How can you clean acrylic bathtubs at home?
All housewives face the need to clean plumbing fixtures. Before washing an acrylic bathtub, it is worth understanding what the material from which it is made is. Acrylic is a hard plastic that was first used for dental prosthetics, and then became very popular for the manufacture of plumbing fixtures. Caring for an acrylic bathtub is very simple, and they are also very light and comfortable, so they quickly replace the old and heavy cast iron ones.
Acrylic bathtubs
Containers from this material are made by extrusion and casting. In the first case, fiberglass and epoxy resin are added to strengthen the structure, and such a bath must be installed on a metal or moisture-resistant wooden frame.
Cast bathtubs can be placed directly on the legs, because they are much more rigid and durable. This strength makes it resistant to mechanical damage, so cleaning such a container is much easier, since you don’t have to constantly worry about damaging it.
Caring for an acrylic bathtub is simplified by the fact that the material during manufacturing includes additives that prevent the growth of fungus, bacteria and mold on the surface. Acrylic is also not susceptible to any type of corrosion.
How to clean an acrylic bathtub? Most stains can be easily washed off the surface of the bathtub with plain water and a sponge without the use of cleaning agents.Since the material is scratched quite easily, the products used for cleaning should not be abrasive, i.e., contain small insoluble particles. It is also not recommended to pour boiling water into the bath.
How often to wash?
The more often you clean your acrylic bathtub, the better. After all, it is much easier to regularly wash off small stains than to later try to clean and scrub away deeply ingrained stains. After each use, it is recommended to rinse the bathtub with water and a mild detergent, such as liquid soap, and then wipe dry with a rag or old towel.
It is recommended to clean the bathtub at home with more active substances once every 2-3 weeks. The product must be applied to the entire surface, let it sit for a while, and then rinse thoroughly.
To prevent yellowing from constantly dripping water on the bathtub, you need to monitor the serviceability of the taps and repair them on time. If the surface has already turned yellow, then the rust should be cleaned with special products designed to remove it.
Removing deposits
If the tap water is hard enough, then deposits regularly appear on the acrylic bathtub - the so-called water stone. To remove it, you can use appropriate cleaning products or simpler folk methods - for example, periodically making a weak acid solution.
- Fill the bathtub with water at room temperature.
- Add 1-2 liters of a weak solution of vinegar or citric acid and stir it thoroughly.
- Leave for 12 hours.
- Drain the water, rinse the bath thoroughly and wipe dry with a soft cloth.
Advice
If you need to disinfect a bathtub at home, the procedure is no different, you just need to add antiseptic agents.
What means should I use?
It is better to care for an acrylic bathtub using mild detergents, such as those used for washing dishes. Liquid and regular soap also work well. To clean the bathtub, you can rinse out an old bottle of shampoo or shower gel that has run out, because they usually still have a lot of product left on the walls. Such soft compositions can be left on the surface of the bath for a long time without the slightest risk of damage.
How to clean an acrylic bathtub if it has become dull and yellowed? To restore its shine, after washing it is lubricated with polishing compounds.
Powders like Pemolux, Biolan and Comet, which clean due to mechanical friction, are not recommended for use. Then the question arises: how to safely clean an acrylic bathtub? The effect of liquid and paste products is more based on chemical removal of contaminants, so they can be used without the risk of damaging the surface. However, they usually contain substances that are quite aggressive to the skin, causing irritation and allergies, so it is better to clean the bathtub while wearing rubber gloves.
So, how to clean an acrylic bathtub if preference is given to industrial products? There is a group of products that have proven themselves in practice.
- Bass – a liquid cleaner used for cleaning bathtubs and showers at home.
- Cif – a universal product for all surfaces in the bathroom.
- "Akrilan" – as the name suggests, this is a special product for acrylic bathtubs and other similar surfaces.It comes in the form of foam and copes well with mechanical, chemical and biological contaminants and yellowness.
What products should definitely not be cleaned:
- abrasives;
- hard metal brushes;
- products with a high content of ammonia, bleach, acetone or formaldehyde.
Folk remedy for bath cleanliness
Housewives often wonder how to clean an acrylic bathtub - chemicals or natural products? Citric acid is very suitable for comprehensive cleaning of yellowish stains, rust, limescale and yellowish water marks at home. It should be diluted in warm water in a ratio of two glasses of water per sachet and stir thoroughly. The mixture is applied to the surface of the bath with a regular dish sponge and left for some time. Then, when the acid dissolves the dirt a little, they should be cleaned with the hard side of the sponge in a circular motion, and then rinse the bath thoroughly.
Citric acid is also used to clean taps, pipes, and tile surfaces. In the absence of acid, single small stains can be removed with a slice of lemon - the effect will be no worse.