Bathtubs, Sinks and Showers

Cleaning

Abrasive cleansers can also dull or stain the finish if used improperly or excessively. The safest cleansers are non-abrasive powders, such as baking soda or Bon Ami Powder (not Bon Ami Cleanser). They will remove the most common stains caused by dirt, food, grease, rust or water minerals. Some mildly abrasive household cleansers can be safely used with plenty of water.

Caulking

After several years, the caulking around a bathtub or sink may appear dried out or cracked. Remove it and reapply new caulking with a caulking gun, or from an applicator tube, available in hardware stores. (NOTE: Caulking that contains silicone will not accept paint, but works best where water is present. Latex caulking is appropriate for an area that requires painting.)

Fixtures

You can prolong the life of your fixtures by following these precautions:

• Don’t leave food waste standing in the sink. Use the disposal, if available, as food accumulates, or remove it to an appropriate container.
• Don’t use fixtures to hold paint cans, tools or trash when redecorating; cover with plastic or tarps when painting walls and ceilings.
• Never step in a bathtub with shoes on, since shoe soles have hundreds of gritty particles that will scratch the surface.

With proper care as outlined, your fixtures will remain new and shiny for many years. Once damaged, even the best plumber cannot restore their new finish. (See also “Drains”, “Faucets”, and “Plumbing.”)

Food

Most food stains respond to a mild bleach solution (about 3 tablespoons chlorine bleach to a quart of water); rinse well. Leave it on stubborn stains for about 5 minutes before rinsing. NOTE: Do not use this on stainless steel. Another effective cleanser can be made with equal parts cream of tartar mixed with 6 percent hydrogen peroxide (as used in bleaching hair) and a household cleanser mixed into a paste. Leave this on for 10-15 minutes before rinsing.

Glass Shower Enclosures/Stalls

Use ordinary dishwashing detergent (not soap) to keep the glass clean. If hard water mineral deposits are a problem, use a commercial glass cleaner with ammonia. If you make your own mixture of 1 tablespoon household ammonia in a quart of warm water, follow the warnings on the ammonia label.

Paint

The best solution is to prevent paint from spattering or spilling on fixtures by covering them during the painting process. Water-based paint can be wiped with a cloth dampened with liquid household cleanser. Oil-based paint is harder to deal with. If it is not yet dried, it will come off easily with turpentine. Small spots may be removed by carefully scraping with a razor blade; to prevent gouging the surface, slant the blade against the fixture.

Hard, dry paint may need a caustic solution of trisodium phosphate (TSP, available at a hardware store) mixed at 1/4-pound TSP to 1 quart hot water. For your safety, wear old clothes, rubber gloves and safety glasses or goggles. Keep the solution off chrome-plated fittings. Rinse thoroughly afterwards.

Plastic and Other Substances

Use a non-abrasive cleanser unless otherwise instructed by the manufacturer or plumbing contractor. Special commercial cleaners are available.

Rust

Wet, metal utensils can cause rust stains if left in the sink. Wet steel wool pads can also leave rust stains; they should be stored in an appropriate container.

Rust stains should be removed with a commercial rust remover powder. Follow directions carefully; most contain oxalic acid which is caustic. Wear rubber gloves, old clothing and goggles. Use only on acid-resisting fixtures, which all modern kitchen sinks, vitreous china and colored fixtures are; but keep the remover away from chrome-plated fittings.

Soap Scum

Grease and soap scum hardened by minerals in the water may not respond to household cleansers. You can mix a solution of 1 tablespoon sodium hexametaphosphate (Calgon) in a gallon of warm water. Or sprinkle TSP on a lukewarm, damp cloth and scrub the scum.

Warning: TSP in hot water is caustic.

A mild solution of 1 tablespoon of TSP in a gallon of warm water can be safely used on fixtures, tile floors and painted surfaces; wear rubber gloves.

Stainless Steel

Use a non-abrasive cleanser or a commercial stainless steel cleanser when needed; these generally resist staining and need only occasional scrubbing.

Tub and Shower Enclosures

All glass used in bathtub and shower enclosures is tempered safety glass. Certain slight imperfections can be found in rough rolled glass, such as bubbles, streaks, tear drops, runs and similar markings. They are part of the nature of this glass and are not considered defects.

Vitreous China and Porcelain Enamel

These surfaces are smooth and glossy. They have a mirror appearance and are as hard as steel but can be damaged with careless use. The surface will chip if hit by a heavy or sharp object and can be scratched or dulled by repeated scraping or banging of metal utensils, such as in a sink. Once a surface is scratched or nicked, the finish is more likely to stain, and it becomes increasingly harder to restore the luster.

Tile and Grout

As your home matures, repairs to various fixtures may become necessary. The normal high moisture content common in bathrooms, the weight of the tub when filled with water, settling of the home over time, and the normal expansion and contraction of materials will cause separation between the tub and shower stall and adjacent tile wall surfaces in your home. When this occurs, we recommend that you use a brand-name tub and tile caulk to re-caulk and repair the cracks. If this maintenance is not performed, the water will seep behind the ceramic tile and cause the tile to become loose.