# How do I find out what my tub's made of?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-what-my-tubs-made-of/520587>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 9, 2009, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-what-my-tubs-made-of/520587 "2009-12-09T14:29:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-what-my-tubs-made-of/520587/1 "2009-12-09T14:29:06Z")

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We’re trying to, you know, learn to clean instead of half-assing it, I guess. We’ve, sigh, got a book on it and are developing a system, once we get the place organized, she said hopefully. Of course, the book has different methods for different materials, and I never realized that I don’t know what we’ve got.

It’s one of those horrible all one piece shower tub deals, put in maybe fifteen years ago when they uglified my house. How do you know if it’s fiberglass or acrylic or what?

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**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-what-my-tubs-made-of/520587/2 "2009-12-09T14:37:30Z")

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In my experience, fiberglass is almost always a textured surface, acrylic is almost always glossy-smooth.

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**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-what-my-tubs-made-of/520587/3 "2009-12-09T20:20:54Z")

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Look at the edges (you may need to take off some trim); the construction of the material is usually visible there. Describe it here, and I’m sure someone will recognize it.

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**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-what-my-tubs-made-of/520587/4 "2009-12-09T20:51:09Z")

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> [@KneadToKnow](#):
>
> In my experience, fiberglass is almost always a textured surface, acrylic is almost always glossy-smooth.

The fiberglass on my friend’s corvette and boat are smooth.

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**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-what-my-tubs-made-of/520587/5 "2009-12-09T20:58:40Z")

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> [@Wilbo523](#):
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> The fiberglass on my friend’s corvette and boat are smooth.

Sorry, I was specifically referring to shower/tub uses.

FWIW, in doing some further looking around for the OP, I’ve come to learn that “acrylic” shower surrounds are usually fiberglass structure with an acrylic coating.

I think my final suggestion would be to start with a cleaner for acrylic in a small, inconspicuous location and see how it does, then try a cleaner for fiberglass if necessary.