Renters cannot remove set-in stains from tubs and counters
30 posts across 2 communities in the last 60 days; 93% from r/CleaningTips.
“How do i remove the back marks on our tub? I scrubbed with brush drill attachment with dish soap but it didnt work...”
“I’ve tried to everything I can think of… soaking, vinegar, kaboom, comet, bar keepers friend, and SCRUBBING. Pretty sure it’s a porcelain tub, we bought this house 3 years ago and nothing I’ve done has budged it. This grout is also a nightmare… working on that today with…”
“Hello. I just moved into this place and noticed some really piled on rust in on the drain and the side of my tub. Im not sure if it’s safe to bathe with so I want to try and clean it off. Any tips or shared experience/advice are greatly appreciated. Cosmetically it is not a…”
Multiple users are seeking advice on difficult cleaning tasks, including removing stains from bathtubs, plates stuck in pots, blood from pillows and wine from clothes. This points to a need for more effective or accessible cleaning solutions.
SOURCES (60)
“The bath is some kind of plastic, not ceramic submitted by /u/DigitalAdon [link] [comments]”
“I accidentally let nail polish remover (this specific purple kind, shown in pictures) and this stain is now on the counter and I can’t get it off..I tried scrubbing with baking soda and dish soap and it isn’t working. What the heck do I do? submitted by /u/weenerflower [link] [comments]”
“I don’t know if the finish on the tub is ruined or it’s cleanable. Is there a way to clean this to get it back to just the white ceramic? I’ve tried a bunch of cleaners and nothing works. Any advice would be appreciated! submitted by /u/niine-lives [link] [comments]”
“These spots have started appearing on the bottom of the tub and are only getting worse the more it’s used. For context, this has always been the spare bathroom at my parent’s house and was rarely used before I moved in. Now it’s used regularly for both showers and baths. I noticed them months ago and they don’t scrub off no matter what I use. Is it foundational, like the joists are becoming visible from underneath? Is this a safety concern? A full gut and replace job? Any tips would be greatly a”
“Can someone tell me the best way to clean this bathtub? What chemicals to use or what not to use? I have plenty of elbow grease just need to know product and technique! Also all the moldy caulking will obviously be cut out and redone. submitted by /u/JC-TheCarpenter [link] [comments]”
“So I had a stack in the sink for too long apparently, plate had a spot of mold on it, and there was a pot that had bean residue in it I let soak and forgot about. Same back to that pot and there were a few gnat maggots in it and eggs on a pan that was on top of the pot. There anything particular I should do? I boiled some water in the pot to kill anything left in it after I rinsed it and to kill off anything living in the sink. submitted by /u/whiskeycoke7 [link] [comments]”
“I’ve tried everything! Clorox, tiles, comet, Ajax etc. any ideas? submitted by /u/Hopeful-Town4438 [link] [comments]”
“Made an account just for this because I’m genuinely lost. I tried looking up videos and I know someone will likely say to remove the caulking but tbh I don’t think there even is any unless it’s covered by the mold. This was the best picture I could take but it’s likely worse than it looks. It’s not my shower but mine broke so I have to use this one, I’m on a time crunch and I don’t think it’s been cleaned in like 8 years. submitted by /u/lumpy-Kale-3566 [link] [comments]”
“How do i remove the back marks on our tub? I scrubbed with brush drill attachment with dish soap but it didnt work... submitted by /u/WaitingForPayday [link] [comments]”
“I constantly scrub my bathtub and while the gray stains go away, they come back in a matter of days. I know showers get dirty but I’ve never had a shower turn this color before. Is the coating on the tub ruined? Or is it something else? Any tips on keeping this away for more than a week would be great. I already scrub with vinegar for a deep clean and spray it with cleaning solution once a week and scrub with a brush. submitted by /u/Objective-Laugh-892 [link] [comments]”
“Sprayed it with CLR and let it sit for 2 min before scrub down, didnt really do anything to remove it. I dont know if its a fiberglass or porcelain tub. Water does pool up after a shower bc the tub isnt flat anymore. I tried spray painting it but it keeps chipping so you can see some white flakes in there. Any help is appreciated submitted by /u/ad0121996 [link] [comments]”
“I’d like to preface by saying that I’m just going to trash the bath pillow — I’ve washed it many times many different ways and the stains (I am presuming are mostly from bath bombs) won’t come out. There is a dirt ring around the tub that I can’t get off. I need advice on how to best get all of the stains off. All the other parts of the shower are fairly clean aside from the actual tub/rim. My plan so far: 1. Remove all hair/debris from the entire shower/tub. 2. Rinse with hot water 3. Apply scr”
“I have scrubbed and scrubbed with bleach, vinegar, baking soda you name it! Is there any other magic (already tried a magic eraser too) to get this spot out of the shower pan???😭😭😭 Its an old plastic pan with like small beading as the floor texture. I fear it may just be the end of its life.... Edit: I forgot the picture..... but imagine a splotch of blackish textured floor on an otherwise white shower pan submitted by /u/Tasty_Avocado_2603 [link] [comments]”
“I’ve tried everything from bar keepers, dawn soap and bleach but the stains are still there. I just moved in and I’m losing my mind over how to remove these stains. I would love some advice submitted by /u/meleop [link] [comments]”
“I’ve tried everything from bar keepers, dawn soap and bleach but the stains are still there. I just moved in and I’m losing my mind over how to remove these stains. I would love some advice submitted by /u/meleop [link] [comments]”
“We’ve tried levering with a knife, some kind of water percussion thing (…idk my partner says it’s a ‘thing’) and currently trying to grease with oil (but doesn’t look promising). Any ideas? submitted by /u/Flaky-Cherry7935 [link] [comments]”
“Bottom of my pan has yellow maybe tumeric stains want to know how to clean them. Have put the pans in sunlight, using alcohol, dish soap. Bottom of pan is stainless steel. submitted by /u/DryAd7084 [link] [comments]”
“I’ve tried to everything I can think of… soaking, vinegar, kaboom, comet, bar keepers friend, and SCRUBBING. Pretty sure it’s a porcelain tub, we bought this house 3 years ago and nothing I’ve done has budged it. This grout is also a nightmare… working on that today with oxiclean paste which is a nightmare submitted by /u/Hopeful_Ad_9554 [link] [comments]”
“So I was cooking and left the pot lid in the photo bottom down on the counter top after covering boiling water and it left these brown stains. I’ve tried everything and I can’t get them off. Any help? submitted by /u/Easy_Ask8471 [link] [comments]”
“There's a couple of stubborn rust stains on this bathtub that won't clean up. Tried vinegar as well as straight up hydrochloric acid (~30%). This tub is in the basement, so it doesn't need to be spotless, but it would be nice if it was clean. Btw, this is in central europe, so some cleaners might not be available here. submitted by /u/multitool-collector [link] [comments]”
“There are black marks in my tub where soap and shampoo sat for too long while I was away I think. where the black rectangles are it almost feels like the lining of the tub feels different. i’ve scrubbed and scrubbed, with foaming bathroom spray. should I just soak it in bleach for a while; or does anyone know of products or methods that could help. thank you!!! submitted by /u/vryvrybadluck [link] [comments]”
“Hello. I just moved into this place and noticed some really piled on rust in on the drain and the side of my tub. Im not sure if it’s safe to bathe with so I want to try and clean it off. Any tips or shared experience/advice are greatly appreciated. Cosmetically it is not a massive issue for me although it’s unsightly, I just want it to be clean or at least get some of it off. submitted by /u/Free_Development536 [link] [comments]”
“I've noticed a few weeks ago that our bathtub doesn't drain properly. It seems to be built up hair, but every time I clean it, it comes back two days later. Both me and my boyfriend have long hair, but if it would be just the hair, it would've came up earlier. We moved in together a few months ago, and even though I clean the bathroom often, I focus on the drain like once a month, and even then it's just to feel more fresh, not because it had a problem. It didn't have built u”
“Left a pot beside the sink and forgot to wash it before bed like I meant to. I can’t get this ring off, any ideas. I’ve tried dawn, bleach, vinegar, and scrubbing it multiple ways. It doesn’t scrape off its like a stain. submitted by /u/Greedy_Purchase9323 [link] [comments]”
“Hey everyone. I am in need of help. About once a month for maybe the last year or so, I was having an issue when running my kids tub that these black specs would show up in the water. They would stick to everything, including the sides of the tub, toys etc. you can see in the tub pic what the aftermath looks like. It only ever happened in the tub. The tub is upstairs in our house, and no other shower or sink was having the problem. About every 3rd or 4th time we bathed the kids this would happen”
“Is it possible to get old hair dye out of a bathtub or is it a lost cause? I just bought this house so I have no idea how long ago it was dyed, could be years. submitted by /u/_urmomgoestocollege [link] [comments]”
“Hi everyone! Long time lurker first time poster! Just moved into a new place and there’s this yellowish stain around the drain i CANNOT get rid of. i have tried toilet bowl cleaner, pure bleach, oxiclean, hydrogen peroxide, scrubbing bubble, the pink stuff, colorox…. i just want to take a bath!! any help would be appreciated! submitted by /u/redheadkills [link] [comments]”
“I stupidly used toilet bowl cleaner in my tub and the glaze came off so now it's harder to clean have to scrub more. I can't afford to reglaze and I rent what can I use to clean it going forward? I did this a few years ago just trying to find an easier way to do it. I know I shouldn't have done it now so please just looking for advice submitted by /u/Altruistic_Word9760 [link] [comments]”
“Our previous tenant decided to leave a wet metal pot on top of the counter for around 2 weeks We tried Clorox wipes and isopropyl alcohol, both did not work. Scrubbing it also didn't work as the stain didn't poke out, it feels as if it's sunken into the stone Please help! submitted by /u/SizaiYin [link] [comments]”
okay, so I know this is gross😅 this is my shower mat in my rental. Our bathtub has a problem with standing water after you shower, and I didn’t realize how bad…
“Good lord I need help! I have this hard layer around the edge of the tub I only imagine is calcium? Hard water here. I have tried vinegar scrubbing I have tried various bathroom cleaner and cannot get this hard build up off the tub! I’m hoping one of you all have some trick to get the tub back to its shiny glory, picture of what I’m working on here submitted by /u/norgrenator [link] [comments]”
“I left some plants in a bathtub while I was on vacation and some leaves fell and stained the tub. Any idea how to get it out? Thanks! submitted by /u/_something_else_ [link] [comments]”
“My mom wasn't thinking and stuck a hot metal pan on her dish drying matt. Now it's stuck on. What's the best way to go about cleaning this. Thanks in advance. submitted by /u/moof722 [link] [comments]”
“I rent a very old house with old finishes, no dishwasher, and hard water stains on everything. My pots and pans have burnt on stains. My faucets have scaly build up that I can’t scrub off. My plastic shower floor has rust stains that are embedded into the surface. Will a steam cleaner make everything look brand new and perfect again? I need a miracle. submitted by /u/MisoLaceration [link] [comments]”
“I’m looking to clean my moms old tub and tile surround, it’s been surface level cleaned but the hard water it’s starting to take its toll on the appearance of the whole thing and I’d like to bring it back to life as much as possible without paying to have it resurfaced. It’s not in absolutely horrible condition just needs some elbow grease. Looking for any advice on cleaning solutions that can really get these surfaces nice and shiny. I’ve used CLR and mineral shock before and don’t mind using t”
“I was suggested to post this here for some good tips, hoping to clean this as best as possible without damaging it! Thank you all. submitted by /u/billottsghost [link] [comments]”
“I imagine this greenish teal stain has developed over many years of a slow slow slow drip. how do I remove it without damaging the tub? the tub feels plastic-y. submitted by /u/SymphonySirens [link] [comments]”
“Help removing this stain? I've tried soaking and hand scrubbing with hot water and normal dish soap. I've also run through the dish washer. The stain doesn't have any texture when rubbing a hand over it (feels like the rest of the plate) and, for example, I can't like use a fingernail to dig at it or anything. The shape kinda makes it seem like it came from a smaller plate that maybe sat on top of it. The color of it could be a lot of things. Looks like normal food, but I guess i”
“Ok so my fault - I had a bath bomb on the counter and it stained it. I saw using bleach would get rid of it online, so I did but I left the bleach on too long on accident and it's staying the tub. Now the bleach has left yellow stains in the tub. How do I get it out? I've tried Barkeeper's friend, hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, and the pink stuff (I was careful and it was a last resort when the other stuff didn't work). I'm at a loss for what to do now. Is there anything”
“The culprit seems to be hard water (see how the worst stain is where the water hits it) Ideally something I could put on it and leave it working and then would just need to be scrubbed off Thanks in advance! submitted by /u/agirlhasnoname2026 [link] [comments]”
“I had a wet sweater that I left in the tub overnight and it stained the tub. I tried spraying a bleach/water mixture and I even put some straight bleach on it and nothing happened. I have one of those mini power scrubber things that kind of looks like an oversized toothbrush and that kind of helped some of it come out but that would take HOURS. Looking for any assistance in getting this out please! submitted by /u/hheartstrongg [link] [comments]”
“My daughter’s fiberglass tub has this stain at the bottom that was there when she moved in several years ago and her cleaning people have not been able to remove. Any ideas on what it is and what to try to remove it? TIA! submitted by /u/RelevantBlood3233 [link] [comments]”
“The lighting isn’t the best but today I found this strange yellow stain under the brand new bath mat that I just put in a few days ago. My husband says it’s the mat that caused the stain but I think it’s something one of our kids used while that got trapped under. The drainage in that tub isn’t the best, but it was perfectly white on Monday when I put this mat down. It’s fiberglass bath fitters tub and stains very easily. So far, I haven’t been able to get it out with bar keepers, soft scrub, et”
“Can anyone help a gal out? I’m cleaning out an old bathroom to use, but no matter what I do it won’t come off. I’ve sat here for like 5 minutes straight for the second time trying to get this off with a bristle brush and scrubbing bubbles. Any help, y’all? 🙏 submitted by /u/a-thousand-wishes [link] [comments]”
“Hello everyone, Long story short, I sat a cast iron pan in my parent’s sink and unfortunately forgot all about it. There must have been some small amount of standing water in the sink because when it was discovered there is now a rust colored circle in the sink as you can see. I’ve been attacking this stain with Dawn Powerwash spray soap and Magic Eraser for quite a long time. Scrubbing diligently with the Eraser for upwards of 15-20min intervals and spraying Dawn on it and letting it rest betwe”
“I’ve tried scrubbing with bleach, dish soap, and soft scrub. Is it permanently stained? It’s more yellow looking in person. Edit: bar keepers friend (powdered) worked!! I wet the surface, sprinkled it on. Mixed it in, so it was a paste, and let it sit for 10 min. I then scrubbed it off with a brush. submitted by /u/maaaaaaaaac [link] [comments]”
“I stopped using rinse aid bc it’s super bad for you and subbed it for vinegar instead and it works great”
“Looks like a mix of mineral buildup and general grime. I’d try baking soda + hydrogen peroxide first, let it sit for a bit, then scrub with a non-scratch sponge. Don’t use steel wool though — it can make the tub look worse.”
“Toilet bowl cleaner works well on hard stains in a toilet… you can also repaint the tub. They sale kits online and in stores for tubs and tile.”
“This is my standard copy and paste for this: CLR first. Let sit for 20 minutes. Light scrub. Rinse 5x. Dry with paper towels. Repeat at least a few times on those brown/reddish spots as needed. (if you don't have rust stains you can get away with skipping this step I've found) Irish Spring 5 in 1 Eucalyptus covered in plastic wrap next. Thick layer across whole thing, cover in plastic wrap for 12 hours, come back and remove plastic then scrub lightly and rinse off with hottest tap water.”
“Do this Fill bath with water add few squirts of bleach - mix and leave for 2 hours, drain scrub/rinse (this is the disinfect clean soap scum etc) 2) spray limescale remover over all the stains and wait 5 mins - then scrub rinse off Can use CLR/Irish spring/ etc (may need to repeat if stains remain) **Limescale/mineral stains and bleach are both Alkaline, so the 1st thing wont shift it, maybe just bleach the stains white for a while”
“That doesn’t look like a stain. It looks like the tub’s finish has worn away or the enamel/coating is failing. If that’s the case, no cleaner will fix it. The only real options are refinishing (reglazing) the tub or replacing it.”
“I just read a post recently, where someone sprinkled baking soda all over the bottom and then dawn dishwashing liquid. Let it sit for a bit and use a scrub daddy and it was fantastic. I believe it was in this cleaning tips area.”
“Wet the tub, liberally sprinkle powdered Barkeepers Friend, wait 15-30 minutes, scrub with a Scrub Daddy or non-abrasive scrubber. It should break up the soap scum and grime. Rinse well. Repeat as needed. Alternatively, smear with Irish Spring 5-in-1 body wash, cover in plastic wrap, let it sit 12 hours, then scrub with a Scrub Daddy. People say the eucalyptus scent works best. I don’t personally prescribe to this method, but it seems popular on this sub, for this exact scenario.”