5 TIPS FOR MAINTAINING AND CLEANING YOUR BATHTUB

The bathtub is a very common piece of bathroom equipment. It’s true that it makes bathing more pleasant, since you can relax in it with bubbles and salts. However, as enjoyable as it is to use, a bathtub can become a veritable breeding ground for bacteria if not regularly maintained.

To avoid this inconvenience, it is very important to ensure that the bathtub is spotless before running the water and plunging into it.

This implies a rigorous household routine in the bathroom and the use of the right products.

Here are SOMAPRO’s 5 tips for maintaining and cleaning your bathtub.

Weekly scouring is a must

The most effective way to ensure that the bathtub is clean for bathing is to scour it at least once a week. In fact, the frequency of cleaning depends on how often the bathtub is used. If there are a lot of bathers in the house, it’s best to clean as often as possible to prevent micro-organisms such as fungus from growing in the humidity.

To do so, use an antifungal product such as a cleaner with bleach, which will make the enamel or acrylic shine while eliminating fungus. The cleaning steps are as follows :

• Pour the product over the entire surface;
• rub with a soft sponge or microfiber cloth to avoid scratching your bathtub. Pay particular attention to all corners;
• rinse thoroughly with clean water.

If your bathroom is not well ventilated, dry the surface with a dry cloth to remove all traces of humidity

Ventilate the bathroom as much as possible on a daily basis, leaving the window open or installing a VMC to prevent the build-up of humidity and the proliferation of mould.

Down with limescale and fur

As you use the bathtub, it may lose its bright color. If the water you use for bathing is particularly hard, you’ll also notice that the surface will tend to yellow or have more or less noticeable yellowish spots.

It’s perfectly possible to whiten bathtub surfaces using baking soda. Simply make a thick paste with water and baking soda, then scrub the walls with the mixture using a sponge

For particularly stubborn stains, you can use a household descaling agent, which will be more effective in removing them.

Don’t forget the seal

Most bathtubs have a tiled wall. This wall must also receive your full attention during cleaning, otherwise you risk ending up with a dazzlingly white bathtub and a yellowed tile wall.

To shine bathroom seals, use a toothbrush, either used or reserved for household cleaning, then soak it in a mixture of white vinegar, degreasing dishwashing liquid and lemon juice or baking soda.

Scrub well for several minutes, then rinse with clean water.

Clean your accessories

Bathroom accessories need to be cleaned just as often as the bathtub, to prevent limescale deposits and fungus growth. The showerhead and faucet, in particular, should be cleaned regularly. To do this, soak a sponge in white vinegar or spray the product directly onto the showerhead and faucet. Then scrub vigorously and rinse with clear water. The last mandatory step is to wipe with a soft, dry microfiber cloth to avoid streaks.

Note that household descaling agents can also be a highly effective solution for polishing taps.

Unclog as soon as necessary

Soap and hair residues left in the bathtub gradually clog the plug. As soon as you notice that it’s harder for the water to drain to the bottom of the bathtub, you need to unblock the plug.

All you need for routine maintenance is a little baking soda, vinegar and salt. Leave the mixture to work for a few minutes, then pour in boiling water. After such a treatment, the water should drain better again, and as a bonus, it prevents smells from rising.

Occasionally, bathtub drains can become blocked by a block of soap or by clogs formed by residues and hair. In this case, you’ll need to use drain cleaner gel to effectively dissolve them..

To keep your bathtub clog-free, always clean and rinse it after each use. Remove soap residues so that they don’t form a greasy layer on the walls, and pour boiling water into the bottom of the bath once a month.