New Bathtub discolored Question.

May 02, 2008 9 Replies

Ok here's a good one. Customer called me today, her maid or cleaning lady used something (she thinks some kind of toilet cleaner) on her brand new fiberglass or acrylic tub. What ever she used turned a off white tub, bright white but only where it ran and other spots where it sat. It appears it did not degrade the finish just turned it very white. I told them I could probably get it bright white but never to it's original color. They kinda figured that. But they don't know what the idiot maid used and she can't remember.



Anyone have a clue on what she may have used or what I can use to treat this new tub and get it one color again, bright white?



Thanks, Rich


If she used a cleaner with a solvent especially one with Acetone in it, it will damage the surface. Some window cleaners have acetone but not many. Other solvents that damage plastic will also do this. If it is solvent damage, the surface won't feel as glossy as before. Buffing with gel coat cleaner might help with this. Additional solvent damage can crack fiberglass so don't go crazy trying to make the damage uniform if that's what it was. You or they should also contact the tub manufacturer before doing anything permanent, they will know more about the material and how to repair it than anyone.

I don't know of any chemical that will change the pigment in Fiberglass/Acrylic so I doubt that is just bleached white. I suspect that the surface damage is just making it look white.

In the future tell them to have the maid use liquid dishwasher detergent on the tub. This way they don't have to stock a separate acrylic tub cleaner or just use gel coat cleaner, its good for stainless steel and stone surfaces too.

It doesn't look like the surface was damaged or etched. It just looks like it turned it very white. You can see where it was applied and it ran down the inside of the tube, that area is much whiter than orginial. I just want to turn it all one color.

??? Why not ASK the cleaning lady?

or what I can use to treat this

Auhhhh, 6 lines up is your answer. geeeeeeeeeeeeezzzz

WHAT? Are you both idiots? Or did you even finish reading the freakin post? SHE DOES NOT REMEMBER WHAT SHE USED. Is that clear enough?

Yeah, but that's only what she SAYS. The only way to be sure she's not lying - out of embarrassment, fear, protecting loved ones, or holding out for more money, is torture.

Have you tried electric shock?

Think Water Boarding in the bath tub would be better approach!!!

An off white tub is now streaked white and you want to try to bleach it all whiter, forget aboud it, you might ruin it, they might paint the streaks back to off white, or let the maid treat it again.

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