How to get bright, oily bath bomb stains out of a tub
Bath bombs leave behind vibrant, oily colored residue that resists standard cleaners like Scrubbing Bubbles, Magic Erasers, Bar Keepers Friend, Dawn soap, and bleach. This indestructible staining turns a relaxing soak into a frustrating cleaning ordeal that leaves people looking for a method that actually works.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Using Irish Spring 5 in 1 soap
- 2Using a degreaser
- 3Using dish soap
- 4Scrubbing with Bathroom Mr. Clean or Scrubbing Bubbles
- 5Using Whink rust stain remover or hydrofluoric acid-based cleaners
- 6Using Irish Spring 5 in 1 body wash or soap
- 7Scrubbing with a standard pumice stone (assuming porcelain)
- 8Using Bar Keepers Friend in scrub form
- 9using a damp dryer sheet on the glass
- 10using a squeegee after every shower
- 11wiping away excess water with a towel
- 12replacing the caulking
- 13Using vinegar on hard water spots
- 14Squeegeeing after every shower
- 15Using scrubbing paste and letting it sit before scrubbing
- 16Switching to dish soap or specific spray cleaners like Dawn Powerwash
- 17Filling the tub with water and bleach to let it soak
- 18Using magic eraser sponges or limescale remover for tough stains
- 19Trying multiple commercial and homemade cleaning products like vinegar, baking soda, and specialized bathroom sprays
- 20Using a mild neutral-pH cleaner with a grout brush and mechanical agitation
- 21Using a white eraser type sponge
- 22Using specific chemical cleaners like Bio clean, CLR rust and lime remover, Bar Keepers Friend, Whink rust remover, or citric acid crystals.
- 23Removing the hardware to soak it in a container with citric acid.
- 24Replacing the overflow plate and hardware entirely.
- 25Using CLR for rust
- 26Resurfacing the tub with a refinishing kit
- 27Switching to milder cleaners like 7th generation instead of abrasive comet cleaner
- 28Using CLR to clean the stain
- 29Spray painting the tub surface
- 30Using Rust Away
- 31Stripping loose paint, sanding down, and using an epoxy-based tub refinishing kit
- 32Using spray sunscreen
- 33Scrubbing with toothpaste and an old toothbrush
- 34Using a magic eraser
- 35Applying hydrogen peroxide while wearing gloves
- 36Using a gritty cream cleanser
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I’ve tried everything from bar keepers, dawn soap and bleach but the stains are still there. I just moved in and I’m losing my mind over how to remove these stains. I would love some advice”source ↗
“Need help getting rid of this lign in the middle of the shower in my appartement. I’ve tried some many different things: Hertel, vinegar, baking soda, black soap, a homemade cleaner for bathroom i got from a local shop, attitude spray bathroom cleaner. Nothing worked. I need something thats not too strong because i have cats that have asthma and sometimes cleaning products trigger some asthma attacks, so no bleach or things like that please help”source ↗
“I have tried and tried and tried with bathroom cleaners to get this tub clean but nothing works.”source ↗
“And what are these orange stains? Rust? Please help me.”source ↗
“I used this dye on my hair and it stained my tub. How can I remove this?”source ↗
“There is a dirt ring around the tub that I can’t get off. I need advice on how to best get all of the stains off.”source ↗
“I've used almost every product I can possibly think of and nothing will remove this stan and if u look close on the knob. It's got a lot of buildup on it. And I can't figure out anything to get it off. Either”source ↗
“i left scrubbing bubbles sitting on it for 5 minutes, no improvement. went at it with a bathroom mr. clean, no improvement.”source ↗
“i love them during a bath after a long day but hate cleaning after them.”source ↗
“i just can’t believe it left this vibrant and indestructible a stain.”source ↗
“Any tips on my shower (rubber grout - is that the right word?!) I’ve been going crazy with the pink stuff but it doesn’t seem to budge!”source ↗
“If possible any ideas on the water marks too please? Glass cleaner seems to do nothing, and I’m wiping it down after every shower”source ↗
“Hi all, my house has hard water and it’s been tough to get rid of the water marks..”source ↗
“I have been lazy to squeegee every time.”source ↗
“How do I clean the shower glass like the cleaners clean?”source ↗
“Ya the magnet sticks. I used clr which is built for rust, but it didnt do anything”source ↗