Is there a mysterious blue green stain in your bathtub, and you’re unsure how to clean it? We’re all familiar with water spots, soap scum, and rust stains in sinks and tubs, yet bluish bathtub stains are a bit different. Learn what causes these stains and how to remove blue water stains from a bathtub.
Bathtubs are one of the most challenging to clean. They aren’t as easy to scrub as a sink or shower wall. You usually have to contort into an awkward position to reach all areas or even get into the tub for convenient cleaning.
Since bathtub cleaning is such a pain, it’s best to know beforehand which cleaners remove hard water stains versus green water stains. Cleaning a tough stain with the correct cleaner ensures you get the job done right the first time.
Fortunately, all you need to remove a blue stain from the bathtub is a few natural ingredients from around your home. Roll up your sleeves, grab a cleaner, and get started.
- Cleaning Blue Water Stains From a Bathtub
- What Causes Blue Stains in a Bathtub?
- How to Clean Blue Stains off a Tub With Baking Soda
- Removing Blue Water Stains From a Bathtub With Salt
- How to Remove Blue Water Stains From a Bathtub With Vinegar
- Removing Blue Stains From a Tub With Peroxide
- Use Cream of Tartar to Clean Blue Bathtub Stains
- Tips for Preventing Blue Bathtub Stains
Cleaning Blue Water Stains From a Bathtub
Blue water stains in the bathtub are unsightly, and traditional cleaners aren’t enough to remove them. Find out how to clean these stubborn stains with everything from baking soda and white vinegar to hydrogen peroxide.
What Causes Blue Stains in a Bathtub?
Your first reaction when seeing blue stains in the bathtub is probably concern since the staining resembles mold. Thankfully, a blue stain around the tub drain is not moldy growth. Learn what these stains are and what causes them.
Blue Tub Stains
The leading cause of a blue stain in the bathtub near the plumbing fixtures is copper. Over time, a copper pipe oxidizes, leaving a blue and green stain in the sink, bathtub, and toilet bowl.
Unlike moldy black stains and soap scum buildup, regular cleaners aren’t enough to remove a blue bathtub stain. Therefore, removing blue water stains from a bathtub with the proper cleaning solution is vital to ensure the tub is clean.
How to Clean Blue Stains off a Tub With Baking Soda
Sodium bicarbonate, what most call baking soda, is great for removing blue water stains from a bathtub. Its alkalinity and natural scrubbing power loosen the spot from the tub without causing scratches and damage.
Pour baking soda into a small bowl, add a small amount of water, and stir the ingredients to form a thick paste. Apply the cleaning paste to the stubborn stain and leave it for several minutes.
Scrub the stained area with a sponge, and use clean sponge sections as needed until the blue marks are gone. Rinse the tub well with clean water and dry it with a towel.
Removing Blue Water Stains From a Bathtub With Salt
Salt gently scours away stains and is ideal for removing copper buildup. Combine salt with lemon juice, and you have a strong yet gentle cleaner with a pleasing scent. Discover how to clean blue stains off a tub with table salt and lemons.
Pour water into the tub to dampen it, and sprinkle enough salt over the blue stains to cover them. Rub the salt with the cut side of a lemon, and use moderate circular motions to scrub away the stain. Rinse the area well with hot water and dry it with a cloth.
How to Remove Blue Water Stains From a Bathtub With Vinegar
Another way to get blue stains out of the tub is with white vinegar. Vinegar has acidic qualities that dissolve bathtub stains like those from hard water and copper, and it’s safe for use on all bathtub types.
Pour one cup of vinegar into a bottle, add about a tablespoon of salt, and shake the container until the salt dissolves. Spray the solution on the tub stain and leave it for a few minutes.
Use a soft-bristled brush to gently scour the bathtub stain, and apply the cleaner as needed. Once the blue spot is gone, rinse the tub and dry it with a towel.
Removing Blue Stains From a Tub With Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is a standard bathroom product most people use for disinfecting cuts and scrapes. It’s also an excellent stain remover with mild bleaching abilities. Discover how to clean blue stains off a tub by mixing peroxide with baking soda.
Pour about a cup of baking soda into a small container, add a half cup of hydrogen peroxide, and stir the two ingredients together. Apply the peroxide paste to the bathtub stain with a sponge and let it sit for ten minutes.
Scrub the stain with the sponge until it’s gone, and rinse the tub with clean water. Dry the tub thoroughly to prevent water spots and mildew growth.
Use Cream of Tartar to Clean Blue Bathtub Stains
Cream of tartar is another option for getting blue cleaning solution stains off a bathtub. This dry, acidic powder is a byproduct of grape fermenting. While it’s popular for baking, it brightens whites and removes stains.
Shake enough cream of tartar over the stain to cover it, and spray white vinegar over the top. We prefer pouring the vinegar into a spray bottle for easy application and better control.
Scrub the vinegar and cream of tartar into the area with a sponge until no more blue color is present. Rinse the bathtub with hot water and dry it with a soft towel.
Tips for Preventing Blue Bathtub Stains
Getting green stains out of a ceramic tub takes time and effort; preventing them is always better. Find out how to keep your bathtub clean and stop annoying blue-green stains from forming.
Bathtub Stain Prevention
Many stain types affect bathtubs, whether it’s an acrylic bathtub or a fiberglass tub. Hard water deposits, rust, and copper stains are some of the more common. Installing a water softener is an ideal way to avoid a hard water or rust stain from forming in the shower.
This water treatment removes minerals from the water, lessening the chance of staining on the shower door or acrylic tub. Remove sitting water from the bottom of the tub with a spare towel to control blue stains from acidic water.
Keep a spray bottle of vinegar and water in the bathroom and spray it over all the tub surfaces after bathing or showering. Treat blue stains as soon as you see them to keep them from worsening.
Blue water stains are just as challenging to remove as hair dye stains and hard water stains. Luckily, simple home remedies like baking soda and white vinegar remove these tough stains, leaving the tub clean and stain-free.
We hope that learning how to remove blue water stains from a bathtub keeps your tub sparkling, and we’d love it if you’d share our tips for cleaning blue bathtub stains with your family and friends on Pinterest and Facebook.