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Do you get upset with the amount of soap scum that collects on the floor of your bathtub? That dark stain after soap scum builds up looks ugly and is quite hard to remove.
Simple cleaning and scrubbing using regular soap might not be effective. This can be frustrating and upsetting. The worst thing is that if you are using a glass shower, it gets uglier.
Read Related Article: Spring Cleaning Your Bathroom
It doesn’t have to bother you anymore. You can get rid of that using a soap scum remover.
Table of Contents
How To Prepare Soap Scum Remover And Tips For Using It
What is soap scum?
Before we get into the heart of the matter, let’s find out what soap scum means. Soap scum is the cloudy film that forms in shower door, tile, sink, or bathtub after using it for a while.
It contains various elements like hard water, mildew, soap talc, mineral deposits, and body oils. That’s why it’s quite hard to wash it off using regular detergents.
You need to use an excellent soap scum remover to make a dent in it.
How can soap scum be formed?
When you use hard water and soap, it forms soap scum as a solid. Soap scum merges with magnesium and calcium ions that are in the water, forming a conglomerate with soap.
These results in an insoluble substance. Tap water tends to have minerals that combine with dirt and soap, forming a layer on the surface of your sink or bathroom, resulting in scum formation.
Hard water is filled with minerals and quickly leads to the build-up of soap scum. The problem is that if you leave soap scum to build up, it can combine with mildew or mold and have odors and unpleasant discolorations.
How can you make a homemade soap scum remover?
So long as you use soap, you can never avoid the formation of soap scum in your bathroom. Did you know that you can quickly get rid of that stubborn soap scum using homemade solutions?
Whether it’s your shower curtains, fun floor, or shower walls, a soap scum remover can sort that issue. Below is how you can easily make soap scum remover at home.
Ingredients
You need the following things:
- A spray bottle
- Two tablespoons of dishwashing soap
- One tablespoon of corn starch
- 1 Cup of white vinegar
Procedure
- Pour the cup of white vinegar to a large bowl or a measuring cup
- Take a tablespoon of cornstarch and add it to vinegar to thicken it
- Use a fork to mix them, making them thick as you stir.
- Put it in a microwave for 2 minutes, then…
- Add two tablespoons of dishwashing liquid to the spray bottle
- You can then remove cornstarch and vinegar from the microwave and stir. Allow it to cool down for a while and become like a gel.
- Pour it in the spray bottle with the dishwashing liquid and gently shake to combine.
- You can use this solution to clean bathroom walls, tubs, and sinks, among other areas where you often use soap.
What are the best tips for dealing with soap scum?
Now that we have discussed one recipe for preparing soap scum remover, let us see some useful tips for preventing the formation of soap scum.
- Always soften your water
Hard water is one of the main reasons why soap scum forms. If you live in areas with hard water, you can soften it before using it.
Install a water softener system to assist your cleaning experience and prolong the durability of your appliances.
Boiling water is also one way of softening it. You need to soften water because it removes a lot of the magnesium and calcium ions from water. This simplifies your cleaning experience.
- Use lemon
If you have already gotten rid of soap scum and don’t want it to get back, lemon can be a great solution. Put 1-3 drops of organic lemon oil on a piece of a washcloth.
Rub it on areas that often get soap scum. This will decrease the amount of time it takes for soap scum to form. Ensure that you do this regularly and you will never see soap scum in your sink or bathtub.
- Use gel or liquid soap other than a bar soap
Bar soaps are well known for forming soap scum. Using liquid cleaners (detergent “soaps”) or gel can prevent soap scum from forming quickly.
- Use a rag to apply car wax on surfaces to prevent soap scum
Ensure that you use a clean cloth to apply some wax on your cleaned surfaces. Always apply in a circular motion and reapply the wax on your cloth once it runs out.
Make sure your entire surface has an even layer of wax that is smooth. Don’t apply wax on your shower tub’s floor since it will be slippery and cause accidents.
- Always keep a squeegee in your bathroom
It’s essential to leave your bathtub or shower clean every moment you use it to avoid the formation of soap scum. Keeping a squeegee helps you get rid of soap residue and excess moisture.
After taking a shower, squeegee the wall starting from the top to bottom. Press it as hard as possible to eliminate all the water.
For great results, use a hand squeegee that has a blade measuring between 6-9 inches. Such a size can help you clean corners properly.
It may not be possible to clean your bathroom after every use. However, try to clean it after every 2-4 showers.
Why does this soap scum remover work?
Do you know why this soap scum remover works? It works because it contains white vinegar and dish wash soap (actually, a detergent). Detergents can substitute magnesium and calcium ions with sodium ions, disrupting the soap scum structure. Also, with white vinegar, all tough messes and stains can be dissolved.
Moreover, white vinegar is excellent for eliminating bad odors. Dish wash soap, on the other hand, removes stubborn grease from the surfaces.
Soap scum is the worst enemy for bathrooms, sinks, and other areas where you often use water and soap. The formulas we reviewed here is a quick, inexpensive, and simple way of dealing with soap scum.
Using soft water and cleaning your sinks and bathrooms often will save you from the headache of cleaning soap scum all the time.
I’m a professional cleaner with over 13 years of hands-on experience cleaning homes, a published writer, certified money specialist, and the founder of A Mess Free Life. After paying off over $50,000 in debt, I dedicated myself to helping others master their homes and their money — proving that a clean, organized, stress-free life is possible no matter where you’re starting from. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me cooking, playing bocce, sipping an extra dirty martini, or enjoying the ocean with my cats nearby. I’m also a proud mom and grandma who cares deeply for my mother at home.
