Bath Tub Cleaning Problem

We have one of those Jacuzzi bath tubs that are made out of something like fiberglass, I guess. It's that plastic-looking stuff.

Anyway, the bottom surface has a bit of dirty-looking residue, and I really haven't had luck getting it out. Have tried things like Bon-Ami and other non-scratching powders, but without much luck. I have put water in the tub and added a bit of bleach to it and let it set, but that didn't help. I have used Tilex. Have used general bathroom cleaners. This tub isn't really used very much, and we always clean it after every use. (It's just my husband and I.)

Another thing is about the Jacuzzi part of the tub. One time when we hadn't used it in a while we turned the jets on, and this dark looking stuff came out. It looked somewhat like small pieces of very soggy grey cardboard. I've wondered if it is some sort of mold. Anyway, I filled the tub and poured a lot of bleach in and let that run through the jets and we could use the Jacuzzi for a while. But then in a relatively short time it happened again. We have lived in this house 12 years, and this only began in the last 2 years.

Any ideas about these two problems?

Thanks---

Donna

Reply to
Donna in Texas
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Try car polish it works a treat on our spa. :)

Reply to
Unlucky

The stuff coming out of the jets is some type of mold and/or bacterial biofilm. You can use bleach as you have already done, or you can use automatic dishwasher detergent. Every week or two after using the tub, put in a cup or two of dishwasher detergent and let it run for about 10 minutes. That will clean the plumbing and disinfect it.

As for the "dirt" in the bottom of your tub, it might not be cleanable. There are products for cleaning gel-coated fiberglass. One brand name is Gel Gloss. I believe that they make both a cleaner and a polish. As has been pointed out, you can use auto wax to polish the tub, but that won't take away discoloration, just restore the luster. If it is a surface problem, you might try an auto cleaning compound for clear-coat surfaces. It will be slightly abrasive and will remove surface stains. Follow that with a good auto wax. However, a common problem with gel-coat fixtures is that they develop micro-cracks in the coating. The crazing or micro-crack allow stains to penetrate into the sub-layer where they can't be removed.

Reply to
Vox Humana

my shower floor is made of some type of fiberglass and got dark grey stains that nothing would touch.....like you I tried bleach, dishwasher detergent, Ajax etc. Finally ordered a product from QVC called Don Aslett's Total Tub n Tile Cleaner. This product has helped a lot....the floor looks a lot better then it did before. I spray the floor now about once a month with the product.

Reply to
Muvin Gruvin

(Donna=A0in=A0Texas)WROTE: We have one of those Jacuzzi bath tubs that are made out of something like fiberglass, I guess. It's that plastic-looking stuff. Anyway, the bottom surface has a bit of dirty-looking residue, and I really haven't had luck getting it out. Have tried things like Bon-Ami and other non-scratching powders, but without much luck. I have put water in the tub and added a bit of bleach to it and let it set, but that didn't help. I have used Tilex. Have used general bathroom cleaners. This tub isn't really used very much, and we always clean it after every use. (It's just my husband and I.) Another thing is about the Jacuzzi part of the tub. One time when we hadn't used it in a while we turned the jets on, and this dark looking stuff came out. It looked somewhat like small pieces of very soggy grey cardboard. I've wondered if it is some sort of mold. Anyway, I filled the tub and poured a lot of bleach in and let that run through the jets and we could use the Jacuzzi for a while. But then in a relatively short time it happened again. We have lived in this house 12 years, and this only began in the last 2 years. Any ideas about these two problems? Thanks--------------------------------------------- response: On TV series How Clean Is Your House a couple had the same problem as you do but can't remember what they used to clean the jacuzzi BUT do remember they also had the problem with that grayish looking stuff coming out of the jets when turned on. The ladies took swab samples and sent it to the lab, the results were toxic bacteria,molds that aren't to be messed with, it even gave me goose bumps. I would hire pros PRONTO and find out if it's even safe to use this tub or let them use commercial cleaners and also get to the source what's causing this problem One of the bacteria identified that came back from the lab was the one that causes that flesh eating disease.

Reply to
ms. tonya

Tonya wrote: On TV series How Clean Is Your House a couple had the same problem as you do [with the gray stuff coming out of the jets] The results were toxic bacteria,molds that aren't to be messed with, it even gave me goose bumps. I would hire pros PRONTO and find out if it's even safe to use this tub or let them use commercial cleaners and also get to the source what's causing this problem One of the bacteria identified that came back from the lab was the one that causes that flesh eating disease.

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I was afraid the grayish stuff was something really bad. I really thought that running a strong bleach solution through the jets might take care of that, but obviously I'm wrong, since it's still doing it.

Thanks for the info----I watch "How Clean Is Your House?" sometimes. I can't believe that some people have houses so dirty. I wonder how they pick the houses to feature on television.

Thanks--- Donna

Reply to
Donna in Texas

Thanks you guys for the suggestions on cleaning the fiberglass bottom surface of the bathtub. You gave me ideas I hadn't even considered.

Donna

P.S. I'd take the porelain over iron (or steel or whatever it is) any day. Just FYI for anyone building a house or remodeling.

Reply to
Donna in Texas

Don't revise your will just yet. That TV show is a lot of hype and theatrics. Cleaning isn't all that exciting unless you throw in some drama, and toxic mold is a fashionable thing to discuss. With the exception of vegetative spores that cause hepatitis B, there are very few organisms that will survive hot water and bleach or detergent. Let's face it, there are millions of jetted tubs with mold and biofilm growing in the plumbing. You don't hear of people dying or having their flesh eaten away. You are probably more likely to get Legionnaire's Disease from your hot water plumbing system while taking a shower than you are to get a disease from your jetted bath. I don't see what a professional could do that you couldn't do yourself. In fact, if you call around the folks who do "mold remediation" all have disclaimers that say that they don't guarantee that they can eliminate the problem and make your home safe. However, they don't really deal with mold in a bathtub, but mold that has penetrated porous surfaces that may not be easily treated. You can put very hot water and chemicals through your tub's plumbing and maintain the contact with the hot solution for a prolonged period of time.

As for the houses they pick for that show, I find it hard to believe that some of the mess isn't staged; if not by the show, then by the people who want to be featured on the show. I don't find most of the people very sympathetic. Either they are god-awful lazy or they have some serious mental health issues. For the latter group, I don't think they need a cleaning crew as much as the need some Paxil and a few sessions with a psychiatrist.

Reply to
Vox Humana

A cast iron tub is a luxury item, for sure. The cost, weight, and structural considerations associated with a large cast iron tub can break the budget. I doubt that many of us would have a jetted tub if they only came in cast iron. I bet that large jetted tubs are a feature that is often sought after by home buyers but seldom used. We probably only use our tub five or six times a year. It takes too long to fill and uses too much water. Unless I jack-up the temperature on my 50 gallon water heater, it doesn't heat enough water to fill the tub without going cold. They are wonderful on a cold winter's night or after doing some serious yard work.

Reply to
Vox Humana

Beta strep? It's a common germ, and infections are usually minor.

When you get an infection, your macrophages produce tumor necrosis factor, which causes the brain to produce prostaglandins, which cause fever and shut off tumor necrosis factor. Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs block the production of prostaglandins, causing the white blood cells to keep on producing tumor necrosis factor. This can allow the bacteria to spread through the body, producing toxins which dissolve tissue.

Reply to
Sawney Beane

I agree, however, I do know someone whose house is really bad! Trails through the junk and litter to the bathroom, couch (where she sleeps) and the door. Something mental is definitely wrong with her. Other than that, she is a very sweet person, dresses well, speaks well and plays the piano at her church. It's a mystery to all who know her.

-- Piper I've reached the age where the happy hour is a nap.

Reply to
Piper

Personally, I would rather have an outdoor hot tub.

-- Piper I've reached the age where the happy hour is a nap.

Reply to
Piper

I guess that I am really cheap, so the idea of keeping hundreds of gallons of water piping hot 24/7 bothers me. I don't know if I could enjoy the occasional dip in the hot tub while imagining the dial on the electric meter whirling away. We have some neighbors a few door up the street who have a large hot tub on their deck. Apparently they entertain in the tub quite often. The street is lined with cars on the weekend. One day they stopped to talk while I was outside doing some yard work. I gave them my condolences about their unfortunate circumstances of buying a house next to a viscous gossip. They laughed and said that they hoped that she wasn't too upset about the fact that they used the hot tub naked.

Reply to
Vox Humana

When things start to get too messy, I know that I am depressed. I find that just cleaning helps me snap out of the depression. Getting started may be a little hard, but once I start I feel better. I don't know if it is the physical activity or the fact that cleaning gives you the sense that you have some control over your circumstances.

Reply to
Vox Humana

I think it might be both. I love a clean house. I'm not talking about 'don't put your feet up' or not having anything out of place. I mean clean. When the dust is gone and the floors shine and the bathroom smells fresh and clean. It really picks me up. The exercise can't hurt either. :)

-- Piper I've reached the age where the happy hour is a nap.

Reply to
Piper

ROFLOL! Maybe she'd like to be invited over, who knows? As for the expense of the hot tub, you have a good point. If I had one it would be just a small two person thing. We don't throw naked parties.

-- Piper I've reached the age where the happy hour is a nap.

Reply to
Piper

You might be on to something. The neighbors with the hot tub are lesbians. I wonder if the gossip's husband was asking for binoculars for Christmas! The neighbor was bad mouthing them even before the women moved in. We have lots of unmarried straight couples on the street, but she apparently doesn't have an issue with that. The women have the best toys ( big ass truck, speed boat, hot tub, a pair of large German Shepards, etc) of anyone in the neighborhood. I laugh every time I see them drive off with that big boat behind the big diesel truck with the "he man" neighbors driving wimpy trucks. It puts a new twist on penis envy.

Reply to
Vox Humana

Are you in medical field? Don't you think that americans have lowered their immunity by attempting to remove all microorganism in their surrounding though unsucessfully?

Reply to
amanda772006

No.

I am in favor of limiting one's exposure to germs. Handwashing is a time-tested measure. It can be fatal if doctors don't do it while making rounds in hospitals.

A body has only so much energy. An immune response takes energy. That energy is not available for other things. A bad cold can lower resistance to pneumonia.

It seems the immune system normally handles beta strep easily, but I wouldn't want to risk bathing in a big colony of germs. If germs were growing in my tub plumbing, I'd circulate water with a little bleach and a little baking soda.

Reply to
Sawney Beane

Are you saying you are NOT a doctor?

Reply to
Mrs Bonk

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