Question from homeowner:

We just painted and got some paint in the tub. Should I use turpentine to get it off? It’s an interior latex paint and the tub is an old one (70’s) it’s porcelan, maybe (?) Also, is there something I can use to make it whiter?

Answer:

If you have tried scrubbing your tub with Softscrub and/or, but not at the same time, wiping it down with regular household bleach (with good ventilation) and leaving it on for several minutes and then rinsing, then your only two choices are refinish or replace.

(Note: Softscrub is not recommended for general tub cleaning, in spite of its name, it is an abrasive cleaner)

Refinishing is just a paint job, so it will come off if it isn’t done well, or if you use the tub everyday. It is ideal for a guest bath after the kids are gone.

A good refinish costs about $250.00-$300.00 dollars, make sure they do a good acid wash first do not get the cheapest guy you can find. replacing the tub costs about 200-300 for an Americast (don’t use steel unless you plan to sell in a couple of years) then you are going to either have to pay a plumber about $400.00- $600.00 to set it, unless you are really brave and do it yourself. It is not impossible, if you are really handy. If you hire a plumber, he will totally tear up your walls, leaving you an unusable bath. Then you have to either hire a tile man or do it your self, to remove the damaged walls and replace them with Durock board and replace the tile. So your total cost for a new tub will range anywhere from about $1000.00, if you do most of it your self, or up to $3000.00 if you have a professional to do the complete project.

There are a couple of things to consider.

$300.00 vs $3000.00, if the tub is in good shape, with no rust.

You can just replace the tub and part of a full bath remodel, you should be able to totally update and replace a typical hall bath for in the neighborhood of $5,000.00.

You are not likely going to be able to match the tile, even if it is 4×4 white tile, so do you want a patched up looking wall?

If you’d like help with your bathtub repair or any other bathroom repair or remodeling project we can help.