No matter what kind of bathroom bathtub you have at home, keeping it clean is an important part of its regular maintenance. Luckily enough, there are a lot of homemade cleaning solutions that can help you out. If you do a quick search on homemade bathtub cleaning hacks, you will encounter a lot of articles that use baking soda. But is it really an effective cleaner for your bathtub?

Baking soda as a cleaner

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a chemical compound that not only helps you bake goods but also doubles as a cleaner. Baking soda is also effective in creating a weak alkali that helps get rid of strong smells.

Baking soda is incredibly cheap so you do not have to worry about using it for cleaning your bathtub as well. It is also non-toxic so it is safe to use on any kind of surface, unlike chemical cleaners that can contain harsh chemicals that can do more damage in the long run.

How it works

Baking soda will react with the grease in the stains. The reaction triggers the formation of glycerol, a common cleaning agent that can also be found in soaps.

Exceptions when it comes to using baking soda as a cleaner

Of course, all things have their exceptions. Baking soda also has its limitations. These are some of the limitations that you should know before you use baking soda as a cleaner.

• Some bathtub material does not go well with baking soda. Baking soda usually leaves a cleaning smudge after. Because of this, it is not recommended if your bathtub is made out of stone resin or wood. The smudge will be very visible in these materials. Materials like fiberglass, porcelain, acrylic, ceramic, cast iron, cultured marble, and copper are baking soda friendly.
• Baking soda may be versatile but its effects are mild. Cleaning with baking soda is most effective for cleaning mildew and mild scum build-up. If you are dealing with larger dirt problems, you will need a different and stronger cleaner.
• Cleaning your bathtub with baking soda is labor-intensive. You will have to do a lot of hard scrubbing to deal with the stains.
• Baking soda is not recommended for bathtubs with enamel finish. Regular cleaning with baking soda can damage and corrode the finish in time.

How to use baking soda to clean your bathtub

Sprinkle baking soda on the dirty spots of your bathtub. Then, add warm water to these spots. You will notice that this will cause bubbles to appear. Wait for two to three minutes before you start scrubbing the surface. You will find that the stains will disappear and your bathtub will be looking as if it is brand new after rinsing the baking soda off the surface.

But if you find that some stains are stubborn no matter how much you try to scrub them, all you have to do is use a cleaning combo. For baking soda, you can mix it with ammonia or vinegar. Do the same process described above and the stubborn stains should be dealt with by then.

You can use also baking soda to clean the drain of your bathtub. Dump a one-half cup of baking soda down the drain and dump an equal amount of vinegar.