How to care for an acrylic bath: useful tips

Acrylic bath is convenient, stylish, comfortable and inexpensive. That is why an increasing number of people prefer acrylic bathtubs to products from another material. One of the main advantages of acrylic is its lightness. An acrylic bathtub can be moved independently if desired - its weight does not exceed 30 kg. In turn, the cast-iron bath will have to be pulled by the efforts of several adult men.

Acrylic bath is suitable for any interior - thanks to the plasticity of the material, acrylic can be used to make products of any shape and color. Acrylic, in addition, has poor thermal conductivity. This means that a full bath of hot water will take longer to cool, which is important. The acrylic bath is very pleasant to the touch - it has a smooth, even surface. If necessary, if the bath is scratched or damaged, the defect can be eliminated by treating the area with liquid acrylic.

For the sake of fairness, I would like to note that acrylic has its drawbacks. One of the main ones is the impossibility of cleaning it with abrasive detergents. Any aggressive components can destroy the acrylic surface. To keep your new bathtub looking its best for as long as possible, you need to know how to take care of it.

How not to clean an acrylic bath

Before you start cleaning plumbing, it is important to indicate how this should definitely not be done. When cleaning the tub, never use hard sponges or abrasive cleaners. The smallest particles leave scratches on the surface of the bath, which spoil the appearance of the product. Of course, the bath can later be polished and get rid of unpleasant scratches, but this is a very long and painstaking task. And in general, trouble is better to prevent than to correct.

Do not use any chlorine-containing detergents. Chlorine acts very aggressively on acrylic, the surface darkens, becomes porous. The same effect is obtained when cleaning the bath with ammonia, acetone and formaldehyde products. Be careful when choosing acrylic cleaners.

How to wash an acrylic bath

It is best when buying a detergent for cleaning an acrylic bathtub to find a label on the package confirming that this composition is safe for acrylic. Today, almost any manufacturer of detergents have bath cleaning gels in their line.

1. To begin with, the bath is poured with warm water to prepare for the upcoming cleaning.
2. The selected product is applied dotted in several places on the surface of the bath, as well as on a soft cloth. Never use sponges, especially hard ones.
3. It is best to carry out manipulations with rubber gloves so that the detergent does not dry the skin.
4. After that, you need to wipe every centimeter of the acrylic surface with a rag, thoroughly cleaning all dirt.
5. If you have tough stains or rust marks on the surface of your tub, you can remove them with a household acid such as vinegar or lemon juice. Pour vinegar, freshly squeezed lemon juice, or diluted citric acid over the dirt. Leave on for 15-20 minutes, then wipe with a cloth. The procedure can be repeated several times until the acrylic is completely cleansed.
6. If acetic and citric acid do not help, alcohol can be used. It also removes some types of stains very well.
7. After thorough cleaning, you need to leave the bath for an hour, and then wash off the soap composition.
8. After washing, wipe the bath dry, after which it can be used for its intended purpose.

Such a washing algorithm will allow you to clean the bath from various contaminants and not damage the acrylic surface.

There are some nuances, the observance of which will allow you to keep the shine and cleanliness of the acrylic bath for many years.

1. Severe pollution should not be allowed - order should not be restored, but maintained. With timely cleaning, you do not have to resort to special detergents. It is enough once a week to lightly wipe the bathtub with a soapy cloth to make it shine like new.
2. An acrylic bathtub does not require abrasive cleaners, not because they damage its surface, but because acrylic does not need it. The special surface simply does not allow contamination to be absorbed into the structure of the material, the stain remains on the surface and is easily removed.
3. If regularly rinsed with hot water, the bathtub will retain the luster of its polished finish.
4. Before cleaning the bathtub with any household chemicals, first apply a little soapy composition to a small area of ​​the bathtub. This will allow you to check the reaction of the surface to the components of the detergent.
5. To prevent rust stains from forming on the surface of the bathtub, repair all faucets and close them tightly.
6. To restore the lost shine of the acrylic surface, wipe the bathtub with a special composition for polishing furniture. It will hide all the smallest scratches and instantly transform the surface.
7. If you are bathing animals, be sure to place a rubber mat on the bottom to protect the surface from scratches from claws.
8. Do not place metal basins and buckets in the bath so as not to damage the surface. It is best to use a plastic container.

How to get rid of scratches on acrylic

It is not always possible to protect the bath from damage. Careless dropping of metal objects or overzealous cleaning may scratch the acrylic surface. But this can also be dealt with.

Acrylic scratches appear as easily as they are removed. Therefore, you shouldn't worry too much about them. Small scratches with a depth of less than a millimeter are perfectly eliminated with an ordinary piece of felt, without special trowels. Take a piece of felt and rub it over the scratches until they are invisible. It usually doesn't take long.

Deep scratches and damage can be repaired with liquid acrylic. It is sold in hardware and hardware stores and is a paste. Liquid acrylic is applied to the surface of the bath according to the instructions, after which you need to wait for it to dry completely. Then the surface of the bath is polished with the same felt to achieve a smooth and even layer. Liquid acrylic can be not only white - you can easily choose a shade that suits your bath.

An acrylic bathtub can be repaired even if you have a through hole. But only if your tub is pure acrylic, not acrylic-coated plastic. To do this, the bath on the reverse side is sealed with adhesive tape for fixation. Then liquid acrylic is applied from the inside so as to fill the hole. After it hardens, the surface is leveled and polished. This procedure can be performed independently, it is not necessary to call a master for this.

Bath acrylic is a modern, durable and comfortable material that allows you to implement the most daring design solutions. Proper care of an acrylic bathtub will allow you to keep its beauty and shine for many years to come.

Video: how to wash an acrylic bath