The Ultimate Guide on Cleaning and Maintaining a Freestanding Bathtub

As a proud owner of a beautiful freestanding bathtub, chances are you want to keep it looking its best. After all, you’ve invested in a modern bathroom retreat, and you’re going to want to soak up all of the enjoyment you possibly can. Fortunately, cleaning and maintaining a freestanding bathtub isn’t difficult.

For starters, with its smooth, non-porous surface, a stone resin freestanding tub naturally keeps calcium deposits and general grime from settling in. However, this doesn’t mean you’ll never need to clean your new bathtub. Use this guide to get up to speed on basic cleaning and maintenance and to make sure that you use the right cleaners and don’t inadvertently damage the bathtub’s surface. We’ve also included some instructions for repairing stubborn stains, scratches, and damaged surfaces.

With just a few simple cleaning tasks, your new freestanding bathtub and its gorgeous finish will retain its beauty for years to come.

The Do’s and Don’t of Cleaning a Freestanding Bathtub

• DO expect some construction debris. Unfortunately, contractors don’t always leave a new installation in pristine condition. If your contractor properly cleaned the tub, great! If not, a mild detergent will likely do the trick for most construction debris. Denatured alcohol or a nonabrasive cleaner should work on more stubborn debris. If plaster, dried caulk or some other substance remains on the surface, try to remove it with a sharpened wooden stick gently. Please see our DON’T list about using wire brushes, putty knives, and other potentially damaging tools.
• DO wipe your bathtub with a soft cloth after each use. It takes just a moment, prevents unsightly water spots, and keeps it sparkling clean in between uses.
• DO remove dust and dry dirt with a soft, damp cloth. If the tub hasn’t been in use for a while, a quick damp wipe, followed by drying with a soft dry cloth will quickly bring back the bathtub’s luster.
• DO continue using your regular personal hygiene products and cosmetics. These won’t harm your bathtub.
• DO rinse off your bathtub after using bath oils. This will help to prevent unwanted grime and sediments from settling in your tub.
• DO set a regular cleaning schedule. Now that your tub is ready for day to day use, it’s also time for you to establish a cleaning routine. It doesn’t matter which day of the week you pick to clean your freestanding bathtub; just pick one and commit to it.
• DO determine your finish. Your stone resin freestanding tub will have either a semi-gloss or matte finish. Make sure you specify which finish you have because while the necessary cleaning instructions are similar, there is one key difference you need to be aware of: matte finishes can tolerate mildly abrasive cream cleansers while semi-gloss finishes cannot. Never use a gritty or abrasive cleaner on a semi-gloss freestanding bathtub.
• DO use the appropriate cleaners and tools for your tub’s finish. As unique as your freestanding tub is, it doesn’t necessarily require special cleaning products. Many everyday household nonabrasive cleaning products are acceptable including those listed below.
  • To clean a freestanding bathtub with a semi gloss finish, use a mild cleanser such as Mr. Clean, Fantastik, or mild dishwashing detergent like Ivory Liquid. Never use abrasive cleaners, pads, or cream cleansers with grit.
  • To clean a freestanding bathtub with a matte finish, use a mild cleanser such as Mr. Clean or Fantastik. As noted above, a mildly abrasive cleanser such as Comet Soft Cleanser or Soft Scrub may be used on matte finishes to tackle more stubborn stains. We suggest using these sparingly and infrequently.
• DO follow the cleaning product’s manufacturer’s instructions and precautions — and read your labels. For example, if you have a freestanding acrylic bathtub, make sure the product label states that the product is safe for cleaning acrylic.
• DO rinse and dry the freestanding tub thoroughly after cleaning. Rinse the cleaning residue away and wipe the tub down with a soft tub so that your next bath is free of unwanted detergents and cleaning chemicals.
• DON’T use acidic cleaners as they will corrode the stone resin. This includes vinegar, which is commonly used in DIY household cleaning solutions.
• DON’T use any harsh chemicals for that matter or petroleum based products such as paint thinners or solvents. These could damage the surface, leaving your bathtub looking uneven, dull, and lifeless. Other substances to avoid include gasoline, kerosene, nail polish, nail polish remover, wintergreen oil, pine oil, dry cleaning solution, and so on.
• DON’T use abrasive cleaners. They will scratch and dull the surface of your freestanding bathtub. The rule of thumb is this: rub the cleaner; if it feels gritty, don’t use it. The one exception is that you may use a mildly abrasive cleaner on the occasional stubborn stain DO rinse off your bathtub after using bath oils to prevent unwanted sediments from settling in your tub if your tub has a stone resin matte finish.
• DON’T use harsh cleaning cloths, metal scrubbers, razor blades, or other sharp materials that might scratch the surface. This applies to most bathtubs but is especially important when your freestanding bathtub is your pride and joy. Why risk damaging it?

Maintaining Your Freestanding Bathtub

Most freestanding tubs can be cleaned with common household cleaning products as noted above, but what about routine maintenance and minor repairs? Fortunately, the general maintenance requirements of stand alone tubs are relatively simple. Below are a few maintenance tasks you’ll likely need to do periodically.

• Remove hair from the drain. If you or a family member has long hair, it doesn’t take long for the drain to become clogged. Use wooden chopsticks to gently pry the hair loose and pull it from the drain.
• Remove light scratches and restore dulled areas. Use a gentle, nongritty automotive cleaning compound such as 3M Extra Cut Compound to gently buff light scratches away and restore dull surface areas.
• Remove slight stains. Many stains will disappear after a 10minute soak using a 1 part bleach to 10 parts water solution.
• Remove stubborn stains, scratches, scuffs, smudges, and damaged surfaces. Fine sandpaper can quickly remove the tougher stains and scratches our tub may eventually get. For older freestanding bathtubs, sandpaper can bring back its luster.
  • Start by removing dirt and dust from the surface with water.
  • Sand lightly in small, circular motions with 800grit sandpaper.
  • Repeat with finergrit 1200-grit sandpaper, using the same small, circular motions unit the surface is smooth.
  • Dry the bathtub with a towel.
  • If your bathtub has a semi gloss finish, use a soft cloth and polishing compound for automobiles, such as 3M Extra Cut Compound, to polish the finish.
• Clean oil, paint, grease, or ink stains. These tough stains can be removed with rubbing alcohol. Make sure to rinse and dry with a clean, soft cloth after stain removal.
• Pay attention to water heater maintenance. If you notice rust, sediment, or greasy substances, your water heater may need to be drained. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to drain and flush your water heater and then clean your freestanding bathtub as noted above.
• Keep your freestanding bathtub manufacturer’s information handy. For example, Badeloft USA will provide its customers with an emergency repair kit upon request to repair break off accidents. For more extensive repairs, a quick phone call or email to the manufacturer will help you determine the next steps.

Sources:

Cleaning:

1. https://www.badeloftusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/CleaningMaintenance.pdf
2. https://www.badeloftusa.com/frequently-asked-questions/ (Under cleaning and maintenance tab)
3. http://www.jtspas.co.uk/blog/2017/02/05/best-way-to-clean-and-maintain-your-freestanding-bath/

Maintaining:

1. https://www.badeloftusa.com/frequently-asked-questions/ (Under cleaning and maintenance tab)

Related Posts:

1. Choosing the Perfect Freestanding Bathtub Faucet
2. How to Install a Freestanding Bathtub Using the Badeloft EZ-Drop in Drain
3. How to Get a New Bathroom Look Without Renovating
4. Freestanding Bathtub Material Comparisons

badeloft

Eric is the founder and president of Badeloft USA. He has been the president of Badeloft’s US division for over ten years and oversees all marketing and branding aspects of Badeloftusa.com.
His expertise lies in small business development, sales, and home and bathroom industry trends and information.

Contact us with any business related inquiries.