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How Bleaching the Bathtub?

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Open windows or bring in a fan before you begin working with bleach. If your bathroom is small and doesn’t have a vent or windows, bring in a fan to blow air out as you work. The most important thing is that you’re getting fresh air so you aren’t just breathing in bleach fumes. You can also wear a respirator if you’re concerned about the fumes.


Wear rubber gloves and mix 90% water with 10% bleach. Use a large bucket to mix the water and bleach. Leave some room at the top of the bucket so that it doesn’t spill easily. Make sure to wear gloves and old clothes, too. Fill up the bucket in the bathroom near the tub so you don’t have to try and transport it from another room.


Scrub the tub with the bleach and water solution and then rinse it out. Use a sponge and start at one corner of the tub and systematically work your way around it. Squeeze out and re-soak your sponge as much as you need to. Rinse the tub out with fresh water after you’ve cleaned it. You can dump out the bleach/water mixture and fill that same bucket with clean water if you want to.


Don’t forget to scrub the exterior of the tub, too—you’re going to be painting the entire thing, so it all needs to be cleaned. Part of the painting process involves getting the tub as clean as possible beforehand so that the paint adheres to the surface better.


Wash the tub with an abrasive cleaner to ensure it’s clean. Use a product like Comet and sprinkle it over the entire surface of the tub. Use a new, wet sponge to scrub the tub. Rinse out your sponge periodically so it doesn’t get too gunky from the cleaner, and then rinse the tub again with fresh water. If you don’t have Comet, you could sprinkle and scrub away baking soda for the same result.

Applying Bathroom Paint

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Apply a thin coat of primer to the vanity and drawers/doors. Use a brush to cover the edges with primer, then finish by covering the flat surfaces with a foam roller. Let the primer dry overnight so the paint can sit and harden. Remember to apply primer to the drawers and doors as well. Only use primer if you’re painting with latex or oil-based paint. If you’re using chalk paint, skip priming and go straight to painting.

Older paint and primer formulas needed to be paired by type, such as oil-based with oil-based or latex with latex, but current formulas can be mixed and matched. If you chose a glossy finish paint, make your priming layer as smooth as possible. Glossy paint shows imperfections much more visibly than flat finish.

Pick from oil-based, latex, or chalk-finish paint. Keep in mind that oil-based and latex paints require a primer, while chalk-finish paint does not. Oil-based paint is strong and durable, resists chipping, and levels out any imperfections. However, it has a strong odor and is difficult to clean up.

Latex paints are water-based and very durable. Choose a satin finish to have a nice, light sheen that’s not too shiny. Chalk paint is a quick, easy option with a smooth, flat finish. It dries fast and because it’s thick, it requires fewer coats of paint. However, its thick consistency also means it’s easy to leave brush marks.

Apply a coat of paint to the vanity and let it dry overnight. You can use a brush or foam roller to paint or a combination of the two. Foam rollers also create a more even coat of paint, so use them for larger, flat areas, then paint over any detailing or edges with a brush. Start by filling a tray with paint, then add more as needed. Remember to paint the drawers and doors as well, keeping them on the dropcloth to prevent mess. Always paint in the direction of the wood grain.