First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Scrape off the loose crayon with a dull plastic card.
- Test any cleaner on a hidden spot first.
- Use small amounts and blot the area rather than scrubbing hard.
- Rinse and dry the area when you're done.
Crayon on a bathtub is wax with color mixed in, so the greasy wax has to lift before the dye will come away. Your tub's material decides how firmly you can push: acrylic dulls and scratches easily, while cast iron and vitreous china can take more work, with abrasives used sparingly and always with water. Fresh marks usually come off in a gentle first round, and older ones may need several passes.
Bath paint and bath crayon stains on acrylic need a light hand, so test any product in a hidden corner first. Skip anything abrasive on acrylic, since the dull patches it leaves are harder to fix than the mark. On cast iron or vitreous china you can push a little harder, but keep water running over the spot.
Before you start
What bathtubs can take
Safe to use1
- Water
Use with care4
- Soaking
- Chlorine bleach
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
Avoid1
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
7 items
What you'll need
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- Plastic card or dull knifeLifts off the loose crayon without scratching the finish.
- All Purpose cleanerCuts the greasy wax before you work on the color. (opens Amazon)
- Liquid dish soapLifts the remaining color when mixed with warm water. (opens Amazon)
- Soft spongeWork and blot the area without abrading the surface. (opens Amazon)
- Paper towels (opens Amazon)
- Soft clothDries the tub after the final rinse. (opens Amazon)
- Diluted chlorine bleach (optional)A last resort for a faint color that remains after everything is rinsed out. (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Scrape off the loose wax
Use the dull edge of a plastic card, or a dull knife or spoon, to lift off the excess crayon. Work gently and in one direction so you don't smear the wax across the finish. Stop as soon as the loose bits are gone.
Careful. Don't scratch hard surfaces while scraping; use the dull edge of a plastic card.
Step 2 of 6
Spray the stain with cleaner
Spray All Purpose cleaner onto the stain and wipe it with paper towels. This is the wax-cutting pass, so it goes before any scrubbing at the color. Keep the spray on the crayon mark only.
Careful. Spray only on the stain, and rinse overspray off nearby surfaces.
Step 3 of 6
Work the color with dish soap
Dampen a soft sponge in warm water and add a little liquid dish soap. Work the area in a circular motion until the color starts lifting onto the sponge. Rinse the sponge often so you aren't pushing color back onto the tub.
Step 4 of 6
Rinse and dry the tub
Rinse the area with plain water until no soap film is left. Dry it with a soft cloth so the finish looks clear.
Tip. Hold a light at an angle to check for a leftover streak before you move on.
Step 5 of 6
Repeat until the stain lifts
If color is still visible, go back through the cleaner, dish soap and rinse steps. Repeat as needed, and dry between passes so you can see what's left.
Step 6 of 6
Use bleach only as a last resort
If a faint color still shows after everything is rinsed out, apply diluted chlorine bleach to the stain only. Leave it on for no more than 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly and dry.
Careful. Never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia or other cleaners; rinse thoroughly between products.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for crayon on bathtubs
Pick an All Purpose cleaner that is labeled safe for your tub material, and use a plain liquid dish soap for the wipe.
Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on bathtubs, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
The color should lift onto the sponge, and the area should look even and clean once it's rinsed and dry. If a faint streak still shows after drying, repeat the cleaner and dish soap steps before reaching for bleach.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your bathtubs
Acrylic tub
Acrylic takes warm water, liquid dish soap and All Purpose cleaner, so the steps work as written. Keep everything soft: no abrasive cleansers, and avoid aerosol cleaning products on the finish.
Rinse well so no soap film dulls the surface, and dry it with a soft cloth. If the finish already looks dull or scratched, cleaning won't fix it, so ask the manufacturer's customer service about repairs.
Cast iron tub
Cast iron can't take steel wool, wire brushes or abrasive pads, so keep the sponge soft and the scraping gentle. Use the same cleaner and dish soap steps otherwise.
For a stubborn spot, an abrasive cleanser can be used sparingly, always with water. Rinse it off thoroughly afterward so no grit stays on the enamel.
Vitreous china tub
Vitreous china is hard, but it scratches and dulls easily, so skip strong abrasive cleansers. Ammonia cleaners can also damage the finish, so stay with the cleaner and dish soap steps.
Keep the scraping light and the sponge soft. Give the surface a complete final rinse before drying it with a soft cloth.
Airjet acrylic tub
Skip the chlorine last resort on airjet acrylic, because full-strength bleach can damage the surface around the jets. Never use ammonia there either.
Stick to the water, dish soap and All Purpose cleaner steps, and rinse the area around the jets well so no product stays behind. For color that remains, repeat the soft wipe rather than reaching for a stronger product.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old crayon is harder to lift than fresh crayon, because the wax has had time to soak into the finish and harden. Expect it to take more than one round, and don't jump to anything harsh on the first try. Old stains rarely disappear in a single wipe.
If the color has dried into a film, soften the wax again with warm water and scrape lightly once more with the plastic card. Then work through the dish soap wipe, rinse and dry, and repeat as needed. Stay with the soft sponge the whole time, since pressure does more harm than time.
If the stain still shows after several passes, the last option is the diluted chlorine bleach, with the same 15-minute limit and a thorough rinse. If nothing shifts after that, the stain has likely set too deep for home cleaning, and the professional note below is your next step.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on crayon on bathtubs?
Plenty of home remedies get passed around for crayon, but most were written for fabric or other stains. Only the dish soap wipe suits a tub, and the others can harm the surface or do little for crayon.
Works1Skip4Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't let cleaner soak on the tub.
Keep cleaner on the stain only for the wipe, then rinse it off right away. Letting it sit on the finish isn't a faster route to a clean tub.
Don't reach for solvents.
Solvents are off limits on acrylic, cast iron and vitreous china, so skip them even when the color is stubborn. Gasoline, lighter fluid and carbon tetrachloride are unsafe for this job too, so don't use them at all.
Don't start on the color.
The wax is the greasy part, and it has to come off first. Spray the cleaner before you scrub at the color, or you'll just move the dye around.
When to call a professional
If your tub is cast iron and still under warranty, check its care terms before using anything beyond the steps here, since improper cleaning can void the warranty. If the color stays after everything here, a professional is the safer next call.
Questions
Does crayon stain a bathtub?
Yes, the color can stay behind even after the wax is gone. Old stains are harder to remove than fresh ones, so start as soon as you see it.
Why does the wax come off first?
Crayon is wax with color in it, and the wax is the greasy part. Treating the greasy part first lets the color lift off afterwards, which is why the cleaner goes on before the dish soap.
Is vinegar a good crayon remedy?
Not for this job. The wax needs a grease-cutting detergent rather than vinegar, and vinegar is unsafe on the cement grout around a tub.
Is baking soda safe on a bathtub?
It's a mild abrasive, and acrylic and cast iron don't take abrasives well. Skip it and use the dish soap wipe instead.
Can I use bleach on my tub?
Only as the last resort, on the stain itself after everything is rinsed. Airjet acrylic is the exception, since it can't take full-strength bleach.
What if I don't know what my tub is made of?
Check any paperwork or the manufacturer's label first. If you still can't tell, use only warm water and liquid dish soap until you know more.
Will the color come out of an old stain?
Old crayon takes more passes than fresh, so expect to repeat the steps. If it also landed on a floor, the Laminate & Vinyl Floors guide covers that surface.
Crayon on other materials
Other stains on bathtubs
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.