- 1). Attack the stains with bleach. Fill the tub with water so that all of the stains are covered. Add about 4 cups of bleach. Let the entire mix sit for about two hours. At the end of the two hours, before you empty the tub, scrub the stains with the scrub brush. You should wear rubber gloves to protect your hands and arms from the bleach. If the stains have disappeared, then you are done once you empty the tub. If they are just lighter, then you will need to repeat the process or try another tact.
- 2). Scrub the stains with toilet bowl cleaner. Toilet bowl cleaner can be more effective on tough stains because it is thicker and will sit directly on the stain. Squirt a generous amount onto the stained area and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then scrub it with the scrub brush. Rinse the area. If the stains are lighter, then you can repeat the process. If they are unchanged, move on to another method.
- 3). Treat the iron stains with a pumice bar. These bars are safe for enamel and porcelain tubs. You can scrub with the bar directly and some hot water to create some foam, or you can use the bar and the scrub brush in conjunction. If you are still having trouble, you can add a little bit of the toilet cleaner with bleach into this mix. Make sure that the room is well-ventilated since you will have some pretty strong fumes at this point from the cleaner.
- 4). Sand off the stains. Be aware: this may damage your tub's finish. However, you can use an extremely fine grade of sandpaper and a very light touch to remove iron stains. You might want to try this out on an unnoticeable (and seldom damp) part of your tub first to see how your finish reacts. Sandpaper should be just fine for cast iron tubs. Use very light motions that go in the same direction of the stain. Do not sand all around the stain, but stay as directly on top of it as possible.
- 5). Clean out your tub thoroughly. Once you have removed the iron stains and rust completely, you will need to give your tub a thorough scouring. Washing it down with a strong cleaner or bleach and a scrub brush once a week or so can have a major impact on your iron stains. In most cases, a weekly scrub will eliminate the problem completely.
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