You have probably seen the comercials for Zap.

The ones where the host shows us how we can take an old, filthy sink and by using Zap restore it to nearly new condition… Thus saving hundreds of dollars. Or how the same product can be used to restore, not clean, old shower stalls, tile, grout porcelain and fiberglass.

And you probably didn’t believe it was true either, at least not enough to send them $30 or $40 dollars for a couple of bottles so you could see for yourself.

Well, you probably made a good decision then because if you have items that are as badly in need of help as the ones they show on TV then you are out of luck as I doubt you will be able to bring them all the way back to “like new” condition with Zap. If you have some things that are not quite so far gone though then you may be able to get somewhat satisfactory results using this product.

What you get

The Zap Kit comes with the following:

1 12oz bottle of Zap restorer.

2 Plastic scouring pads.

1 Screw-on spray nozzle.

How do you use it?

For restoring the package recommends that you use Zap either at full strength or diluted 1:1 with water.

Spray Zap onto the area to be restored and let it set for one or two minutes, scrub with the pads provided, then rinse with water. For very heavy stains you should let it set for up to 10 minutes before scrubbing/rinsing and a second application may be required.

For cleaning they say to use it at a 20:1 ratio and use as you would any other cleaner.

You are advised by the manufacturer to always use gloves when working with Zap and to only use the product in a well-ventilated area.

You are advised never allow Zap to come in contact with any of the following substances: Wood, Paint, Vinyl, Enamel, Formica, Acrylic, Marble, Granite, Concrete, Aluminum, Corian, Plated Metals, Brick or Colored Porcelain or Grout.

The reason for this are the active ingredients in this restorer... Sulfuric Acid and Muratic Acid.

So the way by which this product restores is by dissolving part of the object in question, effectively burning off the stained area.

Does it Work?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

As I mentioned earlier, if you have items that are as badly stained as those shown on TV, I seriously doubt that you will see results as profound as they show in their demonstrations.

The house we are currently renting is a very nice home but one thing that has bothered us is the grout on the hall bathroom floor. Instead of white, the grout there is discolored almost to the point of being black (I guess that previous tenants didn’t put a lot of effort into trying to keep it looking nice). We bought Zap to give it a try in there and see just how effective it was.

After picking an out of the way corner to try it on, I applied Zap and waited 10 minutes. I then scrubbed the grout and rinsed with water.

I didn’t see much difference.

I repeated the process, this time waiting a half hour before scrubbing.

Not much better.

I put up the product and walked away thinking that I had just thrown $12.99 out the window.

However, I had been a bit too quick to judge as I noticed over the next 24 hours that the grout in that area steadily began to lighten in tone, ultimately coming to a gray color about halfway between what the grout had been and white.

While this was a definite improvement, it still wasn’t the restoration I had hoped for.

I also used it on some hard water stains in the shower and on the bathroom window and for these items, Zap performed as promised, removing the stains completely. It also worked very well at getting some rust deposits from the tub and sink.

I would seriously caution anyone planning to use Zap to use a breathing mask because when the product is sprayed some of it is released in a fine mist which can be accidentally inhaled even in a fairly well ventilated area. You must also wear heavy rubber gloves when using Zap since the product can eat through thinner latex gloves.

Is it worth it?

Truthfully, I’d say no. A 12oz bottle of Zap can cost between $10 and $15 dollars and there are products made by Tilex and Lysol that have worked just as well for me (and they should since they also use acid) and are much less expensive at around $3 to $4 a bottle.

I do suspect that Zap may contain higher concentrations of acid than these other products and so it might be more effective on some stains but the higher cost makes it less tempting to keep around the house for general cleaning.

Manufacturer's Information

Zap is made by:

Sirius Products Inc.
Northridge, CA 91324

I noted a conspicuous lack of any type of guarantee on either the package or the bottle.

I could not locate a phone number or web site for this company.

Bottom Line

I seriously doubt I will purchase Zap again unless the company reduces the cost of the product to the consumer. While it did a reasonable job as a cleaner I personally can’t justify its high price versus comparable products.

If you have a very nasty stain in a sink or tub you might try this for getting it out. It will in all likelihood lessen the stain but I seriously doubt you will think of the item as restored.


Recommended: No