Why Preventative Care is also Important

Cleaning cast iron bathroom and kitchen fixtures does not have to be difficult.  In fact, with the proper preventative care, cleaning your cast iron bathtub can be a fairly easy task—especially if you take the time for cleaning bathrooms regularly.  The Kohler company even makes a Kohler cast iron cleaner that has been rising in the ranks of popularity recently.  With most things, however, the best way to keep your bathroom clean and safe is to practice proper preventative maintenance.  For example: You should always thoroughly rinse and wipe down your cast iron fixtures after each use.  Use a soft cloth to wipe away and soak up the water after every use of your bathroom or kitchen sink or bathtub.  Doing this helps keep soap scum from piling up and lime deposits from forming.  When cleaning cast iron you want to stay away from abrasive cleansers.  Many people think that abrasive cleansers are best for strong and sturdy materials like cast iron but that simply isn't the case.  While most cast iron has been coated in enamel or porcelain that does not mean that the cast iron itself is not vulnerable to cracks and deterioration—both of which happen more frequently when the fixture is cleaned with an abrasive chemical cleanser.  Never use steel wool, abrasive sponge pads or wire brushes when cleaning bathrooms especially if the fixtures are made from cast iron.  Cast iron does not stand up well against these items and using them could deteriorate the surface of the sinks and tubs.  Do not let things like toothpaste or soap suds sit on the tub or sink.  Doing so could allow the toothpaste or soap to seep into the surface of the cast iron which can do quite a lot of structural damage to the fixture over time. The best cleaner to use when cleaning bathrooms and cleaning cast iron is the Kohler cast iron cleaner.  This cleaner was developed by the Kohler Company team and made to work specifically with Kohler fixtures and appliances, though it will work nicely on other cast iron apparatuses as well.  The cleaner isn't expensive and you can order it over the internet with no hassle at all.If you are weary of buying cast iron cleaner over the internet, it is possible to make your own.  Some people mix a tablespoon of detergent with a gallon of hot water to act as a gentle yet effective cleanser.  Use a soft cloth to rub this cleaner into the surface of your cast iron fixtures when you are cleaning bathrooms and then rinse those fixtures thoroughly.  Doing this on a regular basis helps keep the fixtures clean and functional for longer periods of time.  For particularly tough stains, you can make a paste out of flour and lemon juice (use equal amounts of both).  Apply the paste to the stain and let it sit over night.  In the morning wash it away and the stain should become much easier to clean.