How To Get Rid Of Soap Scum On Shower Glass?

Have you noticed white chalky deposits building up on your shower glass? This is called soap scum, that forms when the fatty acid in your bar soap reacts with the calcium and magnesium ions in hard water. This thick deposit attracts mould, body oil, dirt and dead skin cells to it that erode your shower glass and create unpleasant odours.

Thus, it is important to remove this soap scum to prevent it from destroying your shower glass and to keep your bathroom clean. You can hire professional bond cleaning Perth services to help you deep clean your shower glass and get rid of this soap scum, or you can do this on your own with the useful tips below.

What Is Soap Scum

Soap scum is a thick white layer that settles on your shower glass, tracks and frames and leaves a residue that attracts mould, body oil and dirt. This combination of soap scum and mould can cause health problems like:

Itchy eyes

Rashes

Asthma attacks

Sinus issues

Respiratory infections

How Is Soap Scum Formed

When the calcium stearate and magnesium stearate ions in hard water react with the organic fat in bar soap, it causes a buildup of alkaline soap scum.

This scum prevents your soap from bubbling and thus reduces the cleaning effect of your soap. It also corrodes your shower glass material as the alkaline soap scum combines with mould and dirt and hardens over time. This soap scum slowly weakens your glass shower as the glass is porous and absorbs this harmful scum.

In Perth, the mineral water content ranges from 121 to 180 mg/L, which is considered hard and therefore is more favourable for forming soap scum. Therefore, you must treat this hard water and prevent the buildup of soap scum in the following ways:

How To Prevent Soap Scum From Forming

Bond cleaning services Perth recommend the following tips to help you prevent the buildup of soap scum:

Wipe your shower glass with a squeegee daily.

Use a water softener to reduce the mineral contents of hard water.

Deep clean your showers monthly to remove scum.

Use vinegar and water every week to reduce buildup.

Keep your shower dry by turning on the exhaust after you bathe.

Use liquid soaps instead of bar soap.

Use Epsom salts to prevent soap from settling on your shower.

These tips will help you prevent the formation of these deposits. But if you already have soap scum formations on your shower glass, you can use the following eco-friendly solutions to remove them:

How To Remove Soap Scum From Shower Glass

1. Lemon Juice And Baking Soda: Scrub Soap Scum Away

Lemon juice contains citric acid that softens hard water and thus helps dissolve soap. When lemon juice reacts with baking soda, it creates a slightly abrasive solution that can remove dirt.

Bond cleaners Perth recommend you follow the steps below to remove soap scum with these two natural cleaners:

Take ½ cup of lemon juice and rub it over the soap scum.

After 15 minutes, sprinkle ½ cup of baking soda on a cloth.

Now, scrub the soap scum off with this cloth, rinse, and repeat.

Once you are done scrubbing, dry the area to prevent mould.

2. White Vinegar: Powerful Cleanser For Shower Glass

White vinegar is another effective cleaning solution that can reduce soap scum and clean your shower glass. You can combine vinegar with dish soap to make a power-packed formula for your shower glass in the following ways:

Heat ½ cup of white vinegar in your microwave.

Pour this vinegar into a spray bottle and add ½ cup dish soap.

Next, spray this over your soap scum and leave it for 30 minutes.

The acetic acid in the vinegar will weaken the alkaline soap scum.

You can then scrub off this solution with a microfiber cloth.

Rinse and dry the area with a squeegee and keep your exhaust on.

Besides cleaning your soap scum, here are 5 awesome vinegar cleaning hacks you should know.

Caution

Do not use vinegar if you have stone floors in your shower, as the acid can scratch the surface.

3. Baking Soda And Vinegar: Clears Hard Soap Deposits

When baking soda and vinegar are mixed, they create a fizzing foam that knocks out the toughest dirt. Bond cleaning Perth recommends using this combination to remove soap scum that has built up over the years in the following ways:

Pour ½ cup of baking soda into a spray bottle.

Next, add ½ cup of white vinegar and shake.

The vinegar and baking soda will react to form carbon dioxide.

Once this foam settles, dip a sponge in this solution.

Scrub this solution onto the scum and leave it for 15 minutes.

Next, wipe away the soap scum with a cloth.

You should then spray vinegar to protect the glass.

If these hard deposits have formed on other surfaces of your bathroom, you can use these tips to clean soap scum off bathroom areas.

4. Dryer Sheets And Magic Eraser: Gently Wipes Away Residue

Lastly, professional bond cleaning services in Perth recommend using dryer sheets and magic erasers to clean soap scum that has just formed. You can easily wet dryer sheets and rub them over your soap scum in gentle, circular motions.

If the soap scum has spread to a larger area, wet a magic eraser and remove the soap scum in circular motions. Using a magic eraser, you can even remove soap scum from shower door tracks and frames.

Tip

Here are some other effective uses of magic erasers for your home.

Conclusion

Therefore, with regular cleaning, you can remove and prevent the buildup of soap scum on your shower glass. It is always good to clean your shower glass as soon as you finish bathing, as the soap particles are wet and easy to remove then. You must also dry the area immediately after bathing to prevent any mould buildup.