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annietee_gw

cleaning non-slip surface in tub

annietee
16 years ago

I have a Kohler cast-iron bathtub with slip-resistant areas applied to the bottom. I have no problem keeping the rest of the bathtub clean (I like Simple Green), but those slip-resistant areas don't get clean no matter what product I use. Or perhaps it is more correct to say they're stained. Any ideas on how to make my tub look good again?

Comments (69)

  • MiMi
    15 years ago

    You can get Tilex at Walmart. It's in a spray bottle with all the other shower/tub cleaners. It is the best stuff ever for soap scum etc. .Debbie

  • pegasusquilts
    15 years ago

    HOLD ON JUST A SECOND--The person using Dawn and comet together (videorobo) was using Dawn LIQUID, which is a very mild dish soap. It is used by museums and schools to make bubble solution for kids, so I doubt it contains ammonia. it should be fine with comet.

    Maybe the Dawn POWER DISSOLVE contains ammonia and should not be used with other products. There is no warning on the Dawn Liquid.

    Thanks everyone for your information--I ordered a plain tub when I remodeled, no no-slip areas, but my contractor scratched it with a ladder, and replaced it with one that does have this nuisance feature. I didn't know he'd bought the wrong one until it was installed. GRRR!

  • mara_2008
    15 years ago

    Tilex is a very strong cleaner, which is why it works so well. BE SURE your bathroom is well-ventilated if you use it. My sil was using it to clean her bathrooms a few years ago when she was pregnant, and she was so overcome by the fumes, she almost passed out. Like I said, it cleans GREAT - just be sure your bathroom is WELL ventilated.

    Sometimes when dear hubby cleans my bathroom from top to bottom (about twice a year - my back/hip make it hard for me to do deep cleaning), he sprays our tub/shower down with it and lets it sit about an hour, both to give it time to work and to let the fumes air out.

  • mara_2008
    15 years ago

    Our bathroom does get cleaned more than twice a year, LOL!

    I was talking about what is usually called 'spring' cleaning.

  • raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
    15 years ago

    I have an old porcelain tub, very worn finish & nothing was getting it clean--until I tried liquid automatic dishwasher detergent (eg cascade or similar). It was like magic!

    Now, my mother's vinyl(?) shower pan is awful, and nothing I have tried so far including magic eraser has worked. I will look for that TRR & try that next.

  • isettakurt_yahoo_com
    15 years ago

    I have the same tub with the same problem.I have used industrial floor degreaser (purple),Zep grout cleaner,toilet bowl cleaner (blue- "the works"),soft scrub with bleach,powdered laundry detergent,fantastic,tilex,Clorox cleanup.I have mixed and matched-the fumes will make you sick.After hours of scrubbing and sitting their still is a light noticeable staining.The toilet bowl cleaner (with acid) worked the best.Does anyone have a better product????

  • sooz
    15 years ago

    Just what I was looking for...well, this and info on kaboom never scrub toilet stuff!

    I love these forums!
    Smiles,
    Sooz

  • cmreeves
    13 years ago

    I tried most of the cleaning products from above, and some not listed here. Some of them kinda worked, but not really well.

    A friend suggested, as a last ditch effort, that I try toothpaste. I wasn't expecting much, since commercial cleaners hadn't done much, but it worked better than anything else I tried! It took a bit of scrubbing, but it's whiter than I've ever seen the tub!

  • flowerfarmer1
    13 years ago

    I too used magic eraser. But something easier, wash your tub with good shampoo( Rusk, or tresamee) let it sit for a few hours up to 24 hrs and the rinse, it works great without all that scrubbing.

  • alto-gardener
    13 years ago

    I don't have the Kohler cast iron tub but also have one with a non-skid surface that's difficult to clean. Used to spend 15+ minutes with a magic eraser which was crazy then by accident (was soaking something in the tub) found that a large scoop of Oxy Clean with just enough water to cover the non-skid area works like a miracle. I let it sit over night and the next morning don't even have to scrub.

    Since I don't have cast iron I'm not sure that Oxy can be used, but it does an excellent job on fiberglass or whatever my tub is.

  • mesoinc_hotmail_com
    13 years ago

    I have a brand new Kohler tub with that darned non-slip surface. I was dismayed to read all the comments about difficulty in cleaning and was cursing that plumbing contractor who put it in, I can tell you. When my tile men got brown powdered grout in the bottom of the tub, I knew I was in for it. I tried white vinegar first, then Barkeeper's Friend to no avail. Then I had a brainstorm! I recalled how I had used WD-40 to remove gummy
    price stickers from glassware. In my garage I found a can of Wal-Mart's generic called Super Tech Multi-purpose Lubricant. It's clear, unlike WD-

    1. Using a heavy duty nylon mesh scrubbie, I went after small areas at a time and wiped each area with a rag before moving on. This method
      TOOK OUT EVERY STAIN!! WAHOO! And I didn't have to buy the $40
      product off the internet. Just be sure to read the Safe Handling Measures
      on the can. This stuff is highly flammable. Good luck to everyone. Hope it works for you.
  • rosa_rugosa
    13 years ago

    I bought some Barkeeper's Friend after reading this thread several weeks ago. I didn't notice much difference after using it for the first time, but now after using it weekly for about a month, there is definitely a difference and it looks much cleaner.

  • ptarmey2_msn_com
    12 years ago

    I have cast iron tub that has been in place for 41 years. The non-skid bottom is part of the tub (not something applied) and that is where the dirt(?) gets trapped and turns orange. I've tried bleach, powdered cleanser, scrubbing with a stiff brush, a Dobie pad, etc. I'm going to try the toothpaste and see what happens.

  • ooon
    12 years ago

    I own rental property and have been cleaning Kohler tubs for over 20 years.
    I have over 100 tubs to clean every year so I have had a lot of motivation to find the best way. I am going to try the R.O.G. products mentioned here and the oxy clean but so for what has worked very well for me is a Scotchbrite #96 pad( a green scrubbie) and Comet with bleach. The key is to scrub with your foot because you can put a lot more weight behind it that you can using your arm. Do a 6"x6" area at a time so the force is concentrated. I can get the non slip area looking brand new in 10 minutes with this method.

  • nycsteve
    12 years ago

    I had the same problem with my Kohler bathtub. I tried about everything on this post.
    Happy to report that the Mr.Clean eraser for tub and tile made it look brand new in minutes!
    The sponge now comes in a larger, heavy duty version which is perfect for the job.
    Good luck All!

  • LISAhatesDIRT
    11 years ago

    YAYYYY!!!! I read these posts and went straight to Walmart and bought the Magic eraser sponge (the extra big strong one someone mentioned) and the Dawn Power Dissolve stuff. I left it on for 30 minutes and it worked. I have been struggling this since I bought this house 4 years ago. I had tried EVERYTHING! You can't even see the ovals anymore. They are the same color as the tub!!!! I I LOVE THIS FORUM!!!

    To clarify, I had tried almost all the recommended ways and they did help quite a bit. And like mentioned it was a lot of scrubbing. I wanted perfection and even though it looked pretty good it wasn't perfectly clean. With the other products I would get clean ovals but the edges would be darker than the center. I would scrub and scrub and it just never seemed to get perfect. Now it is perfect.

  • wheezer506
    10 years ago

    I have tried the Kohler recommended ROG product and the stuff never touched the stain on 4 rounds of cleaning. Do they make any tub that does not have the non-slip surface?

  • northwoods
    10 years ago

    Really people...all this and that? Bar Keepers gets it off period. After that use soft scrub w/bleach for regular cleaning. The tub will never need the Bar Keepers again.

  • melissa809
    10 years ago

    Hey...I'm new to this forum...but I came across this thread. I have a non stick surface on my Toto tub, as well. I was in the process of cleaning soap scum off of my tumbled marble and filled the tub with pine sol/water mix to use for my tile walls. When I was done, which took a couple of hours...and I drained the tub...to my utter surprise the bottom of the tub was as white as the day I had it installed!

    Who knew!

    On a side note....Magic Eraser and Barkeeper's friend are light abrasives. Just an fyi

  • litehearted
    10 years ago

    I never had a problem keeping the non-slip surface clean in my Kohler cast iron tub. From the beginning, I used VIM Cream Cleanser with Bleach and a regular Scotch-Brite No-Scratch Scrub Sponge. Don't use a lot of VIM, and rinse well. I really miss that tub since we sold the house. I am now remodelling the bathroom in my condo, and having a hard time finding a 60x30 tub without a textured bottom. I really dislike a dimpled/bumpy surface, and would much prefer to find a bathtub that has a similar decal applied, like the Kohler slip-resistant surface.

    http://www.us.kohler.com/us/Cast-Iron-Baths-&-Whirlpools/content/CNT900123.htm

  • shipman
    10 years ago

    I can't believe nobody has tried TSP. IT WORKS!
    TSP is an incredible product with many uses; but be sure to wear gloves as it is hard on the skin.
    For the tub I used 3 cups TSP to 2 gals hot water and let it sit overnight. In the morning I just rinsed the tub and it was clean and bright.
    Make sure you use real TSP - not TSP substitute - there is a big difference.

  • missykeli
    9 years ago

    Today I used a combination of two of the suggestions here. I did the Oxiclean soak and I left it for about 8 hours after showers were taken for the day. I did this in two tubs, one very dirty and one notsomuch. I then went in and used the Magic Eraser and a bristle brush. I didn't even really have to scrub and the black gunk on even the dirtiest tub came up. I was pleased with the results and the ease!

  • gmavro
    8 years ago

    **PLEASE READ THIS - - PERTAINS TO MISLEADING BLOG INFORMATION ON THIS SUBJECT**

    After installing a new KOHLER Bellweather Cast Iron tub, the non slip surface was horribly stained by charcoal colored grout as the result of a contractor who did not cover the tub appropriately. I turned to the internet for guidance on this and found this post, as well as one which seems to bubble up to the top of google searches from the following site: http://retrorenovation.com/2012/08/06/how-to-clean-the-bathtub-slip-resistant-bottom-omg-its-like-new/

    That blog post is basically an advertisement for ROG 3, a cleaner that is not sold commercially and is extremely expensive. While I'm sure this product has its benefits and it is in fact recommended on Kohler's site, they misleadingly post an image and language stating that Bar Keeper's Friend (an inexpensive commonly available cleaning product) is "not approved" by Kohler. THIS IS A LIE. I contacted Kohler directly to make certain, and the representative there said that their engineers had tested Bar Keeper's Friend and she **recommended** that I use it. This is in direct conflict with what that blog post states. In the event that it didn't remove the stains, she suggested I use a product that was also approved which I'd never heard of called "Super Iron Out."


    I am thrilled to report that I never made it to the Super Iron Out because "Bar Keeper's Friend" purchased at Family Dollar for about 3 dollars, in conjunction with a non abrasive plastic sponge and an hour of scrubbing (not too hard) turned my bathtub into the shining oasis of awesome that it was when new. Total cost of cleaning products was under 5 dollars. I wish I'd had the sense to take a before picture, every non stick rectangle was completely blackened with GROUT and wouldn't come out with anything. I did take an after pic though (see below). The outcome was incredible. I wanted to post this because I found it extremely annoying that that blog was so misleading, and their comments section was conveniently closed for further comments. SCAM!!

  • writersblock (9b/10a)
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Well, you know, I just tried ROG and I wouldn't say it's a scam, just the cleaner of last desperate resort when all else fails. It is extremely overpriced and not something to try unless it's that or pull the tub and replace it. But I have a 1979 Americast tub that had reached the point where nothing could remove the stains.

    I've tried pretty much everything in this thread except for vicious magic erasing, since the magic eraser is a very strong abrasive and will take the surface right off along with the dirt if you aren't very gentle with it. In desperation I went ahead and shelled out for the ROG, and it did take the stains out, although it took a lot of elbow grease.

    So I would say it's definitely not something to buy unless you've exhausted all other options, but it did do the job. The tub doesn't look new, since the finish was already worn in places, but it's clean and respectable. This is for things like when you plan to sell or are moving out and need to get a deposit back from the landlord, not for regular ordinary cleaning.

  • Mark
    8 years ago

    Bar Keepers and elbow grease, use a rag and/or blue scrubbie. It will look like new and not scratch either. All this and that is bogus already. Follow up with soft scrub w/bleach when you clean every time.


  • Tami Stahl
    8 years ago

    I use Bar Keepers friend all the time and Dawn blue dish detergent. After reading all of your input. I tried both together with a blue non scratch sponge. It is working for me. The Dawn helps break down the soaps, and oils. In the non skid surface. Thank You...

  • vaboehmer
    8 years ago

    I used Turtle Wax Rubbing Compound Heavy Duty Cleaner, found in the automotive department at Target or Walmart. Follow the directions on the can. I left it on for about 30 minutes. The tub was a little peachy colored due to the cleaner. I followed up with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, very little rubbing. This worked like magic. It also removed all the calcium deposits on the sides near the drain. Not much elbow grease involved. My kind of cleaning!

  • jackwagon1776
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I have those evil, rough traction spots on my white porcelain bathtub and I tried just about all of the normal grocery / hardware store products and cleaning methods metioned here without any luck. I even tried muriatic acid from my pool supplies and it did nothing.

    Today, I tried mesoinc_hotmail_com's suggestion to use WD-40. This is the ticket!!! I combined it with some baking soda for grit to help scrub the dirt off and it worked perfectly. I also used some Comet because I ran out of baking soda about half way through. It didn't seem to be any better than the baking soda, but who knows. Try both if the baking soda isn't working sufficiently by itself.

    WINNING SOLUTION: WD-40 + baking soda (and / or some gritty cleanser) + a generic green / yellow kitchen sponge and about 15 minutes is all that you should need. Thank you, mesoinc_hotmail_com!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • mziggy41
    8 years ago

    I think the real key to cleaning vinyl/plastic/ vikryl type textured tub/shower floors is the right kind of brush to get in those hard to reach crevices. I had a potato scrubber on hand that had nylon bristles and used Bar Keepers Friend (I had the liquid on hand) and put a little light pressure on the tub floor in a variety of motions. For the first time I was able to see some real results!


    The House Smart program recently shared a segment called, 'Ask Lou' episode #153 which gave me the idea to use a brush of sorts when he recommended using Spic and Span (powder which is hard to find in my area) and a Nylon stripping brush with a cordless drill and light pressure.


    My recommendation is to find a good nylon bristle brush with a handle (a potato scrubbing brush or something similar would work), nothing too hard it scratches the surface and nothing so soft it's useless, and a good cleaner that is safe to use for your situation. Hope this helps. I can't tell you what a relief it is to finally have something work!


    These views are from my own personal experience, I do not promise they are right for everyone's situation. I see some really good thoughts also shared here. Thanks!

  • cedelchef
    8 years ago

    I'm having the same issue the WD-40 sprayed on, baking soda over that. Scrub with a sponge and it comes right up!! I followed with Dawn and the sponge otherwise you wouldn't be able to stand up! It's slick and greasy but wow what a difference! Thank you mesoinc_hotmail_com

  • belauger
    8 years ago

    How about a perfect cleaning job for less than $2? Just discovered this today. My new cat likes to hide in the bathtub. During the night she knocked over my bottle of Tropical Coconut Suave shampoo, which drained out over the bottom of the tub. As I rinsed it away, I was amazed to see that the yucky black stains on the bottom of the Kohler tub were completely gone. The next time I clean it, I'll use the same technique spread over the bottom of the tub and let it sit for several hours before rinsing. It's viscous so it doesn't run down the drain. Thanks, kitty!

  • Kyynfzfgk U
    8 years ago

    I searched this forum and decided to go with Bar Keepers' Friend. I agree with the comment that Bar Keepers' gets it off...period! My new tub was first stained by a sloppy contractor who stained it with grout dust and his shoes, and then with regular use it got very discolored. I tried some of the typical ways to clean a tub with little success. This morning I tried Bar Keepers' and it cleaned it to sparkling white with very little elbow grease! I am amazed and very happy!

  • nancyblodgett
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I have been wondering for a long time how to get those stains off my Kohler tub. I took the advice here and tried WD-40 and baking soda and a good scrub brush. I couldn't believe it....it really did work. Took just minutes to clean it. So nice to have it like new again! Thanks so much for the tip!

  • Kyynfzfgk U
    8 years ago

    I thought I was doomed to live with a discolored tub surface. One cleaning with Bar Keepers Friend and it looked new, which it never did before because my contractor got it stained during tiling!

  • xmurry
    8 years ago

    I just moved into a new house and the non slip pads on the bath were very stained. I read a couple of forums and tried cleaning small sections with various options. This included salt and lemon, soft scrub bleach, TSP, glass and surface cleaner, comet, shampoo and finally ......Bar Keepers Friend (BKF) which removed it all using a scrub brush. It took about 2 minutes of scrubbing.


    I had never heard of BKF before this weekend. At $2.19 a tin it was certainly good value. Not sure whether long term use would be good - anyone have thoughts on this?

  • acanthus17
    7 years ago

    An initial pass of scrubbing with BKF plus 5-10 minutes of work with a Magic Eraser did the trick for me.

  • Hope Goss
    7 years ago

    Mr clean eraser worked great!

  • wellis619
    6 years ago

    I have a slipper tub with non slip pads. I have tried everything under the sun to clean them. Toothpaste, magic eraser, the combination of dawn & comet- none of it worked. I was about to try TRR when I came across some ZEP Calcium, Lime & Rust stain remover Professional Strength that I use on shower doors. It is labeled for porcelain so I gave it a try. WOW, my tub is like new - white as the day I bought it! It is not labeled for chrome, I was a little worried about my drain, it looks like new too! It contains Hydrochloric and Sulfamic Acids so follow the safety instructions on the label. Label says it may take a second application. My tub was clean after one application full strength.

  • carsond
    6 years ago

    The only thing that has worked for me (and I have tried everything including the ROG which didn't do a complete job) is a heavy duty steam cleaner. It was a lot of work but it steamed off all of the grime that had taken residence in the non slip areas. The rest of the bath tub was a mess from all of the greasy grime sprayed all over it from the cleaning but once I cleaned the remainder of the tub with detergent, everything looked brand new. No chemicals, certainly not easy, a dirty job, and you need a steam machine but it works.

  • jennlehr
    6 years ago

    Mr Clean magic eraser worked for me

  • VandC Alessi
    5 years ago

    Been there with the Kohler slip guard cleaning. After trying almost everything , what truly works is squirting straight Dawn blue on and then stubbing with a magic eraser. (I actually had even better luck with the generic "Magic eraser." ) You can get them on Amazon dirt cheap. This WILL fix your problem

  • C&C
    5 years ago

    I found that it was not the cleanser that mattered but the scrub brush I was using. The typical scrub brush bristles are too large to clean into the fine surface of the slip guard. A toothbrush worked perfectly with a little Bon Ami or BKF. No harsh chemicals required. The first cleaning was a bit tedious but I have only needed to use the toothbrush in spots since.

  • dchall_san_antonio
    5 years ago

    While it looks like there is a variety of successful approaches, I think the reason some have success with one approach and others don't is the nature of the stains. Some stains are simple body oils stuck in the texture of the nonslip pads. Using something alkaline like shampoo should work for those to soften the stains and allow them to be scrubbed lightly. WD-40 should also dissolve those and lift them. Other stains are based on hard water build up of calcium. The calcium can't be seen because it is white but the calcium will catch and hold the body oils. If you cannot get the calcium off, the stains remain. This is where an acidic approach would work. Barkeeper's Friend is oxalic acid with a mild abrasive. If the stains are calcium based, this should wash them away very easily.

    I would like to suggest another approach to the plain body oils with no calcium build up. There is a cleaner used in the automotive detailing industry called Super Clean. It comes in a purple spray bottle at auto stores, hardware stores, Walmart, etc. It is basically 409 on steroids. If you have trouble breathing when using 409, then you will really have trouble breathing around Super Clean. I bought some for my car and, of course, it works great. Then I read the label and decided to try it in the kitchen. The first thing I tried it on was burned on grease on a stainless pan - the bottom of the pan. I sprayed it on and let it sit for a "dwell time" of 10 minutes. Then I ran hot water from the faucet into the pan and 99% of it just rinsed clean with no scrubbing. I thought maybe I had a pan with grease that looked burned on but was just sort of already softened, but no. I tried it again and again with the same results. So that is my experience with Super Clean. I thought someone might give it a try on their tub texture spots and report back here with results.

  • TINA Gordon
    5 years ago

    Get" Zep" Acidic toilet bowl cleaner place over stain, then put paper towels on top , soak paper towel with cleaner, wait ten minutes. Wearing rubber gloves remove paper towels. The tub will be white, rinse, and smile. YOUR WELCOME

  • Cindy Blis
    5 years ago

    Ok. Stop wasting your time and going like me using every method I could think of.... clorox, soak overnight in bleach, scrubbing,scrubbing, scrubbing.... Just get a Magic Eraser. In less than a minute, my tub was like new. I was shocked! I use Magic Eraser all around the house, baseboards, doors, switchplates, etc. I never thought to use it on the non-skid surface of the tub! But it was amazing and hardly took any time. And no fumes to worry about, or soak time for other methods! Wow. Hope this helps!

  • socks
    4 years ago

    I've used the ROG. Yes, it is expensive, and you have to scrub with a boar's hair sponge thingy. I've scrubbed and scrubbed and it doesn't look much different. Don't waste your money on this.

  • mojoro
    2 years ago

    Late to the party - but THIS WORKS!!! A little soft scrub and water on the bottom of the tub and then use something like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BV8MQBT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    The tub looks FANTASTIC - seriously brand new!! All stains are finally gone.


  • HU-444397070
    last year

    Bar keepers friend (creamy spray); lime away, dawn, bon ami, soft scrub, toothbrush, all did not work at all for me. I read this and decided to try Mr Clean Eraser and it worked like magic right away in seconds!! Keep in mind the tub was totally dry, i wet only the corner of the eraser lightly, and scrubbed only a small square at a time, but the color turned to pure white immediately. If the area you are working on gets wet (from runoff or you rinsing the tub) you will need to dry it again before trying the eraser on it. Also you may need to change to a new eraser sponge often and again do not overwet the sponge. Maybe the product needs to be concentrated, I’m guessing from what I experienced that when it gets even a little diluted it doesnt work. Amazing!!

  • Sheila Frame
    11 months ago

    I sprayed my tub with Dawn Powerwash. I let it sit for several hours.  Then,  I used a magic eraser sponge in a circular motion over it and it was like new. There were a couple of areas that needed a second spray.  The Dawn Powerwash is an amazing product.

  • HU-444397070
    11 months ago

    Magic eraser worked like…welll magic! Tried it all..bar keepers friend, bon ami, etc, nothing else worked for me but the magic clean eraser was amazing! Do a very small area at a time, only get a few drops of water on the sponge not very wet.