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Very few people like cleaning the bathroom and yet of course it is a necessity. In addition to the normal dirt and oil that can build up in the bathroom, many sinks and bathtubs are also prone to the appearance of rust rings. The problem of rust appearing in the bathroom is more of a problem for older porcelain on steel or cast iron bathtubs, but can also occur on newer tubs. The most common reason for rust though is when a metal canister, be it deodorant or shaving foam, is left in a pool of water.

If noticed early enough it is relatively easy just to wipe away the rust ring, and even those that have been there for a couple of days can be cleaned away with a cloth and some elbow grease. Stubborn rust rings though will need the application of a bathroom cleaner, although it is essential to ensure that these products are non-abrasive, otherwise damage could be inflicted on to the bathtub. Many people will recommend CLR, also known as Calcium, Lime and Rust Remover. CLR does work but at the same time it is not the safest of products to use. Care needs to be taken when applying it, but also it can damage the surface of the bathtub as well.

There are many other solutions for cleaning rust rings from bathtubs, and some are logical and some just seem to work. Bleach is of course a common bathroom cleaning product, but less common is coca-cola, something that has been shown to work on some rust stains. Hydrogen peroxide is another product often used to clean rust rings from bathtubs, although there are some safety steps needed to be used when applying any compound that comprises hydrogen peroxide.

There are safer alternatives to CLR though, and toothpaste and baking soda are often used to clean rust stains. Both of these products are known cleaning agents. Less well known though is the use of salt and lemon. If a small amount of normal table salt is applied to a rust stain, and then lemon juice dripped onto a reaction occurs. When the salt is left in place for several hours, the rust will transfer from the bathtub into the pile of salt.

Some rust stains are easy to remove from a bathtub, and some are more stubborn. It may take elbow grease and a combination of cleaners to clean a bathtub effectively but in the majority of cases a rust ring on a bathtub can be removed.

Learn more about this author, Tim Harry.
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