# Good way to make 70's style bathtub tile look better? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 10, 2008, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-way-to-make-70s-style-bathtub-tile-look-better/432982 "2008-01-10T14:26:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-way-to-make-70s-style-bathtub-tile-look-better/432982/1 "2008-01-10T14:26:18Z")
That’s about it- anyone have any good suggestions- Light blue standard issue 70’s tile along the wall by the tub- very dull and drab, and would like to bring it back to life a bit without replacing. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-way-to-make-70s-style-bathtub-tile-look-better/432982/2 "2008-01-10T16:24:24Z")
The “Miracle” type bathtub refinishing companies also do tile. As long as you don’t mind the wall being a uniform color, including the grout, (the finished effect will be as if the whole wall was painted) it’s a decent way to bring a bathroom into this century. Most large DIY centers also sell epoxy paint that you can do this on your own. If you go this route, surface prep is absolutely vital - the epoxy will not stick for long to soap scum, and now is the time to fix any loose or chipped tiles. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-way-to-make-70s-style-bathtub-tile-look-better/432982/3 "2008-01-10T16:37:15Z")
I’ll look into that, but is there also a way to brighten them up a tad with some mixture of household cleaners- I have tried most brands of tile cleaner and no real luck, and was wondering if anyone had a good home mixture that might do a bit better- I’m not looking for them to look brand new, just a wee bit less drab. ---
**Author:** ![dmatsch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@dmatsch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dmatsch)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-way-to-make-70s-style-bathtub-tile-look-better/432982/4 "2008-01-10T17:29:28Z")
[QUOTE=gotpasswords] …Most large DIY centers also sell epoxy paint that you can do this on your own… [/QUOTE] my 70’s disco tile extends into the shower. Is this epoxy paint waterproof? ---
**Author:** ![wasson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/4da419/32.png) [@wasson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wasson)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-way-to-make-70s-style-bathtub-tile-look-better/432982/5 "2008-01-10T17:38:51Z")
I used the aforementioned epoxy paint. Great stuff! Yes, of course its waterproof… its meant for the bathtub. As mentioned, most of the work is in the preparation. Clean, scrub, sand, clean again. The painting was straightforward and easy. I’m lucky that I wasn’t living in the house while I did this… the paint requires 5 days to properly cure, and it STINKS. It’s been about 6 months now with 2 of us bathing in the shower regularly, and there’s 1 divot that came loose. It was a patch job I did on a small hole, and it came loose. This was probably my fault for doing the patchwork incorrectly before painting. Other than that, the tub looks great. The paint was like $35. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-way-to-make-70s-style-bathtub-tile-look-better/432982/6 "2008-01-10T18:22:05Z")
I recently had the 70’s era bathroom in my home redecorated. For a number of reasons, I didn’t replace the bathtub. The contractor advised me that I could brighten it up and greatly improve its appearance by scrubbing it with acetone and steel wool. Rubber gloves and good ventilation are a must. After giving it a good going over, it is much nicer looking. Before you get into other, more complicated and expensive options, try scrubbing one of the tiles with steel wool and acetone. If it doesn’t help, you aren’t out much. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-way-to-make-70s-style-bathtub-tile-look-better/432982/7 "2008-01-10T18:32:05Z")
[QUOTE=Scumpup] I recently had the 70’s era bathroom in my home redecorated. For a number of reasons, I didn’t replace the bathtub. The contractor advised me that I could brighten it up and greatly improve its appearance by scrubbing it with acetone and steel wool. Rubber gloves and good ventilation are a must. After giving it a good going over, it is much nicer looking. Before you get into other, more complicated and expensive options, try scrubbing one of the tiles with steel wool and acetone. If it doesn’t help, you aren’t out much. [/QUOTE] Where can you get acetone- Home Depot? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-way-to-make-70s-style-bathtub-tile-look-better/432982/8 "2008-01-10T18:56:27Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] Where can you get acetone- Home Depot? [/QUOTE] That or any good paint store. If you want to do a spot check to see if it’s worth the effort before buying inflammable solvents in large quantities, try it with nail polish remover in a corner somewhere. Just be sure to get the normal acetone-based stuff, and not the newer non-acetone kind. Cheaper the better - you don’t need moisturizers and fragrances for this. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-way-to-make-70s-style-bathtub-tile-look-better/432982/9 "2008-01-10T19:21:33Z")
I bought a pint of pure acetone at Rite Aide (a drug store) for $1.59. It was sold in the same aisle with the nail polish. I still have half of it after doing the whole tub. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-way-to-make-70s-style-bathtub-tile-look-better/432982/10 "2008-01-10T20:30:54Z")
[QUOTE=Scumpup] I bought a pint of pure acetone at Rite Aide (a drug store) for $1.59. It was sold in the same aisle with the nail polish. I still have half of it after doing the whole tub. [/QUOTE] Straight acetone poured onto steel wool? ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-way-to-make-70s-style-bathtub-tile-look-better/432982/11 "2008-01-10T21:36:25Z")
Yes. Acetone and steel don’t react with each other. It won’t explode or anything. Don’t be afraid to rub pretty hard on the tile, either.