How to Clean Soap Scum from Shower Door
Soap scum is the thin, gray film that is left behind on shower door after you have finished bathing. The ugly marks of soapy scum are usually get noticed only hours after the bath. By that time, the body oils, mineral and the talc from soaps have all hardened up on the surface of the shower door. Hence, you have to make a lot of effort to clean up the scum. The importance of cleaning soap scum from shower doors regularly lies with the fact that if not done regularly the stains will get accumulated to form a thick layer and growth of mildew may also take place. Thus the problem will be bigger for you.
How to Clean Soap Scum with a Cleaner?
Spray some warm water all over the shower door using the shower head to dampen it thoroughly. Take any shower scum removal fluid available in the market, pour it on a soft moist cloth and apply it on the shower door. Before application of these kinds of cleaning products, read the labels and follow the manufacturer's instructions on the quantity of cleaner to be used. Allow the cleaning product to sit on the door for about 15-20 minutes. Then scrub the door using a scrub which is suitable for glass or synthetic door surface. Do not use any metal scrubs as they tend to leave scratch marks on the shower door. Once you have scrubbed the all the areas of the shower door properly wash off with water. At the end, you will get a shiny, clean shower door.
Home Remedies for Cleaning Soap Scum
In case, you have not cleaned the soap scum for a long time, it must have covered your shower door with thick layers. Here are some effective home remedies to get a soapy scum off shower doors:
Ammonia: This works wonders on tough soap scum. Dilute one part of ammonia with two parts of water in a spray bottle. Spray the solution generously all over the shower door and scrub it off with a sponge or a scrubbing tool like scouring pad. Finally, rinse off the door thoroughly with water. While handling ammonia, which is toxic, make sure you are wearing gloves in order to protect your skin from irritation.
Baking Soda: Baking soda is a non-toxic substance that can be used to clean the soap scum. For this you have to prepare a thick paste by mixing baking soda and water. Rub this paste on the stains of the soap scum so that a thin layer of baking soda is formed. Leave it on the door for 20-30 minutes. Then wipe it off with the help of a clean damp sponge.
Vinegar: White vinegar is another excellent remedy for cleaning soap build up on the shower door. First of all, warm some vinegar in the microwave and pour it into a spray bottle. Apply a good amount of this warm vinegar on the tough stains and wait for about half an hour. Then scrub the scum with brush and wash off with clean water.
Dryer Sheet: You may be surprised to know that the dryer sheets can also be used to clean soap scum. If the shower door is wet, then take a dry dryer sheet and rub it on the dirty areas of the door vigorously to get rid of the soap build up. In case the surface of the shower door is dry, then dampen the dryer sheet and rub it on the door. Both the methods are equally useful to solve the problem.
There are a few things that can be done to prevent soap scum on the shower door. Rub some baby oil or lemon oil on the shower door which will not let the shower water stick to the door. Instead of a bar soap, if you use a gel or liquid soap then the chances of scum accumulating, will be less. This is because the talc present in the soap is the main cause of soap scum. Wiping off the door after a bath is another way to prevent accumulation of soap scum.
