Clean Up Your Old Bathtub Before Replacing It

If you have an older home, you may be considering ripping out and replacing the tile and plumbing fixtures. People often replace them because they have many years' build up of dinge or minor blemishes and they don't think they'll ever get clean again. But it's not easy to find a replacement tub that has the look you want, fits your bathroom, is in good condition and affordable, too. An appropriate claw-foot tub can cost $1,200 or more.

Every year refinishing shops around the country save hundreds of old, weary plumbing fixtures by recoating them with an acrylic urethane resin coating. If you have a removable tub they can refinish in the shop, but whether it's done in the shop or in your home, it's a major job. And while it may be a fraction of the cost of a replacement, it's still a significant expense.

What if you could remove the layers of grime to see what the real piece looks like before doing the major fix up? You can.

There is one remarkably different cleaning product on the market that freshens up old plumbing fixtures and surfaces to like-new condition. CLR Enhanced Bathroom & Kitchen Cleaner from Jelmar quickly removes calcium, lime, rust and hard water deposits, as well as soap scum, dirt and dulling film. And if it works to remove layers of filth from decades of use, imagine what it can do for daily upkeep of new fixtures.

'I was planning on replacing my old tub during my bathroom remodel; the tub is from the 70s. I thought it was just old and worn out,' says Miriam Lambertz, a homeowner in Minneapolis. 'I tried CLR and really couldn't believe what I was seeing. I sprayed it on, waited a few minutes and wiped off with a sponge, and what came off was amazing. The stains that came off were what I thought was permanently stained tub surface -- and now it's white and looks shiny and new.'

From a long-time family of other dependable cleaning products, CLR Enhanced Bathroom & Kitchen Cleaner is their newest multi-use power cleaner -- in the yellow bottle. Tough enough for the worst scum -- use it to cut through those tough old stains that really aren't permanent; and use it regularly in your bathroom and kitchen for general cleaning.

Gentle enough for any surface, this different bathroom cleaner works on ceramic tile, grout and caulk, shower doors, toilet bowls, fiberglass, shower head fixtures and kitchen counter tops.

To find CLR in the yellow bottle, go to Jelmar's website below for locations near you.