HELP!!! Soap scum is driving me crazy!

[jax677]

As much as I hate the smell we use the works. Its powerful and really shouldn't be used everytime, just when its bad.

 

[Pembo]

I wet a used Bounce dryer sheet and wash the shower doors. The soap scum becomes soapy and rinses away. Great use for all those uesd Bounce sheets.

 

[LizinSTL]

Recently purchased an older home. Lovely ceramic tile in bathrooms. Previous owners were very generous. They left me many years of soap scum! Yep, its true...must laugh...not scream with frustration! Any suggestions to clean years of soap scum?

I tried nearly every idea mentioned so far on this thread on our tile shower/textured glass doors of our 30+ year old house. Nothing worked. I got one of those Scrubbing bubbles automatic shower cleaners and thought...well if it works great, if not no big loss.... At first I didn't notice a difference but I still replaced the bottle after about 3 weeks and by the 1st week into the second bottle, I noticed that the soap scum was gone and the doors looked 100% better. I continued to use that product until we replaced the doors earlier this year. The new clear glass doors had spots on them from the product so now I'm back to good old elbow grease every other day on the tiles.

 

[KandiB47]

I tried nearly every idea mentioned so far on this thread on our tile shower/textured glass doors of our 30+ year old house. Nothing worked. I got one of those Scrubbing bubbles automatic shower cleaners and thought...well if it works great, if not no big loss.... At first I didn't notice a difference but I still replaced the bottle after about 3 weeks and by the 1st week into the second bottle, I noticed that the soap scum was gone and the doors looked 100% better. I continued to use that product until we replaced the doors earlier this year. The new clear glass doors had spots on them from the product so now I'm back to good old elbow grease every other day on the tiles.

That's what worked for me: Scrubbing Bubbles Auto Shower Cleaner. It took zero effort and my shower was clean. (well I did have to push a button after each shower ) I think this product is more expensive but coupons are always out there for it. I have always been able to found coupons for the refills too.

 

[Mrsgrumpy2000]

Thank you for all the help. Now, does anyone have any suggestions for an energy burst to help me get started?

 

[Mau Loa Disney]

I dont know why this works, but I was given this household hint and it worked for me

orange glo wood cleaner and polish- http://www.greatcleaners.com/woodcleaner.html

I sprayed it on and a few minutes later it just wiped away

 

[D L and K's Mom]

baby shampoo and salt. You make a paste and the salt sort of scrubs and the baby shampoo polishes and it washes away easy. I have used it in the tub and it works!!!

 

[dis-happy]

We moved into a 20 year old house and I thought the tiles in the MBR shower were ruined. When I tried cleaning them stuff was flaking off to the point that I thought it was the actual ceramic finish coming off. At the point of no return I tried Kaboom....guess what, they looked brand new!

We maintain our clean shower by religiously using a squeegee after every single use. I only need to clean the shower about once a month (spray Scrubbing Bubble everywhere) and it always looks good.

 

[dclfun]

Yup- that's what our tiles looked like- an entire layer of built-in scum that looked like it was permanent. Kaboom was the ticket although as I mentioned before it's probably really harsh. I couldn't believe the hardened stuff was coming off with the wipe of a rag after I'd spent literally hours trying everything else! We don't use it on a regular basis- I had to wonder if that shower had *ever* been cleaned before! To the OP- if you find the energy burst solution, pass it on!!!---Kathy

 

[Imzadi]

Ditto Scrubbing Bubbles
OR
The Works cleaner. (This is available at the Dollar Tree.)

Spray or squirt on a whole can or bottle, then get the heck put of there as the fumes will kill you.

But, whatever is in those two products will really get rid of everything on the tub without scrubbing. So you don't have to do it often.

Scrubbing Bubbles also works great on tile floors. Nice & clean between all the nooks & cranies.

 

[imageid]

We had the same problem when we moved. I tried many different products. What worked best for me was Dishwashe detergent (powdered). It even removed what I think was hair dye. Good Luck!

 

[8esther8]

FYI- once you get rid of your soap scum, if you'll use liquid soap, instead of bar, you'll never have the soap scum problem again. This was the best tip my SIL ever gave me.

 

[crisi]

FYI- once you get rid of your soap scum, if you'll use liquid soap, instead of bar, you'll never have the soap scum problem again. This was the best tip my SIL ever gave me.

That's funny - my shower regularly has to have the soap scum chipped from it - and I haven't had bar soap in this house ever - we built it. My husband is a latherer - and not a squeegeer. And I'm a rather lazy housekeeper.

 

[reginaastralis]

Thanks for this thread!

I just moved into a house with a ton of soap scum on the bathtub. My arms ached! from all the scrubbing I did last week, but it is starting to look "clean"

If only I could get the shower doors to start looking clean. SIGH! I have tried everything, and they look an awful mess. Maybe some of the tips in this thread will help, fingers crossed!

 

[dclfun]

Kaboom also takes the scum off the shower doors and makes them clear again. For us, Scrubbing Bubbles did absolutely nothing for the hardened scum nor did Tilex or the major products that "said" they removed scum, even with elbow grease. Perhaps it depends on the water where you live and how much lime is in it- we are in Florida, for instance.---Kathy

 

[daleswife]

your lucky its just soap scum....I have iron in my water and it turns everything rusty red. We havent had the funds to get a good water treatment system and our nice new white bathtub is rust colored now....although I do clean it with iron out once a week....but that scares me cause I heard that stuff can cause lung cancer.....I cant wash clothes or my blonde hair in that water.....I use to and my hair acutally turned rust red!!! Had to have 3 malibu treatments to get it out....i use bottled water for EVERYTHING!!!!! Id LOVE to have soap scum.......