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Jenn asked: How can I clean the non-slip tread on my porcelain tub? The tub is less than 5 years old, in great shape, but the non-slip surface on the bottom of the tub will not come clean! I have tried everything I can think of. Bleach improves it but it won’t return it to white.
Though 
non-slip treading offers a wonderful safety feature in the bathtub, it can quickly collect dirt and grease. Cleaning these surfaces (without removing them) requires a tough clean that will cut through the dirt without damaging the tread. Following these steps to give a fresh, clean look to your bath. Below you will find three options that can get the treads clean.
You Will Need:
- A Cleaning Solution (choose one):
- Tilex
- R.O.G.3 Tub and Tile Cleaner
- Bar Keepers Friend
- Sponges or old soft cloths
- Rubber gloves
- Water
Steps to Clean the Non-Slip Tread:
- Start by ventilating the room by opening any available windows and protecting your hands with rubber gloves.
- It may even be helpful to clean the bathtub as normal first to remove day-to-day dirt and soap scum so you can get right to the source of the stains.
- To use Tilex, spray the entire floor of the tub with Tilex.
- Let the Tilex sit on the stains for several minutes up to a half an hour.
- Moisten the soft cloths or sponges with water and gently scrub the area.
- Rinse the entire base of the tub thoroughly and repeat as necessary.
- If the stains persist, try the following cleaning steps.
- To use R.O.G. 3, apply the cleaner to the stained area.
- Allow the cleaner to soak for about 10 minutes.
- Scrub the area with a sponge or soft cloth.
- Repeat as necessary until all of the stains are removed.
- To use Bar Keepers Friend, sprinkle the cleaner over the stains.
- Gently scrub with a damp cloth or sponge. Try to only scrub the areas on the treading, not on the surrounding tub area. Although Bar Keepers friend is considered safe for porcelain, one of the leading tub manufacturers, Kohler, says that over time it can cause discoloration. (Instead, Kohler recommends one of the other two cleaners.)
- When finished, clean the tub thoroughly to ensure that all cleaning products are removed prior to use.
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Additional Tips and Ideas
- TRR, Toilet Ring Remover, is available at most drug stores and can be applied and wiped away with a sponge. Repeat applications until all stains are gone. Rinse the area thoroughly when finished.
- Be sure to keep small children and pets out of the bathroom and away from any of these cleaning products as they can quickly become dangerous in small hands.
Sources:
- Kohler – Cast Iron Baths and Whirlpools
- R.O.G. 3 – Cast Iron Tubs
- Bar Keepers Friend – The Fastest Way to Clean a Dirty Bathtub
- Retro Renovation – Kohler says “no” to: Magic Eraser, Comer, Bar Keepers Friend, Zud, Vinegar, etc…. for cleaning its porcelain enamel cast iron
This non-skid junk turned black about one month after I installed this tub. We have tried numerous remedies and nothing has worked. We do not care about the non-skid floor; for my money it can just go away. How can I just get rid of it? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Waiting for an idea. Thanks!
Orv,
Here is the article you need; How to Remove Non-Slip Treading.
You could also try soaking the treading with white vinegar and scraping it with a plastic spatula, as seen in the HowCast video on removing non-slip appliques from bathtubs.
Another idea: if vinegar alone isn’t working, you could try sprinkling baking soda on the vinegar and scrubbing with a scrub brush or sponge. (Note: wear gloves and watch videos online of how baking soda and vinegar react first.)
Alternatively, Retro Renovation has a blog article on using R.O.G.3 cleaner on non-slip threading with impressive pictures; Cleaning the bathtub slip resistant bottom: OMG, it’s like new!
I can not believe you are actually suggesting people mix cleaners in this manner. Chlorine gas can be FATAL in small amounts, and mixing Comet with other liquid cleaners OFTEN results in the production of chlorine gas. I hope you are aware of the liabilities involved in suggesting this to your readers. NO AMOUNT OF VENTILATION MAKES THIS SAFE!!!
DO NOT MIX HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS! EVER! NEVER EVER!
Do not use a Magic Erase on a non-skid tub; it ruined my non-skid surface!
Use Mr. Clean Magic Eraser for my bath tubs, and it was unbelievable! A little simple elbow grease does the job.
Hi! I have a ringing around the middle of my tub. It’s like a brown ring, soap build up. How do I clean it?
Ruth,
This is the article you need: How to Clean Soap Scum.
I am having the same problem and I am curious what anyone has used to clean the surface. Just reading about Bar Keepers Friend. Is this any good? Going to find some today.
I just had cataract surgery and could not see the grunge on the non-skid surface. Tried a few things, but just this morning, I tried the Dawn soap and Comet and followed the instructions…sparking white tub floor!
I have tried most of the above recommendations for cleaning and not one has worked. Help!
Try Oxyclean. Sprinkle Oxyclean powder over the bottom of tub. Fill your tub, just covering the bottom where the non-skid covering is with hot water. Let it soak for 6 hours or so. Let the water out and scrub with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser for bath. It doesn’t take a lot of scrubbing and my two year stains on the non-skid surface from contractors standing in tub was clean!
How can I tell if my Dawn doesn’t contain ammonia? There are no ingredients listed, but the back of the bottle does say, “Do not add bleach.” Should I get another bottle of Dawn?
I don’t like scrubbing so took the advice of one of the comments on this post that said the Rog3 worked great. I lucked out as I found out Amazon had free shipping – saved me a bunch of money. Anyway, the ROG cleaners worked great; the ovals on our bathtub came bright white – unbelievable.
Great stuff and with no acid.