How Do You Get Rid of Soap Scum?

Try using a clarifying shampoo. Sometimes the soap scum and body oil mix and create some kind of nasty miracle stuff that has sticking power. Also try using other stuff too, like degreaser etc. It's the mix of things that's making it so that one type of cleaner won't do the job. Soap scum & body oil = shower cement!

good luck

This is an excellent question, I do not know the answer, but will be extremely interested in what others have to say.

i usually use bleach water to clean my bathroom, but i could not get the buildup off of the bathtub, eventually i tried Kaboom, and i was amazed at how well it worked, it just came right off, and all that time i had scrubed and scrubed before and nothing would happen. the first time i used it, i let it set on the soap scum for about 3-5 min. and it came of just wiping it.

I can't believe all the responses that say wear a mask and gloves, turn on your fan...etc. There are completely safe ways to clean your home without killing yourself. Please, please, please, do not use those toxic chemical in your home. It's bad for you, not to mention what you are flushing down the drain into our water source.
Shaklee's scour off clean everything from ovens to soap scum and smells like bubblegum. No gloves required.
Please consider going to www.Shaklee.net/health_revolution and click on the "Get Clean" section for basic H2 and scour off.
Another tip, use non-soap shampoos and bath bars, no soap, no soap scum.
Good luck
SG

The best way to get rid of soap scum is to get a 16 oz empty bottle, put 1/4 cup of blue dawn dish soap in the bottom and then fill the bottle with white viniger, mix it well. The smell is strong so turn on your vent, but spray the shower doors and then use a sponge to clean, rinse really well with cold water and then you are done! Since the scum sounds like it is really built up you may have to do this a few times, but you will be amazed!
Good Luck!

Try a wet sheet of bounce it works great on shower doors

Those Mr. Clean Erasers work REALLY well. They are cheap, too!

Tilex Soap Scum Remover works beautifully. It has to be the "Soap Scum" kind, not the regular Tilex. Just follow the directions. I use it on the white ceramic tub as well as the tumbled marble surround.

I recently discovered the scrubbing bubbles action scrubber which is just a foam handle with little pads that attach on to do the cleaning. I don't know if it is soap or the texture of the pad but it went through my yucky tub scum in no time. I had to use three pads on the first cleaning but now I just use one.

i use soft scrub and a scotch-brite spoonge, green side down. it works great on our glass shower door, but the buildup hasn't been quite as significant, though. try it!

I have real marble with stain and cannot get rid of it either. No help I know. Sorry!

Kaboom works wonders for soap scum. I usually spray it on, let it sit and then scrub it with a midly abraisive sponge (one made for non-stick pans). As a bonus it doesn't have that strong smell that a lot of other products have!! Good luck!!

Hey G., I use this product call CLR. You can purchase it at any Target, Walmart etc. It works great. All I do is wear gloves and pour some on a cloth and wipe down my shower doors, then I take a cup and rinse it off my shower doors. It works instantly. Good luck with it.
Tami

You can try CLR. Just spray it on, let it set a little bit and then scrub it off

another one is Barkeeper's friend. I wet the shower down, shake the powder on, make a paste and let it set for a while, take a scrub brush or anything you have around the house and wash it off. The only pain in the neck part is getting it rinsed. You may have to repeat but it doesn't smell and it will shine afterwards. Barkeeper's is found by the ajax and comet. The key is letting it set. : ). Maybe you could add that to your arsenal. You could scrub the BK off with the dryer sheets as well.

I have had success with using Ajax and Tilex, but you have to use a heavy strong brush in a circular motion to scrub it off. I try to get a brush that has a handle that will make it easier to use.

There are two things that work for me...on a weekly basis I use Bounty dryer sheets on the glass door to our shower and it works like a charm. For built up or really nasty soap scum I use The Works Tub and Shower Cleaner. I found it at the grocery store when I was desperate and it works like a CHARM! One caution - the fumes from The Works are STRONG. I usually spray (I wear a mask and gloves) and let it sit for 10 minutes and then come back and quite honestly you don't even need to scrub. It literally makes the scum come right off. I usually run the shower for several minutes after I use it to make sure that it is all washed off. I had a closet full of cleaners before finding The Works that didn't work - I spent a fortune and I have had the same bottle of the works for the past year! Good luck!

Install a new shower door.

I saw that alot of people respondd with using the magis eraser. I too use it but it may not be as safe as some of you think so just be careful around your kiddos! I'm including an email a friend sent to me about the eraser. It has a couple of horrible pictures with it but I can't make them attach so if you want to see them just let me know and I will forward the email to your address! M.

This is something that all parents and grandparents need to know.

Ok, I'm sending this out to everyone so they don't make the same mistake I made. I'm so embarrassed that this happened but I want you all to be aware of what can happen. This was caused by a magic eraser sponge. I have let both kids erase their crayon marks off the walls and never even thought the sponges would have this kind of chemical in them that would cause this kind of burn or even hurt them. Learn from my mistake. You can't even imagine how bad I feel that this happened to Kolby. Pass this along to anyone who has kids or grandchildren.

This is Kolby 24 hours after being burned by a magic Eraser sponge. It was much worse yesterday.
My sister found this article about another child that was burned by the same kind of sponge.

If you are a parent or grandparent, this post is meant to save your loved ones from the horror one of our friends went through.

Here is the email we received -
One of my five year old's favorite chores around the house is cleaning scuff marks off the walls, doors, and baseboards with either an Easy Eraser pad, or the real deal, a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I purchased a package of Magic Erasers ages ago when they first came out. I remember reading the box, wondering what the "Magic" component was that cleaned crayon off my walls with ease. No ingredients were listed and absolutely no warnings were on the box, other than "Do not ingest."

My package of the Scotchbrite Easy Erasers didn't have a warning either and since my child knew not to eat the sponges and keep them out of reach of his little brother and sister, it was a chore I happily let him do.
If I had known that both brands (and others like them) contain a harmful alkaline or "base" chemical (opposite of acid on the pH scale) that can burn your skin, I never would have let my little boy handle them. As you can see from the picture, when the Scotchbrite Easy Eraser was rubbed against his face and chin, he received severe chemical burns.
At first, I thought he was being dramatic. I picked him up, put him on the counter top and washed his face with soap and water. He was screaming in pain. I put some lotion on his face - more agony. I had used a Magic Eraser to remove magic marker from my own knuckles a while back and I couldn't understand why he was suddenly in pain. Then, almost immediately, the large, shiny, blistering red marks started to spread across his cheeks and chin.

I quickly searched Google.com for "Magic Eraser Burn" and turned up several results. I was shocked. These completely innocent looking white foam sponges can burn you?
I called the Hospital and spoke to an Emergency Room nurse. She told me to call Poison Control. The woman at Poison Control said she was surprised nobody had sued these companies yet and walked me through the process of neutralizing the alkaline to stop my son's face from continually burning more every second.

I had already, during my frantic phone calling, tried patting some numbing antibiotic cream on his cheeks, and later some Aloe Vera gel - both resulted in screams of pain. The Poison Control tech had me fill a bathtub with warm water, lay my son into it, cover him with a towel to keep him warm and then use a soft washcloth to rinse his face and chin with cool water for a continuous 20 minutes.

My son calmed down immediately. He told me how good it felt. I gave him a dose of Tylenol and after the twenty minutes was up, he got dressed in his Emergency Room doctor Halloween costume and off we went to the Hospital.
They needed to make sure the chemical burn had stopped burning, and examine his face to determine if the burn would need to be debrided (from my fuzzy recollection of hospital work, this means removing loose tissue from a burn location).
My son was pretty happy at the hospital, they were very nice and called him "Doctor" and let him see some of their equipment.

They sent us home with more Aloe Vera gel, Polysporin antibiotic cream, and some other numbing burn creams. By the time we got home, my son was crying again. I tried applying some of the creams but he cried out in pain. Water seemed to be what worked the best.

After a rough night, I took the above photo in the morning. He was swollen and wouldn't move his lips very much to avoid moving the skin on his taut cheeks.

Today he is doing much better. The burns have started to scab over, and in place of red, raw, angry, skin we have a deeper red, rough healing layer. I can touch his skin now, without it stinging

Use your shampoo to wash the s've heard this works when nothing else will. Good luck S.

Try a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Or a Scrubbing Bubbles Action Scrubber.

I bought this stuff called Mean Green, for mildew and soap scum at the Dollar General. Works great for everything.

Tilex Bath and Tub cleaner. Let it sit for 15 minutes and then rinse and repeat as needed.

The absolutely best cleaner for that shower door is TUB & TILE from a company called Melaleuca...they are very safe, more natural products and they really work! Call me at ###-###-#### or email me with your phone # and I can contact you and tell you how to get their awesome products wholesale, directly from the company....T.

Not sure how to get rid of it, but definately buy a squigge and use it after every shower!

Dont know how bad yours is, but "Mr. Cleans Magic Eraser" sponges have worked wonders for me!! They sale them with the cleaning stuff at all major stores. Those things even get sharpie marker off of TV's and computer screens!!!(Dont ask, hahaha) Good luck to you!

I start off with magic erasure and then after each shower I use tub n tile and no work bath cleaner...It keeps the shower cleaner longer. Plus, no fumes, chemicals or toxins!!

Good luck!!

T.

Sounds odd, but goo gone works really good. Most stores sell it, but not in the cleaning aisle, it is near the paint section. It is the only thing that I use and it works really well.

Someone told me to scrub with a "magic eraser". They sell at wal-mart a generic one also I believe.

One of the Clorox products for soap scum will take it off, but this is very important, after you remove it, then never use soap again just use cleasing gels.

Have you tried baking soda and water? You can mix it into a paste and smear it on the doors and let set(it's going to dry and be powdery or fall off) then scrub off with a damp sponge. Good luck.

have you tried CLR ? i know this sounds crazy but i use toielt bowl cleaner to clean my tub . i have a bottle that i strictly use for the toilet in case it gets yuck on it i don't want to spread it to the tub and another for the tub. it is AMAZING !! it is thick it has disenfectant in it and it doesn't take much because it is so concentrated . i've never used it on a glass door but it gets the scum off my tub in no time !good luck !

Spray it with Lime Away and scrape it with a razor blade. A lot of muscle work to start with but then normal upkeep will keep it shiny!!

Mr Clean Magic Eraser got rid of 4 yrs of scum for me!

I used x14 tub and shower and it worked great for me! It worked for me because I just don't have the time to scrub, or the desire. I just sprayed it all over the shower every time I went into the bathroom and never once scrubbed it. I went through the entire bottle in a week. After a few days my shower was spot less. Now that it is clean I have the scrubbing bubbles automatic shower cleaner that I just push the button when I am done with the shower. That works just fine, so once a month I spray the shower down with the x14. Good luck!

With that much soap scum, I would simply scrape it off... using a razor, a Pampered Chef scraper, or an ice scraper.
Steel wool would cut through it, but it would take a whole lot of steel wool.

I use something you probably already have with kiddos around. A Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. It comes right off and shines the fixtures! I also use them on baseboards for an easy clean! Good Luck!

I've had this problem with my shower, and have tried all the mentioned products. Finally about 4 or 5 weeks ago, I bought one of those "scrubbing bubbles shower cleaners" (don't know the actual name, but you push a button and it sprays the shower. You do it right after using the shower, while it is still wet) Anyway - after a few weeks, I could see the difference. So it is a slow process, but is working! It's also about $20 for the initial kit.

I clean houses part-time and have researched this deeply. I saw that someone else advised this to you already, but I'll repeat it because it WORKS! Bounty dryer sheets. They are amazing! And so is the Magic Eraser. I have gone into showers that have been built up over a long period of years and have come out with it looking sparkling and new. After spending all kinds of money and scrubbing for hours, it's funny that something so simple works so well. It does help, though, to spray some of those cleaners first to let them loosen it all up, including vinegar and water. You won't even have to scrub. Just wipe off with the dryer sheets.

There is another product that was mentioned as well that you hang in your shower and let it spray every day. That is great maintenance. I don't know the name of it, though. You won't get soap scum anymore!

Hi G. -
Wow, lots of neat ideas. I don't have an idea to get it off but it sounds like you have received plenty. But I do know a grout repair guy who recommends that once you get it clean you should apply Rain-X every three months and it keeps the soap scum from getting to the shower glass. I am trying to get mine super clean to apply it, hope it works!

Best of luck, A.

Tub and Tile! It is natural and safe and will work in no time! It is very affordable. It is around 1.50 per bottle! I spray the bathroom down. Let it sit for about 10-15 min. the first time and come back and wipe away years of scum. It not only takes care of the surface, but it pulls it out of the grout. I hope to hear from you soon if you would like to learn more about the natural products offered with a 100$ money back guarantee!

H. M.

I have heard shampoo works...worth a try!

My daughter uses the mr clean automatic cleaner and it works great in her shower. It used to take forever to scrub it and now it stays clean.

Hello G.,
Have you tried Kaboom? It does wonders on my bathroom. You can get it anywhere from Target and Walmart to Home Depot and Lowe's.
M.

I would try the Magic Eraser. It does wonders in our shower.

Hi Gennie1
You mention that you have marble in your shower.So many products have too much acid that is bad for marble.The company who restore marble recommend me "water spot and soap scum remover" from VMC. It is a paste, but it doesnt scratch marble and is very safe.I use it on glass, fixtures, etc. I buy it from speciality store . You can call them @ ###-###-####.

I have had luck with "Kaboom" pruducts specifically "Bam" One of them is for soap scum. You can find them at Wal-Mart Both have strong harsh chemicals but it works like a charm. Wear a mask and turn the fan on in your bathroom. The magic eraser works too but it takes a lot more elbow grease on your part.

HTH- Elaine

Vinegar. Mix vinegar and water and a scrubby spounge and go to town. Vinegar is natures cleaner. It eats through soap scum like a dream. Once clean, keep a nice squeegy(?) in the shower and keep it clean. It takes just a minute and keeps things looking clean all of the time.

Have you tried clr or limeaway yet? Either should cut right through it.

Sometimes soap scum is hard water build up or limescale.

I used products that are by Melaleuca that are great on soap scum. If you are interested go to my website and request information. The soap scumk cleaner is also environment friendly and don't have to worry about polluting your air in the house. Here is my website: www.myfamily-mylife.com

The key for any product is to test it on a very small corner before using it where you will see it. This product is for toilet bowls, however, we used it at our small family resort for years to cut hardwater stains, soap scum, and iron stains. http://www.thegreathardwarestore.com/ProductDetails.asp?P... I want to say again ... test it FIRST! Make sure the room is ventilated - it's strong stuff - you probably won't have to use it again once you get through the initial cleaning. But please be careful with it.

Lime Away works wonders!!! Good luck!

shout or spray and wash

I use some toilet cleaner called "The Works" they also make a soap scum cleaner by the same name in a spray bottle. I use the really strong one in the toilet cleaner bottle. Cleans our old tub and surround right up.
After that, The only other thing I have had success with is Tub n' Tile made by Melaleuca. It is a company I order cleaning products from.
I would be careful as I don't know about the marble or synthetic marble and would read carefully. We don't have any of that stuff.
If none of that worked then I would go to a store and see about a cleaner from someone that sold marble, like HomeDepot or Lowe's and get something or advice from them.
Good luck,
L.