How to Clean an Enamel Bath with T-Cut

If you’ve been researching how to clean an enamel bath you might have come across the name T-Cut.

T-Cut is typically used to remove scratches and stains from cars. But did you know that it can also erase scuffs and scratches from enamel baths? 

Read on to find out how to clean an enamel bath with T-Cut! 

Preparation

Here are a couple of steps to consider when you plan on working with T-Cut. 

Choose the correct T-Cut for the job

There are different kinds of T-Cuts available to buy from hardware stores today, so make sure you buy the item that is suitable for you.

• T-Cut Original Colour Restorer – The one you should use – see it on Amazon.co.uk here. 
• T-Cut Polish – Helps remove oxidation and small marks. 
• T-Cut Metallic Colour Restorer – Not as abrasive as the Original T-Cut mentioned above.
• T-Cut Colour Fast – Adds a touch of colour and removes small marks.
• T-Cut Colour Fast White – Good for light coloured surfaces. 

Collect your tools

• T-Cut
• Multiple clean microfibre cloths 
• Everyday bath cleaning products
• Towel
• Gloves 
• Newspaper

 

Follow These Steps to Clean an Enamel Bath with T-Cut

1. Keep the door and window(s) open for ventilation. 
2. Make sure that the surface of the bath is dry. You can wipe it down with a towel – It’s better to use T-cut on dry surfaces. 
3. Make sure that the bath is clean – remove dirt, fibres, hair and bathroom products. 
4. Pop your protective gear on before opening the T-Cut bottle. 
5. Lay out some newspaper on the floor to catch any drips. 
6. Pour a small amount of T-Cut onto a clean microfibre cloth.
7. Choose a less visible piece of your enamel bath to test the product out on. 
8. If all works out okay, and there are no issues, continue with these steps. 
9. Repeat Step 6.
10. Start rubbing the T-Cut into one section of your bath at a time – you need to be firm but don’t scrub at the section. 
11. You should rub in a clockwork motion. 
12. The cloth you’re using will probably start to change to the colour of your bath, this is a layer of paint coming off your bath. If this happens STOP working on this section.    
13. If too much paint comes off, the bath’s metal will start to get exposed – this is not supposed to happen.
14. If you wish to continue using this method, move onto a new area – lightly rub at the scratches and discolouration. 
15. When your whole bath has been rubbed down you need to grab a new microfibre cloth to buff the entire surface. 
16. Go over the whole surface and wipe up any excess product you see. 
17. Clean your bath’s taps using the methods in our tap cleaning guide. 

 

The Problem with Using T-Cut to Clean an Enamel Bath

A major issue with using T-Cut to clean an enamel bath is, you’re likely to strip the bath of its protective coatings, if you clean it too vigorously or for too long. This may result in the bath needing to be ‘repaired’ with a new coating, which is an added expense.

Another issue is that using T-Cut is quite a short-term solution. Meaning that you’ll likely have to clean the bath again in a few short weeks. Further to this, T-Cut will bring a lovely shine to your bath but that sparkly coating isn’t going to stick around for long, mainly because baths get used multiple times a day in some homes.

In addition to this, if your enamel bath is heavily scratched, T-Cut won’t have a huge impact on it. This means that you’ll have put in a lot of time and effort to clean the bath, and in the end you won’t see the desired end-result. 

Plus, there are a few different versions of T-Cut to be bought, so there’s a chance that you may purchase the wrong one for the job you plan on doing. This would end up being a waste of money, unless you can use it somewhere else in your home. Besides, using the wrong version of the product may create more hassle for you. 

Another big problem is that you’ve got to be patient when using T-Cut. So, if you don’t have enough time to prepare your bath, and to apply the product correctly, it would be better to avoid using it. Rushing around and trying to use T-Cut is usually a recipe for disaster. 

Finally, enamel baths aren’t exactly tiny, so depending on the type of bath you have and how generous you are with your T-Cut, you may go through a bottle very quickly. There are, however, cheaper ways of cleaning a bath. And you can usually use items that you already have at home to do so.  

 

Alternative Ways to Clean an Enamel Bath

If you’re not sure about using T-Cut, there are lots of other ways you can clean an enamel bath. Check out some examples below: 

• Washing up liquid and water – A really easy way to clean an enamel bath is to use washing up liquid and water. All you need to do is pop some product on a cloth and wipe the bath down. Just remember to rinse the bath down when you’re done or you’ll get residue marks.
• White vinegar and water – Just pop one part of white vinegar to three parts of water in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture over the bath and rub the bath down with a clean cotton cloth. When you’re done just rinse the bath down with hot water. 
• Bicarbonate of soda – For tougher stains you can spread some bicarbonate of soda over the stains in your bath, and then you can squirt some white vinegar and water onto the patch. Just rub the area with a clean cotton cloth and then rinse the bath down when you’re done. 
• Cif – Cif is a well-known bath cleaning product that can be bought in most supermarkets in the UK. It’s very easy to use Cif, and it can make your decaying bath look spotless in no time at all. There are also different versions of this product, so you can pick one that suits you.
• Bath Rubber – If you’ve got a scratched and stained enamel bath you can use a rubber, like the Cramer Bath Rubber, to remove the marks. Using a rubber isn’t going to be easy work but the end results are very good, if the job is done well.  

 

How Often Should an Enamel Bath Be Cleaned? 

After every use a bath should be cleaned down, and this applies to all types of baths. At a minimum you should rinse the bath out with warm water to remove excess products (soap/shampoo). Don’t forget to clean the bath’s drain! 

If you rinse your bath down with warm water and a little cleaning product after every use you will keep stains at bay, the bath will look cleaner for longer and the bath won’t be subjected to any unwanted problems further down the line.