How To Polish Fiberglass Tubs

Fiberglass is a popular bathtub material thanks to its durability and long life span. But making sure you keep it clean and shiny will help your bathtub look newer for longer. Knowing the correct cleaning methods and how to polish fiberglass tubs, alongside proper bathtub maintenance, can help ensure your tub always looks fresh and inviting.

Fiberglass is known for being durable and hard-wearing, but it's still very important to employ the correct cleaning techniques. As Home Tips explains, using overly harsh cleansers or abrasive scrubbers to clean your tub can cause lasting damage to the fiberglass. It's recommended you start your cleaning process with something more gentle, like regular dishwashing soap and a soft cloth or sponge.

If you prefer to opt for a homemade fiberglass tub cleaner, Home Depot recommends mixing 2 parts vinegar with 1 part water in a spray bottle and using this to clean out your tub. You should spray liberally and then allow the solution to work for up to 15 minutes before rinsing it away.

To remove tougher stains from fiberglass, you can create a compress of hydrogen peroxide soaked into a towel, as recommended by Glass.com. Apply the towel to stains and allow it to sit for up to an hour. Once you've removed your compress, make sure to rinse thoroughly to avoid any residue potentially damaging your tub.

After cleaning your tub thoroughly, you should do a warm and cool rinse to finish. The warmer water will loosen any lingering oily residue on your bathtub, while the cool rinse will help get rid of any cleaning products. Make sure you thoroughly dry your tub with a soft towel after use, as leaving it to air-dry can cause watermarks and make it difficult to get your bathtub looking shiny and new.

Once your tub is clean, stain-free and dry, you can begin the process of making it shine once more. The first step is to polish your porcelain tub with a rag to get the surface as smooth as possible. For even more shine, though, try waxing your tub around once per year. It's a similar principle to waxing your car, and you can even use car wax to do so.

You can apply this wax with a microfiber cloth, making sure you particularly focus it in areas of damage or extra wear. Once you've applied it to your tub, you can use the same cloth to remove it, buffing in circular motions. It's important to focus your application of wax only on the sides of your tub, as it'll make the bottom extremely slippery and dangerous. The more you buff the wax, the shinier it becomes, so continue until you're happy with the look.

Once you have your fiberglass bathtub clean and shiny, it's a good idea to try to keep it that way. The good news is, the wax polish will help protect your tub, meaning you can lengthen the time between cleanings.

To keep your tub looking shiny, make sure you wipe it down and dry it thoroughly after each use to minimize watermarking. Treating any scuffs with wax as they appear can help in the appearance of your tub and its life span.