Stains, Rust and Scratches: How to Clean a Bandage Iron Tub

March xix, 2019

Your cast iron tub is the focal point of your bathroom, if not your entire home. It's timeless, luxurious and sophisticated. You and your guests might but be tempted to dip into information technology on a daily footing — until it gets dirty, that is.

A bandage atomic number 26 tub tin brainstorm to appear stained, scratched or dirty for a number of reasons. Hither'due south how to the clean bandage iron properly so y'all can extend the life of your unique bathtub and continue using it for years to come up.

How to Clean a Cast Fe Tub

Cast iron tubs are a coveted item in the world of abode renovation and blueprint. But when it comes to maintaining the cast iron tub through cleaning, it'due south non actually bandage atomic number 26 that you're dealing with. In fact, cast iron tubs are typically coated with a layer of enamel, explains Brittney Morgan at Flat Therapy. This means that stains, scratches and other forms of wear and tear will really need to be removed from the coating, not the cast atomic number 26 itself.

Keeping this in mind, you'll have to make up one's mind which kind of stain yous're dealing with so that you tin choose the proper cleaning agent.

Iron Stains

Stains that announced in shades of orange, crimson or brown are probable the crusade of high iron deposits in water, says Deborah Stephenson at Hunker. She adds that while these stains can be particularly difficult to remove, lemon juice and salt can work wonders on removing fe from porcelain or enamel.

Iron in clear water appears orange and reddish over time because information technology builds up and then rusts in the tub, explains the team at the Clean H2o Store. Iron is particularly prevalent in well water: At levels higher than 0.iii parts per million, it can cause staining of fixtures and dress. "After exposure to oxygen, or after the addition of oxidants (such equally chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide), this ferrous iron will be oxidized ("rusted") to the ferric class to form insoluble particles," the team writes.

Another sign that you have water with a high iron content is if you lot experience rust deposits or stains on freshly washed clothing, according to the Minnesota-based water softening visitor Water Doctors. A metal flavor or odor in water coming from the tap is also a telltale clue that the water has loftier iron deposits. Remember, just 0.iii parts per one thousand thousand is enough iron to cause staining and temporary damage to your fixtures, so it'southward important to identify your h2o'due south iron content early on.

If you brainstorm to detect these furnishings but you aren't sure what's causing them, it might be worth getting your tap h2o tested so that you lot know how to clean your tub best.

clean a cast iron tub

Copper Stains

You might also be faced with green or blue stains in your bathroom. If you come across these stains in the tub, sinks and toilet, it's likely the result of copper piping. Copper pipes and fixtures leave deposits in your water that eventually undergo oxidation, which is what causes the discoloration, explains water treatment company Aquarius Home Services.

Many people associate green stains with mold, which can lead to improper cleaning and intendance of the bathtub. While these stains are unremarkably mistaken for mold, they don't pose any threat to your health. Plus, they're easy to remove with the proper tools and products. The team at Aquarius suggests using vinegar, flour and salt to remove stubborn copper stains from your cast iron tub.

"Create a paste by mixing together equal parts white vinegar, flour, and salt. Apply this paste to any copper stains in your bath. Allow it to sit for 30 minutes, and so wash it away with some lather and h2o," they write.

Gentle Cleaning with Household Ingredients

Common household products tin can work wonders when it comes to cleaning a cast iron tub. Blistering soda is a fundamental particular when deep-cleaning your bathtub. The first pace in using blistering soda is to sprinkle the tub liberally with the product, according to licensed contractor,  Brittany Bailey at the Pretty Handy Daughter blog.

Then, she says to scrub the surface with a sponge, which helps release the deposits and balance on the tub's surface. Next, she suggests pouring vinegar into the tub and onto the sponge to loosen up the deposits.

Apartment Therapy's Ashley Poskin agrees that blistering soda is a great style to clean the tub on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. She suggests using the baking soda with ammonia, however, which can cut through grease and remove lather scum buildup.

Another natural cleaning solution comes from Kim and Scott Vargo of the popular DIY blog, Xanthous Brick Abode. The couple explains how a combination of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and lemon works wonders for their enamel bandage iron sink. This same strategy tin can be applied to a bandage iron bathtub. Using a non-abrasive scrub pad, they suggest sprinkling the surface with baking soda before following with a few drops of hydrogen peroxide. Then, the grime volition wipe abroad with gentle, consequent circular motions around the bleed.

The lemon is a great improver considering it acts as a natural bleach and tin can freshen upward both the tub surface and the drain.

Deep-Cleaning Tough Tub Stains

Using a non-abrasive sponge to scrub the tub with natural methods, such as baking soda and ammonia, can remove tough stains without causing any damage to the tub.

In fact, abrasive cleaners and scrubs should always exist avoided when cleaning a porcelain enameled tub, explains Illinois-based company Ravinia Plumbing. "Do not use steel wool, wire brushes or annoying sponge pads on any part of the particular, as they tin can scratch or impairment the surface," they advise.

For stains that are harder to remove, tougher cleaning options be. For example, cleaners purchased from the store can also work well for cleaning tub stains. Cream cleansers are much better than powered agents because they won't take chances scratching your tub, says Ask a Clean Person podcast host Jolie Kerr. She stresses the importance of testing these cleansers in a small area of the tub offset, to ensure they won't have any negative reaction with the tub or crusade scratching.

Ane rule of thumb is to opt for a cleaner with a Ph of between 3 and 8, says Enquire the Architect'southward Tim Carter. The number indicates how acidic or alkaline that cleaner is, and getting ane within the 3 to eight range tin ensure it won't cause additional tub damage. These cleaners should as well be used sparingly over time, as overuse can contribute to unintended damage. A deep clean should be repeated every calendar month in club to keep mineral deposits from building up in your tub and causing discoloration.

cleaning a cast iron tub

Removing Enamel Chips and Scratches

Once you've removed stains and discoloration, you may however have lingering chips and scratches in the enamel. These can always be filled in and repaired with the right touch-up strategies.

"Pocket-sized chips and dings can be repaired with an inexpensive porcelain touch-upward solution, available online and at home-improvement centers," says habitation expert, author and HGTV personality Don Vandervort. He adds that it'south important to match the color of the paint exactly to the tub so that y'all're not faced with an uneven surface tone in one case the paint dries.

Before applying paint to the flake or scratch, all the same, it's essential to remove any flaking or damaged paint from the area, says professional remodeling and improvement writer Lee Wallender at The Bandbox.

"If a great deal of paint needs to be removed, employ a new directly razor blade with the blade held at nigh flat against the surface," he explains. Then, the area should be cleaned to remove any microscopic bits. Finish the preparation procedure by sanding downwardly the imperfections. He suggests using at to the lowest degree a 600-grit wet-dry sandpaper for this. This is considering any flakes or existing fries can get trapped in the drying pigment, which can look uneven and unsightly.

Images by: Monika Mlynek/©123RF.com, Dusanka Visnjican/©123RF.com, Oleksiy Boyko/©123RF.com