Water Damage & Flooded Basement Restoration Services

How to Remove Soap Scum from Showers

By the RestorationSOS Educational Staff

Soap scum is an unfortunate byproduct of repeated showers or dishwashing and is commonly found in most homes on at least some level. The longer it is allowed to sit, the more difficult it may be to clean, leaving unattractive stains on your tiles in the bathroom or kitchen. Soap scum problems are also often found on bathtubs, shower doors, sinks, and mirrors. In order to prevent soap scum problems, you should clean these areas on a fairly regular basis.

What is Soap Scum?

Soap scum is actually more than just soap. Rather it is a mix of soap, dirt, body oils, dead skin, and other mineral deposits. So what is the best way to remove this problem and keep your bathroom as clean as possible?

What Cleaning Products Do You Need?

The first thing you will need is the right equipment. You should always wear rubber gloves when handling strong cleaning products. You will also need clean cloths, a squeegee, and whatever commercially available or homemade tile cleaner you plan on using.

If the buildup is not very heavy, then a regular soap scum cleaner may be used to clean your surface. Heavier accumulations may require a little more work. For these cases, you will need a non-abrasive cleaner containing bleach. Bleach will eliminate not only the soap scum, but will also eliminate the mildew which always seems to accompany it.

If you are working on tiles, be sure you have chosen a cleaner that is specified for that purpose. Not all soap scum removal agents are created equal and you need to choose the one specifically for the job you are performing. Coat the affected area with the cleaner and allow it to sit for a few minutes. It may not look like anything is happening, but the agent needs time to cut through the accumulated levels of soap scum that have built up over the course of repeated washing.

Getting Rid of the Soap Scum

Using some elbow grease, scrub the affected area with a damp cleaning cloth, working it until all of the soap scum has come up. If the first try doesn’t work, then repeat the procedure until it does. Once the soap scum growth has been removed, thoroughly wash and disinfect the area, then allow to dry. You can use the squeegee on your shower doors and bathroom walls to avoid scum buildup. Cleaning the area several times each week will prevent the soap scum from getting a foothold and becoming a disgusting chore.

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How to Remove Soap Scum from Tile