How to Clean Bathtub Stains So the Tub Looks New Again

By
Barbara Bellesi Zito
Barbara Bellesi Zito
Barbara Bellesi Zito
Barbara Bellesi Zito is a home improvement and lifestyle writer for The Spruce and other digital lifestyle publications. She has over 20 years of experience writing about the home. She is also the author of LUCKY STIFF, a novel.
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Updated on 10/01/23
Reviewed by
Becky Rapinchuk
Becky Rapinchuk headshot, cleaning RB
Reviewed by Becky Rapinchuk

Becky Rapinchuk is a natural cleaning expert, home-keeping expert, and founder of the lifestyle brand, Clean Mama. She has published 4 best-selling books on cleaning.

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How to clean bathtub stains

The Spruce / Ana Cadena

In This Article
Project Overview
  • Working Time: 15 - 20 mins
  • Total Time: 30 - 35 mins
  • Estimated Cost: $0

There’s nothing like a relaxing soak in the tub. But your tub needs a bath of its own from time to time to get rid of soap scum, hard water stains, and other grime that collect over time. 

While regular maintenance is key to keeping your bathtub looking as good as the day it was installed, there is a way of getting rid of stains quickly and easily. All it takes is a bit of elbow grease and a couple of ingredients that you might already have at home, and you’ll be ready for bathtime in no time at all.

How Often to Clean Your Bathtub 

How often you should clean your bathtub depends on how often you use it and therefore how quickly it gets grimy. For example, if you share a bathroom with several people in your household, clean it at least once a week. However, if you live alone, you might consider stretching it to two or more weeks between cleanings.

Of course, if you also wash a furry pet in the tub or hop in to rinse off after a trip to the beach, it makes sense to clean your tub more often. At the very least, it’s helpful to rinse down your tub after a shower or bath to keep excess soap or shampoo from sticking around—you’ll save yourself some scrubbing the next time.

Cleaning With Hydrogen Peroxide

The best way to remove stains from a tub is with hydrogen peroxide. However, hydrogen peroxide can be harmful if inhaled directly and can irritate eyes and skin. Put on safety glasses and gloves for protection before starting to clean.

The hydrogen peroxide will be used to make a paste, but you should only make as much paste as you need for one cleaning; you can't store any unused paste due to risk of excess carbon dioxide emitting from it that could cause the container to leak or even explode upon opening.

And even though vinegar can be used for a lot of household cleaning, never mix vinegar with hydrogen peroxide as the combination can be toxic if inhaled. You can, however, use hydrogen peroxide and vinegar in succession while cleaning—just be sure to rinse down the surface of your tub before switching from one to the other.

Tip

Check the expiration date on your hydrogen peroxide before trying to remove bathtub stains. When it’s past its prime, it starts to lose its bubbly potency and you’re left with plain old water.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Hydrogen peroxide (3%)
  • Baking soda

Materials

  • Cloth, soft sponge, and/or old toothbrush
  • Shallow plastic dish and spoon
  • Gloves
  • Safety glasses

Instructions

Materials needed to clean bathtub stains

The Spruce / Ana Cadena

How to Clean Bathtub Stains

  1. Ventilate Your Bathroom

    • Open windows and doors.
    • Turn on an air purifier, if you have one.

    While hydrogen peroxide and baking soda are safe enough to be used as ingredients for toothpaste, you should still ventilate your bathroom while using the dynamic duo to clean your tub to avoid directly inhaling any hydrogen peroxide.

    Ventilating the bathroom before bathtub cleaning

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  2. Mix the Cleaning Paste

    • Combine 2 parts baking soda with 1 part hydrogen peroxide in a shallow plastic dish or something else unbreakable that you can dip a sponge or cloth in.
    • Mix until you've created a paste. It should be thick enough to smear a layer over the stains.
    • If the paste is too runny, continue to add more baking soda until it reaches the desired consistency.
    Mixing a paste for bathtub cleaning

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  3. Apply the Paste to Stains

    • Apply the paste and let it sit for 10 minutes or so before scrubbing off.
    • For heavy tub stains, apply the paste and leave it on for about an hour before scrubbing.

    Alternatively, you could scrub the stains with the paste first, then leave the paste on for about an hour before wiping it away. 

    Applying paste to bathtub stains

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  4. Rinse (and Repeat if Necessary)

    • Rinse away the paste with water, using a detachable shower head or a bucket of water.
    • Wipe away excess paste with a damp sponge or microfiber cloth.
    • If stains still remain, reapply the paste and scrub before letting sit for an hour and repeating the rinsing process.
    Pouring water to rinse out the tub

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

FAQ
  • How do you get a bathtub white again?

    You can turn a bathtub white again with hydrogen peroxide, which works as a natural bleach without the harsh odor. Put hydrogen peroxide in an opaque spray bottle and spray the bottom of the top. Let it sit for 15 minutes, then rinse. Stubborn stains can be covered for an hour with a towel soaked in hydrogen peroxide before rinsing, or treated again with the baking soda/hydrogen peroxide paste. (Hydrogen peroxide is better kept stable in a dark bottle, which is why it's important to use an opaque spray bottle for hydrogen peroxide cleaning.)

  • What's the best way to clean the bottom of a bathtub?

    Dishsoap is one of the best ways to clean the bottom of a bathtub. Use a scrub brush or small broom to scrub dish soap around the bottom of your bathtub, then use the shower head to rinse it off. For stubborn stains, scrub with dishsoap then fill with hot water and leave it for a bit before scrubbing and rinsing.

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. What is hydrogen peroxide good for? Cleveland Clinic