure to never mix potentially harmful chemicals when working with other tub cleaners. Keep it simple by working with diluted lemon juice in water or white vinegar and baking soda. If you don't have a solid door, clean your shower curtain by popping it in the laundry and washing the vinyl liner with a spray bottle and vinegar solution. 

If you find that your tub is draining slowly, now is a good time to clean it out and get things moving again. To do this, pour one cup of baking soda followed by one cup of white vinegar down the drain (there will be some bubbling, but that’s normal) and let it sit for 15 minutes. When time is up, flush the drain with hot water.  

Vinegar and water will also come in handy when it comes to cleaning your tub faucet and knobs. Combine one part white distilled vinegar and three parts warm water and dish soap. You can also work with a commercial cleaner specific to the type of metal on your fixtures. In either case, let the solution sit for several minutes, especially where grime builds up around the seam between the tiles and the metal. 

This is also a good opportunity to clean bathtub jets if necessary. Keep in mind that you will need to fill the tub for the job, so it's best to check this off your list before moving onto the scrubbing stage.

Once you’ve tackled the tile and the drain, you can move on to the tub. First, liberally spray the tub and tile cleaner around the tub and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. This step gives the cleaner some time to do the heavy-lifting for you. Once the time is up, use a soft, non-abrasive sponge to scrub the surface of the tub. Non-abrasive sponges are crucial to avoid scratching the surface, especially when cleaning an acrylic tub.

You can probably clean every room in your home with baking soda and vinegar, and the bathroom is no exception. If stains remain after you’ve scrubbed the tub, mix enough baking soda and vinegar to form a paste and hit the tough spots again. Once you’ve applied paste where it’s needed, let it sit for about 15 minutes. When the time is up, rinse the paste off straight away. If the stain was especially stubborn, you might consider giving it a once-over with a non-abrasive sponge or a toothbrush. 

When you’re all done, give the tub a final, thorough rinse. Don’t forget to wipe down the faucet and handles. Turn on the fan or open the windows to ensure that the tub and surfaces dry quickly. If you don't have good ventilation in your bathroom, dry it off with a clean lint-free towel.