You’ve seen that cloudy layer that covers the surface of different parts of your shower, tub, and faucets. Yep- that’s soap scum. Soap scum leaves its mark on shower curtains, tiles, fixtures, and more. It’s a stubborn film that doesn’t go away easily. We’ll give you tips on how to remove soap scum in your bathroom so that even your mother-in-law can visit.
Tips on How to Remove Soap Scum
Before we dive into how to remove soap scum and related aspects of tile and grout cleaning, it’s helpful to understand what soap scum is. Soap scum is actually a substance that forms when a combination of hard water, calcium, and magnesium particles mix together with dirt and soap, causing the cloudy film we know as soap scum. This annoying scum covers the surface layers of different areas of the bathroom, and even in the laundry. The more minerals present in the water, the more likely soap scum will build.
Over time, after layers and layers of soap scum have built onto the surface, it can become extremely hard and difficult to remove. Soap scum may also join forces with mold and mildew resulting in foul odors, discoloration, and further difficulty for removal.
But alas, there is hope.
Natural Cleaners
There are a few household ingredients you can use to clean all the surfaces in your home that shows signs of soap scum and water marks present. Since bathroom surfaces are made from various materials, commercial cleaners are sometimes risky, and natural cleaners offer a safe and less toxic alternative when you need to remove soap scum.
Borax can be combined with lemon juice to make a paste to clean tubs and showers effectively. Mixing baking soda and vinegar to make a paste (just wait for the foaming to subside) will safely clean shower doors and other surfaces as well. Just dip your cloth into your paste of choice, spread the paste around and let it sit for 10 minutes, then rinse it clean.
Epsom Salts
A fun way to help rid your tub of soap scum and prevent further build up is to soak in a bath of Epsom salts. The Epsom salts help rinse the soap scum down the drain and helps prevent further build up by making it more difficult for the soap scum to stick to the surface of the tub.
Tips to Prevent Soap Scum
The best way, of course, to prevent the build-up of soap scum is to not have to remove soap scum to begin with. Maintain regular cleaning of the bathroom surfaces. Thoroughly cleaning all surfaces weekly will help prevent soap scum from forming multiple layers that are difficult to remove. Regular cleaning also prohibits the formation of mold and mildew, which can combine with soap scum to produce discoloration and unpleasant odors in the bathroom.
Using a daily shower cleaner is helpful to ward off soap scum in between cleanings, and only takes a minute or two each time the tub or shower is used. If you are really ambitious, applying a car wax or other wax/gel protectant makes it difficult for soap scum to adhere to the surface, making cleaning and maintenance a little easier.
Hire a Professional
If your surfaces require more elbow grease than you have to offer, hire a professional to do the job right. The experts at Seal Team One specialize in tile and grout cleaning as well as shower glass cleaning. Our team will clean your grout so well it looks new. We will use our proprietary process to permanently seal your tile and grout. This process not only makes future cleaning a breeze, but your tile and grout will actually repel stains! You’ll be so thrilled to relieve yourself of the hassle of constant scrubbing, that you’re going wonder why you waited so long to schedule the appointment.
Call Seal Team One today and say goodbye to that soap scum once and for all! Receive a complimentary estimate by calling 866-929-7325. Just look at our amazing before and after photos:
  
