House Cleaning and Stain Removal Forum

[paulasproblems]

We had just bought our house and in the tub there use to be a rubber mat. I removed the mat and found a big yellow stain in the tub from the mat.
I have tried CLR, Vinegar and baking soda, comet, and regular bathroom vim cleaners and I still have a stain.
I have tried all that I can think of.

[mrscleannw]

Hi Paula,
New homes are wonderful, old stains are not!

What you are describing sounds like a common chemical reaction cause by the rubber in the mat degrading. It’s a good idea to remove the rubber mats completely when cleaning the tub to let the surface breath awhile.

The simple answer is that the stain will most likely lighten with time and exposure to light. Extreme yellow staining is most likely permanent. Don’t give up though; I have a couple suggestions for removing the yellow stain on your tub.

You mentioned you used baking soda and vinegar already- Combining baking soda (a base) and vinegar (an acid) will result in a bubbling or explosive reaction that is great for clearing clogged pipes and making class room volcanoes erupt- It is a very effective deodorizer/cleaner- It’s just not effective as a stain remover.

Baking soda by itself is highly alkaline and works wonders on many stains because of its high ph and its abrasive texture. Just wet the tub, sprinkle some baking soda liberally and a few drops of water, scrub well, let sit for an hour, and then rinse thoroughly. You might need to apply the baking soda a few times to do the trick.

Good luck!

Mrs. Clean