How long before cold or room temperature water damages the surface of
my steel bathtub?

12 hours? 24? 96?

When I bought the house I thought bathtubs were invulnerable. My tub
was incredibly uncomforable as a tub, couldn't lean back, so made
cushion out of 4 inch thick foam rubber, and then it was just fine.

I left about 10 inches above the edge of the tub, minus a part I
carved out for my head.

I also made a skirt about 10 inches below the top edge, by cutting
away the two inches nearer the wall, and by cutting horisonally at the
sides so it wrapped around inside the tub.

And everything was well. Until a few months later, I moved the foam
and the surface of the tub was damaged at the bottom. The water would
drain out at the end of every bath, except for part of the lowest inch
or less. That never drained and that's the only place the damage was.

Now I have occasion to partly fill the tub and leave it that way for
maybe 24 hours and I'm afraid I'll damage the tub, and since the whole
bottom of the tub is under water now, I"m afraid I'll damage a lot
more than part of an inch. I know an hour won't hurt it, but how
long have I got until it's damaged?

Or was there something about being between the wet foam rubber and the
tub that caused the damage?



P.S.
All later cushions were above the top of the tub only and were just as
comfortable. Alas, I wish I had figured that out in advance.

An electric knife works well on foam rubber. A regular knife does a
bad job and a razor does a mediocre job.

"mm" wrote in message
...
How long before cold or room temperature water damages the surface of
my steel bathtub?

12 hours? 24? 96?


And everything was well. Until a few months later, I moved the foam
and the surface of the tub was damaged at the bottom. The water would
drain out at the end of every bath, except for part of the lowest inch
or less. That never drained and that's the only place the damage was.

It was probably not the water, but either some residue from the foam or
trapped minerals that caused the problem. In a porcelain coated tub, water
should be able to sit in it for months. If you have very hard water, some
of the minerals may be deposited on the surface.

If you still have stuff on the tub surface, try CLR or Lime Away to get rid
of it.

On Mon, 09 Jul 2007 02:11:59 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:


"mm" wrote in message
.. .
How long before cold or room temperature water damages the surface of
my steel bathtub?

12 hours? 24? 96?


And everything was well. Until a few months later, I moved the foam
and the surface of the tub was damaged at the bottom. The water would
drain out at the end of every bath, except for part of the lowest inch
or less. That never drained and that's the only place the damage was.

It was probably not the water, but either some residue from the foam or
trapped minerals that caused the problem. In a porcelain coated tub, water
should be able to sit in it for months. If you have very hard water, some
of the minerals may be deposited on the surface.

If you still have stuff on the tub surface, try CLR or Lime Away to get rid
of it.

Well, I hope you are right. Thank you. The stuff is grey and not the
colors I've gotten when I let a faucet drip (which I did remove with
something like CLR), but I will try CLR and see what happens.

I'd be very happy if you are right, and it would more than make up for
my being stupid.

On Mon, 09 Jul 2007 02:11:59 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:


"mm" wrote in message
.. .
How long before cold or room temperature water damages the surface of
my steel bathtub?

12 hours? 24? 96?


And everything was well. Until a few months later, I moved the foam
and the surface of the tub was damaged at the bottom. The water would
drain out at the end of every bath, except for part of the lowest inch
or less. That never drained and that's the only place the damage was.

It was probably not the water, but either some residue from the foam or
trapped minerals that caused the problem. In a porcelain coated tub, water
should be able to sit in it for months. If you have very hard water, some
of the minerals may be deposited on the surface.

If you still have stuff on the tub surface, try CLR or Lime Away to get rid
of it.

My friend suggested this too, a year ago, and even though he's smart,
his smugness on this occasion got to me, and maybe that's why I didn't
try it. I had tried to feel with my finger nail where the ridge was,
and it didn't seem like there was one when going towards the crud, or
away from it for that matter.

But after you suggested it too I tried it, 4 times, let it sit for 3
minutes the first time as suggested, and much longer the other times,
but didn't see any change. (thought I saw change in one place the
first time, but there must have never been anything there to begin
with.

I'm going to try it a few more times, or get limeaway, but I don't
think this will help.

Thanks a lot anyhow.

P&M, posted and mailed because it's been 2 days on a busy list.