How to Clean a Fiberglass Tub With a Textured Bottom? – 5 Best Ways!

A textured bathtub provides extra friction so you don’t slip. Sadly, they also allow soap scum to cling to the nooks and crannies.

Here are some creative ways to clean it despite the texture!

How to Clean a Fiberglass Tub With a Textured Bottom?

Things you need

• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Old towels
• Clean cloths
• Scrubber
• Dishwashing soap
• Tub cleaner
• Electric scrubber

Method 1: Use Baking Soda, Vinegar, and Dishwashing Liquid

Step 1: Rinse the tub bottom with water

Wetting the tub helps remove dirt and dust and helps the baking soda to set.

Step 2: Cover the whole tub floor with baking soda

Sprinkle baking soda all over the bottom of the tub floor until it is covered.

Step 3: Use old towels to cover the tub floor

Using some old towels to cover the tub floor with them, you will only need 3 or 4.

Step 4: Pour boiling water over the towels until they are completely wet

Ensure the plus is in the tub and add hot water on the towels

Step 5: Let the towels sit until they cool down

Let the towels cool down until they are safe to touch

Step 6: Use the towels to scrub the tub bottom

Use the warm towels to scrub the bottom of the tub

Step 7: Use a sponge or brush to clean tougher spots

Use a clean sponge for the spots that have more stubborn stains

Step 8: Mix white vinegar and dishwasher soap in a plastic spray bottle

Using a clean spray bottle, mix equal parts of distilled vinegar and water with a good squirt of dishwashing liquid

Step 9: Heat the bottle in a microwave for two minutes

Using your microwave, heat up the solution for around 2 minutes

Step 10: Spray the tub bottom with the mix until the bottle is empty

Spray the mixture over the bathtub bottom until you have no more left

Step 11: Let it sit for half an hour

This needs to sit and soak in for half an hour to ensure you have good ventilation

To finish up, wipe over the bath with a clean cloth and freshwater

Method 2: Use a Liquid Tub Cleanser

• Wet your tub with clean water
• Pour liquid cleaner inside the tub and spread it out all over the bath with a scrubber.
• If you have stubborn stains, you can add some baking soda to add grittiness to help remove stains
• Wipeout with  a cloth, and your bath should be sparkling

Method 3: Use an Electric Scrubber

Step 1:You need to first spray cleaner around the bathtub and let it soak for 5 minutes.

Step 2: Put on the flat head attachment and turn the scrubber on

Step 3: Get a good grip

Step 4: Make sure you have a firm grip as the machine can easily slip one of your hands with the spinning motion

Step 5:  Get the smaller head attachment and use that to reach the nooks and cranny or textured parts of the tub that the flathead might have missed.

Step 6: Give the tub a rinse out and wipe it over with a clean cloth

Method 4: Use Vinegar

Step 1: Start with a vinegar soak

Using half water half vinegar fill the bottom of our tub until it is covered. Let the solution sit for 15 minutes.

Step 2: Clean the fiberglass with vinegar

Empty the solution out and add some fresh vinegar to a clean cloth with a squirt of dish soap

Step 3: Tackle tubs with textured bottoms

If the stains are not coming off easily, you can use a scrubber dabbed with some baking soda to exfoliate the stain away.

Step 4: Dislodge any clogs

Adding a cup of bicarb soda into your drain, followed with a cup of white vinegar, can help dislodge any clogs with the drainpipe.

Method 5: Use an Oven Cleaner

Oven cleaner can be used for this purpose as it is strongly effective to remove even hard stains. Just apply it to the shower fiberglass and wait for at least an hour before you wipe it with a cloth or sponge. Finally, wash the shower out.

Remember you don’t need to scrub as oven cleaners can work without scrubbing. Ventilate the toilet by opening the window or turning the fan on as the fumes, oven cleaners produce are dangerous. You can find fume-free oven cleaners that are also available in the market.

Method 6: Use a Homemade Solution

If ready-made cleaners are not available, you can use household materials as an alternative. You just need dishwashing soap and baking soda.

First, rinse the tub with water and apply some dishwashing soap to the affected area. Then apply some baking soda and scrub it properly. Leave the tub unwashed in this state for some time after you finish your scrubbing. Finally, wash the tub with water to clean it.

What to Do to Prevent Further Problems?

• Keep your tub dry always when not using it. Wipe the water after using the tub with towels as leaving it dry itself will make soap scum and water stain.
• Do not leave a leak unfixed. It will always keep the tub wet and make stains with the copper from the water.

Precautions to Take when Using a Fiberglass Bathtub

No matter the bathtub type you choose, keep the following things in mind:

• Make sure the tub is secure and level, and don’t leave children or pets unattended.
• Whenever you install a tub or bath, ensure that all safety features are working.
• Also, check for loose grout and sharp edges.
• A new model may be a better option whenever rust or deterioration is evident.
• Look for devices that prevent the water from flowing out from the sides of the tub. A few examples include an alarm system, a thermostat, and an emergency light.
• Hot water or steam can be dangerous to children and pets.
• The faucet should be set to turn off automatically once the tub is full, with a timer installed.

Routine Cleaning Method

Step 1:

Fill the bathtub with a few inches of very hot water, then let it sit for a few minutes.

Protect your hands with rubber gloves, and squirt a little hot water on the tiles around you. This will increase the efficiency of your cleaners with the residual heat.

Step 2:

Get rid of the water in the tub. To clean the tiles and the tub, start at the top and spray a multi-purpose bathroom cleaner on the tube and tiles.

Use a clean cloth to evenly spread the cleaner over the areas. Let the spray cleaner sit and soak in for 5 minutes.

Step 3:

Now get a sponge that’s a little abrasive to clean the tiles. Work from top to bottom. Ensure you rinse the areas you cleaned so there is no buildup of product left.

Step 4:

Use a microfiber cloth for polishing the surfaces once you are done.

Deep Cleaning Tips

Fix a tap that’s leaking

Fix a leaky tap; don’t put it off. It not only wastes a lot of water, but leaking taps can also ruin your bathtub by continuously keeping it wet, and the copper in the water will stain the fiberglass.

Keep the space dry

Always dry your bathtub after a shower. You can keep a bunch of towels aside for this task.

Wet tubs often leave behind water and soap scum stains if they are not dried properly.

FAQs

1. How do I avoid the yellow stain on the floor of my bathtub?

Ans. Add a water softener to the water. By removing calcium from your water, your water will automatically become soft. Yellow stains are often caused by hard water, so adding a softener will help you get rid of them.

2. Can the fiberglass get damaged by a strong cleaner?

Ans. Strong cleaners often contain bleach that can damage fiberglass and actually cause staining that is impossible to get rid of. However, mild natural cleaners are a safe choice.