We have collected a couple of different suggestions for the type of chemicals to consider for the cleaning part of the clawfoot tub refinishing. However, you might already have chemicals at home that are both strong and that you think would be good for the purpose.
Here are our recommendations:
Bar Keepers Friend Soft Cleanser
Where to use it
| Where to use it | Where not to use it |
| Showers | Gold |
| Sinks | Silver |
| Tile | Polished stone fx marble or granite |
| Doors | Colored grout |
| Shower | Lacquered, painted, or mirrored surfaces |
| Sink | |
| Countertop |
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Extra Durable
Where to use it
- Bathroom
- Bathtub
- Doors
- Light switches
- Oven door
- Wall and much more
Where not to use it
- high gloss
- polished
- dark
- brushed
- satin
- faux
- bare/polished wood
- copper
- stainless steel
- non-stick coating or
- vehicle body
| Bar Keepers Friend Soft Cleanser | Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Extra Durable | |
| Price | 11,99$ | 13,24$ |
| Volume | 13 fluid oz | 10 pads |
| Notes | Non Abrasive. Textured melamine sponge for tough cleaning task. Wet. Squeeze. Erase | Powerful clean with water alone. No harsh chemicals added. Store in a cool place |
Those will be some of the recommendations you will find when looking around online. However, you may be dealing with stains so ingrained that even those two chemicals. While both are very powerful, they will have a hard time getting the job done.
When you have an old bathtub with a significant amount of rust, it is no surprise that getting that rust off can be quite the challenge.
When you put your mind to it, you will likely be able to bring the tub back close to its former glory simply by properly cleaning it.
When you are done scrubbing and putting in the effort, you might even get to a situation where you don’t think refinishing the tub’s interior is needed.
The outside of a tub rarely has the protective coating that the inside has. It means there is a fair chance that this part of the project won’t be as forgiving with a round of cleaning as the inside may be.
An old tub will usually have a significant amount of flaking paint. Before you start doing anything that includes giving it a new coat of paint, you will have to remove those uneven surfaces.
Test the tub early on for the presence of lead. You may very well end up choosing that it is better to replace it than refinish it if it turns out that your bathtub does have lead paint.
Water is a material that will cause wear and tear. It’s especially if the material and the paint applied aren’t intended to withstand the destructive force of water.
We cannot stress enough how much you may want to give up the project if the tub proves to have lead paint on it.
Suppose you do find out that it includes the material. In that case, we encourage you to read our article on the topic of inner-city schools.
| Year | |
| Lead prohibited in paint | 1978 |
| Lead prohibited in consumer products | 1992 |
While not being the only issue, deteriorating lead paint is just one of these schools’ issues. It can cause elevated blood lead levels.
Suppose your kids are going to be bathing in the bathtub. You don’t want them to start chewing on old, flaky paint accidentally. You want it even less so if it is as dangerous as lead paint is.
If your bathtub has had multiple layers of paint and perhaps even been reglazed before, the risk that it contains lead only goes up.
When you find out that the bathtub doesn’t contain lead, you are also more free to use the type of sanding device that you find to be easier. This could be either a chemical solution or a sander.
Here’s an article that outlines the paint strippers we recommend.
Whether or not the tub turns out to have lead in it, it’s always a good idea to make sure that you are properly protecting yourself.
Other lead sources
Lead may be the biggest issue you would likely be running into. Various small dust particles going down and situating themselves in your lungs isn’t all too desired anyway.
A good tip to consider is to keep the surface wet. You will also be running into fewer dust issues, which is why it may be a good idea to wet it continuously.
Before you even start considering the type of color that you want on this bathtub, you will want to make sure there is no flaky paint on it.
The next important step is to apply a primer to the bathtub. Something like a Rust-Oleum, high-performance metal primer may be a good option for you to consider!
It’s important to know that you won’t be getting a paint job that will last you all that long without a proper primer.
In the process of applying the primer, you may be doing it in an area where you are concerned about the floors. Put out protection on the floors to avoid any spillage. We recommend 6mm sheeting.
Finally, you will need to top the whole thing off with a nice coat of rust-resistant paint that fits the overall look that you are going for with your bathroom.
Make sure to read some of our other articles on preventing lead exposure, like the one we just published on frangible ammo.
