I was cleaning the bathtub today, and noticed some discoloration under my shower caddy. I would like to know what kind of stain it is, and how to treat it. The caddy’s been sitting in more or less the same position for a month, and the stain is directly beneath it.
I took a picture. The damage appears to be gray in color. There is relatively hard water here, but it hasn’t caused stains in any other area of the tub. I believe the stain is due mostly to standing water over a period of time. When I run my hand over it, there is no change in texture. So I don’t think there’s been any erosion, just discoloration.
I’m not 100% sure what the tub is made of, but it seems to be a veneer of some sort (plastic? enamel?). It’s not real porcelain.
Thanks in advance for any advice!
It appears whatever color was on the caddy has bled into the porous plastic and whatever you try, avoid using regular chlorine beach.
If the tub is plastic, the stain probably permeated the material and scrubbing alone will do little to help. I would try something like Soft and Scrub Gel containing a non-chlorine bleach and pour a little onto the stain allowing it to soak for an hour or so.
If that doesn’t work, you could try buying some laundry non-chlorine beach at the grocer because this would be a stronger solution. The dry kind would be better because you can make a thick paste to coat on and test an area.
If that doesn’t work, I’m at a loss.
Good luck.
The caddy is in the picture, it’s pink. Thank you for the suggestion. For my edification, what is wrong with regular chlorine bleach?
If the stain can’t be removed by cleaning, is there a way to I dunno, refinish or paint over it? Or would a magic eraser work?
I have an acrylic tub and the instructions advised to avoid chlorine bleach. I believe it will permanently discolor the tub. To verify the tub is not porcelain, see if a magnet will sick to it. If it sticks firmly, it’s a porcelain coated steel tub and regular bleach would be okay to use. If not, avoid regular bleach.
If the stain has penetrated the finish, I do not believe a magic eraser will work as that only affects the surface. The Soft and Scrub would be a better alternative as a first attempt.
There are companies that reglaze the finish on porcelain fixtures but I am unaware of any company offering that service on the plastic/vinyl/acrylic fixtures.
If the non-chlorine bleach fails, I found the following online:
The acrylic coating on a bathtub is thick. Depending on the depth of the damage, determine the grit of sand paper needed to sand out. If the scratches are deep and plentlyful or have imbedded chemical staining start with 120 grit sandpaper and a small palm sander and sandout entire tub, check with bright light to ensure even and complete sanding. Sandout all damage and chemical stains, watch carefully and do a good job, change your paper frequently and use a vacuum to cleanup frequently. Now continue to step up grits 120, 240, 400, 600. Always wash and dry and cleanup between grit changes. Now use polishing wheel and auto buffing compound to take the tub to mirror finish. Use water as lubricant and keep your tools and clothes etc clean of dirt and grit. This takes approx 3 days of work.
If the above doesn’t work (and it would be a last ditch effort), you may have to live with the stain or cover it with decals or replace the unit which would be expensive. Or, you may simply want to place the shower caddy back over the stain.
Thanks again! Very helpful information. I can’t just pretend the problem doesn’t exist though, because I’m renting. I’ll post back with the working solution when I figure it out. Off to buy soft scrub!
