How To Clean A Metal Bird Bath

Thomas has been an online writer for over seven years. His articles often focus on bathroom repair and maintenance.

Stone Bath

Like every bath, stone baths require routine care for them to remain in good condition. This article takes you through how you should clean your stone bath regularly and what to do in the event of scratches or other damage.

It doesn't take much effort and won't cost you much, so there's no real excuse for not knowing how to maintain your stone bath properly.

Routine Care for Your Stone Bath

It is vital that you rinse and dry the bath's surface using a towel after each use. This is to prevent mineral or soap scum from accumulating on the surface of the stone bath, leaving it unsightly and possibly discolouring the stone.

When it comes to cleaning the bath, soapy water, ammonia-based cleaners (make sure you avoid using window cleaners), or solid surface cleaners will be all you need to remove the majority of dirt and residue from all types of stone finishes. If the residue is still stubbornly clinging to its new home, a stronger cleaner needs to be used.

The type of surface your stone bath has is important because regular cleaning may result in gloss on the surface rising over time. So, while there are commonly three types of finishes available—matt, semi-glossy, and glossy—your bath will most likely not retain its original finish over a long period.

The frequency with which you clean stone baths also depends on what colour or hue your bath is. Some colours may require more frequent cleaning to maintain their original natural beauty. For example, a darker colour bath tends to make fine scratches more visible on the surface, so cleaning will, unfortunately, be more frequent than if you had a bath with a lighter colour. Eventually, using and cleaning your bath will lead to acquiring a patina that will change the appearance of the bath's original finish. Restoring this original finish can be done by following the instructions below.

Stone baths are beautiful but require attention.

Removing Fine Scratches or a Blotchy Appearance

That new smooth and extremely clean-looking stone bath you just bought, unfortunately, isn't going to stay perfect forever. Over time, you will begin to notice that the surface of the stone bath will look blotchy, which is obviously at odds with the smooth surface of the rest of the bath. This appearance is caused by hard water being left to dry on the surface, which causes a buildup of minerals and film that isn't exactly attractive. Thankfully removing this film is pretty simple.

Follow these basic steps:

Firstly, grab some mildly abrasive cream cleanser and a damp sponge or cloth.
Pour the cleaner onto your sponge or cloth and rub over the affected blotchy area with small circular motions. You need to do this starting from the front and all the way to the back before moving on to doing the same thing side to side. While you're doing this, you need to make sure you overlap the circles until you have covered the entire area.
Get some clean water and thoroughly rinse the surface. Remember to wipe the entire surface completely dry when you're done, as you don't want the same thing happening again!
If the blotchiness remains, you need to repeat the first three steps. This time around, it will require more pressure to be applied to your choice of cleaning material, so you're really trying to work that blotchiness out!

Removing Minor Cuts and Scratches

You needn't worry too much about minor cuts and scratches on the surface of your stone bath, as stone surfaces are renewable. As such, you can easily remove the minor damage that has been done without too much effort.

Follow these steps:

Firstly take a look at the previous instructions and wash the area as instructed to do so. If you don't do this any film left on the surface may clog the abrasive pads you need to use in these steps.
Don't dry the surface, instead make sure it is still wet and grab a sponge scourer. Use this to lightly rub the surface, and make sure it is LIGHT and it is crucial you do not press on too hard as this can result in even deeper scratches.
Continue to rub over the scratch by employing a straight line motion, periodically switching your method to rubbing ninety degrees. It's also advisable to rinse the pad you're using every so often as this will remove any accumulated residue.
Make sure that the entire scratch is removed.
Use water to clean the surface and dry the area extensively then check to see if the sanded area is blending correctly with the remainder of the surface. It its important to note that this sanded area most likely won't be a perfect match so, if required, repeat these steps but rub over a larger area to combine and blend the sanding.

Preventing Heat Damage

Even though stone is heat resistant it is essential that you minimise any direct heat exposure to protect the stone surface of the bath. Consequently it is crucial that you do not place any hot items, such as straighteners, directly on the surface.

Preventing Other Damage

Typically you can repair stone in the event it becomes damaged, but to make sure the bath doesn't suffer any permanent damage, you should avoid getting strong chemicals on your stone bath. This includes products such as paint removers, oven cleaners (why you would have this in the bathroom is anyone's guess), etc. In the unlikely event that a spill does occur, immediately flush the surface with clean water to make sure the chemical is completely removed.

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author's knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.

John on June 01, 2017:

Would Thirty Second Household Cleaner or Wet and Forget be useable on the moss and mold on headstones? Those two products and others use current technology to kill the moss and mold without scrubbing. Just spray it on and wash it off ten minutes later or, in the case of Wet and Forget, just let it stay there to prevent build up. These products are great on our houses. No power washer is needed.

Thomas Mulrooney (author) from Burnley, Lancashire, UK on September 23, 2013:

Thanks! Yeah it is, but we can only dream :-)

Cleaning supply on September 21, 2013:

Hey great hub. I agree with you that cleaning should be done on regular basis. Moreover I want to say that the picture of jacuzzi bathroom is too much beautiful.

H C Palting from East Coast on February 23, 2013:

The Nero is absolutely beautiful in it's simplicity. These are extremely useful tips.

Thomas Mulrooney (author) from Burnley, Lancashire, UK on March 20, 2012:

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated :-)

Giselle Maine on March 19, 2012:

A very interesting hub. Thanks for sharing these helpful tips.