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updated by @jasper: 01/13/15 09:23:28PM

Well, I must not be using the right search terms because the only info I can find about gray or grimy tubs and essential oils is for using the oils to clean the tub. Nothing about the oils causing the gray tub.

Which oils are you using? What other products are used in the shower?

My tub is not gray and I use a LOT of essential oils. My tub is actually cleaner than it used to be. Probably because we don't use anything in there other than bs, acv, essential oils, and Dr. Bronners now that I have shown my husband the light.

The oils we use most commonly are tea tree, rosemary, citrus, peppermint, bergamot, citronella, and vanilla.

I often use the tea tree and citrus oils in my homemade cleaners.

What do you and your roommate do jobwise? My husband works in a foundry and has turned our tub gray on occasion with the dirt he is covered in. If he doesn't rinse the tub it does become an issue pretty fast.

My recommendation for cleaning the tub is buy a grapefruit. Cut it in half. Use each half like a scrubby sponge on your tub. Cut side against the tub obviously. Or use an actual scrubby sponge soaked in a citrus oil/water mix. I prefer the grapefruit. Cleaning with fruit is fun. And of course rinse the tub afterwards.

Thanks for reading Ya know the funny thing is I only use Dr. Bronner's, baking soda, rosemary, lavender, and tea tree oils and I am a generally clean person that works indoors (Dillard's.) I use the dr. bronner's as body wash too. But my room mate knows I stained the tub because they left town and when they came home and the tub was gray. So I searched around and talked to some folks finding that Dr. Bronner's and baking soda actually clean stains and a couple of people said that essential oils can stain and eat away the enamel on tubs so that is where I got this info. Anyway that grapefruit idea sounds like it would be nice, does it work well on stains though? I've tried everything today to no resolve and I'm getting a bit concerned that the gray tub is here to stay :/

If it's staining, baking soda and lemon will probably get it off. If it's due to enamel being eroded though that's an entire different issue and cleaning probably won't do a lot. What type of tub do you have?

i use everything you listed and i have never had that problem. I would try soaking the tub overnight with some warm water and vinegar to see if that helps it come out..

Its enamel but it isn't eroded, just stained. I did finally get the stains out but I had to use harsh means by borrowing comet from a friend up the street, letting that sit on it for and hour then scrubbing it, not preferable. I think the reason it caused such a problem is that our tub drains slow and so there is standing water for about 20 minutes after showering. I wonder if there are any means of protecting the tub from further problems...its unfortunate for me that no one is familiar with this problem but fortunate for all of you hahah.