I've had breast reduction surgery done almost two weeks ago and my
plastic surgeon has recommended for me to take baths. The problem is
my tub is old and the veneer is gone. I've had someone scraped it
clean with bleach. I need to know how careful I need to be in order
not to infect the wounds. Is it ok to pour a little chlorine in the
tub? Or is there another way of assuring a safe bathing experience.

Hi poopsy,

I wouldn't suggest pouring clorine in your bath water, it is a very
harsh product. Instead, how about a nice soothing Epsom Salts bath?
Salt is beneficial to healing, softens the water to a velvety smooth
texture and is cleansing to boot. Add a candle or two and you'll not
only be nice and clean but you'll feel wonderful too. You can use
Epsom Salts by itself or mix it with other ingredients, such as sea
salt. Ofcourse, you may need to experiment a bit with the amount of
salt to add to the water to avoid discomfort on your wounds - start
with very small amounts and work your way up.

BATH WATER: 

Epsom Salt: When Epsom Salt (Magnesium Sulfate) is known for its
mineral rich and soothing properties. When absorbed through the skin,
such as in a bath salt soak, Epsom Salt is believed to draw toxins
from the body, reduce swelling, and relax muscles.
http://www.bathbybettijo.com/ingredients.php

Bath Salts:
For tired, aching bodies, epsom salt and sea salt are great. You
always hear how great salt water is for the body. Why not bring the
ocean to your bathtub?
* Mix equal parts of Epsom salt and sea salt together. Put
approximately 1/4 cup into the bath under running water.
* Put 1/4 cup of epsom salt or 1/4 cup of sea salt on their own into
the bath water.
* For options A and B add your favorite essential oils for a nice twist.
*I would not add food coloring to the salt. Unless the food coloring
is from a natural source, it is not good for your body. The salt is
more appealing to the eye but is of no benefit to your skin.
**Epsom salt and sea salt are found in your neighborhood drug stores
and are very inexpensive.
http://www.creativehomemaking.com/articles/121699g.shtml

Mother's Day treat: Homemade bath salts:
? 1 cup (250 ml) Epsom salts
? 1 cup (250 ml) sea salt 
http://www.canadianliving.com/CanadianLiving/client/en/Crafts/DetailNews.asp?idNews=2656&idSm=308

Instant Bath Salts
1 cup salt
1 cup epsom salt
1 cup baking soda
Add a little of the mixture to your tub for a revitalizing bath.
For bubbles, just add 1 cup of shampoo. 
http://www.koolpages.com/hokuspokus/bathstuff.html

Cleo's Salts
1 cup sea salt
1/2 tsp glycerine
1/2 cup Epsom salt 
http://www.thefunplace.com/fence/recipeboard/messages/2969.html

Epsom Salts Bath:
http://www.web-street.com/thingsarelookinup/Health/EpsomSaltBaths.shtml

Epsom Salts Bath:
http://ourlittleplace.com/detox.html

Homemade Bath Salts:
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/01/010806a.cfm

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

In regards to washing your old tub, I would scrub with Borax (but any
good cleaner will do) and then wax it to seal the damaged surface. Use
a brush for scrubbing (rather than a sponge), paying particular
attention to the drain because that is where most of the bacteria
reside. *Before you bathe, spray the entire tub surface with a fresh
chlorine solution (1:10), let it air dry, and you'll be all set.*

BATHTUB CLEANING:

Some simple house cleaning rules to follow when preparing the home for a patient...
# Bleach solution is 1 part chlorine bleach to 10 parts water. (you
can buy a spray bottle at most hardware stores)
# Bleach solution is only good for 24 hours then must be discarded
# Surfaces sprayed with a bleach solution may be left to air dry or
wiped with a paper towel, but must never be wiped with a reusable
cloth.
http://www.nhlcyberfamily.org/sanitation.htm

eHow to Clean a Bathtub: 
Borax for your bathtub:
"Borax is an excellent disinfectant alternative to chlorine bleach and
kills/removes mildew in a snap. Use like scouring powder on tubs, tub
walls and showers."
Waxing the tub:
"If you wax your tub with car wax after you clean it, it will stay
cleaner longer! The wax helps repel water spots and dirt. I wax about
every 6 months to a year."
http://www.ehow.com/tips_2021.html

Bathroom Cleaning Tips:
http://www.merry-maids.com/bathroom_tips.html

How to clean a bathtub easily:
http://ok.essortment.com/bathtubbathtub_rjfs.htm

The Bathroom:
http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/spfiles/SP459-E.pdf

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Additional Link:

Homemade "Seawater":
If you want to fill your bathtub (40 gallons or 150 liters of water,
your bathtub may vary), add
* 13 cups (3.12 liters) of salt,
* 4 cups (0.96 liters) of epsom salt,
* 1/3 cup (80 milliliters) of salt substitute,
* and 5 teaspoons (25 milliliters) of baking soda. 
http://www.psorsite.com/docs/homeseawater.html

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I hope I've been able to ease your mind a bit about taking a bath. If
you have any questions, please post a clarification request before
closing/rating my answer and I'll be happy to reply.

Thank you,
hummer

Google Search Terms Used:

bathtub epsom salts
bathtub chlorine solution
bathtub cleaning

Thanks Hummer. You've covered everything. I appreciate the quick respose.

There's no need to do anything special, as long as the tub is clean.
Just use regular ol' soap :)

Kriswrite

thanks. I had someone clean it thoroughly. But I've been so careful
during this whole thing and wanted to make sure that I wouldn't get
some funky infection from the tub.

Dear poopsy,

Thank you for your thank you, nice rating and tip - I was glad to hear
from you because I enjoyed researching your question. I was especially
interested in the website that explained how to disinfect a house in
preparation for a patient returning home. While I was out today, I
mentioned those directions to someone and they brought up a very good
point. They said to make sure to check the concentration of the
chlorine before you buy it - normally it is 5.25% but some of the
stuff that goes on sale is only 4%. Well, poopsy, wishing you an
uneventful recovery and a worry-free bath.  Sincerely, hummer