How To: Polish Chrome

You can scrub the bathtub all you want, but if all the chrome fixtures are covered in hard water spots and soap scum the bathroom isn't going to look nearly as clean as you'd like. Jump below for our best tips for shining up that chrome and making it sparkle, with things you already have in the house:

Use extra bits of soap and borax to polish up chrome (from reader Cwillows)
Soak a clean cloth with vodka and shine up chrome, glass and porcelain bathroom fixtures from 12 Best Household Uses for Vodka
Use white vinegar to take off soap scum and hard water spots
Lemon juice also works great, just don't dilute.
Using a used dryer sheet, buff a dry faucet to a shine (from The Queen of Clean)
Rub baby oil on chrome to keep it shiny and to ward off water spots (from lifehacker)

[image from wow bathrooms]

if the faucet is sparkling I have a soap company so I often run into soap tidbits... but I've noticed that the soap I make at least is great for cleaning up chrome, I sometimes break it up and mix it with a little borax and it's a great bathroom cleaner whether it be the tub or the sink. It sparkles!

# Shine chrome, glass and porcelain bathroom fixtures. Soak a soft, clean cloth with vodka and shine.

Comments (7)

Windex (or any other glass cleaner) also makes it shine beautifully!

posted by katiebug on March 25th 2008 at 10:55am
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Mr Clean Magic Eraser works wonders getting rid of those hard water spots.

posted by bepsf on March 25th 2008 at 10:57am
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A piece of aluminum foil wrapped around your finger is all you need... forget things you never have on hand... everyone has a piece of foil. Best of all... you can use the same piece several times!

posted by sarahrae on March 25th 2008 at 12:42pm
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I use an alkaline cleaner called "Dasty bathroom cleaner". It removes limescale while being neutral to marble. Strange, but it works. And it leaves the chrome incredibly shiny. Now if they wouldn't perfume it so heavily...

posted by Jute Zak on March 25th 2008 at 12:49pm
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bepsf, according to the magic eraser packaging i have it says it isn't supposed to be used on chromeâ¦

posted by theblt on March 25th 2008 at 1:44pm
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gorgeous colour scheme in that photo!!! does anyone have any idea what the teal colour on the wall to the right is?

posted by venus_thames on March 25th 2008 at 2:39pm
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Zep Shower, Tub & Tile Cleaner works amazingly well on hard water deposits. CLR Bathroom & Kitchen Cleaner works *almost* as well.

Don't be confused by the CLR name though, you SHOULD NOT use regular CLR or Limeaway on chrome. It will destroy the finish permanently, and very quickly.

Isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle is great for polishing (already cleaned) chrome and stainless steel.

I don't like to use Windex for much of anything, because it contains a wax that makes it streak.

posted by nashdp on March 25th 2008 at 6:02pm
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