How to Clean Soap Scum

As the name implies, soap scum is the cloudy residue often found in your shower, bathtub or sinks. While it’s easy to spot on shower curtains and glass doors, this residue is certainly more widespread and likely found in any area that gets both soapy and wet during use. This includes the harder-to-spot areas, such as the faucet handles, showerhead, and other accessories.

What Causes Soap Scum?

Soap scum forms when the fatty ingredients found within a bar of soap reacts with the minerals in your water. Because of this reaction, an “insoluble” film is created which clings to all surfaces in which it touches. To make things even more grimy, it’s very likely that within this scum you’ll also find bits of dead skin, bacteria, and other substances that you just washed off your body.

Unfortunately, if you use bar soap and have hard water in your home, it’s likely that you’ll experience an above average amount of soap scum. And the longer that grimy residue sits on the surface, the harder it will be to clean up.

How to Clean Soap Scum

The best way to remove soap scum is to do a weekly scrub using a cleanser that is designed to attack the grime. It might take a little elbow grease, especially if it’s been awhile since you’ve last cleaned up soap scum, but it’s better than taking a bath or shower in a grimy tub.

Before you get started, it’s important to note that the type of the material your tub or shower consists of may require you to be selective in the type of soap scum remover that you use. For natural stone, as an example, may need to choose a natural stone cleaner that won’t damage the surface. When in doubt, test the cleaner in a discreet area before starting.

Once you’ve worked hard making your tub sparkle, enjoy the fruits of your labor by taking a hot bath which will soothe your sore muscles and provide motivation to keep your tub clean.

Below, we’ve listed out four easy DIY methods that you can follow to clean soap scum.

1. Vinegar

A natural deodorizer that’s been used for generations, white vinegar is great for cleaning glass surfaces, such as a shower door, leaving it streak-free and clear of all soapy residue. Due to its acidity, vinegar will cut right through the grime, making it a fantastic option for removing soap scum. Plus, it’s super cheap and environmentally-friendly.

There are a few ways to use vinegar to clean your bathroom. You can apply directly to a sponge and start scrubbing or use it in conjunction with baking soda. It truly is one of the best all-purpose cleansers out there.

To remove soap scum, we recommend creating your own cleaning solution with dishwasher detergent. Here’s our favorite homemade soap scum remover.

Supplies Needed:

• 1 cup of white vinegar
• 1 cup of hot water
• 1 teaspoon of dishwasher detergent
• Optional: A few drops of lavender oil

How to Use on Soap Scum:

• Mix all your ingredients in a spray bottle.
• Shake vigorously to allow dishwasher soap to lather.
• Spray directly on the soap scum.
• Let it sit for at least 20-30 minutes. (the longer, the better)
• Scrub off with rag or brush.
• Rinse with water.

How to Use on Showerheads & Faucets:

This same DIY soap scum remover will also work great at cleaning chrome and stainless-steel fixtures found in your shower. When you get a lot of built-up soap scum on your shower head, try following this step-by-step process:

• Mix all ingredients in large Ziploc bag.
• Submerge showerhead into the bag to allow it to soak for a few hours.
• Remove and gently scrub the surface.
• Rinse with hot water.

2. Baking Soda & Dishwashing Detergent

Baking soda is another all-natural deodorizer that has been used for decades and will work wonders in your bathroom. Abrasive and tough on soap scum, baking soda is a cheap all-purpose cleanser that should be in the arsenal of every homeowner.

Supplies Needed:

• 1 part baking soda
• 1 part warm water
• 1 tablespoon of Dishwashing Liquid

How to Use:

Mix all the supplies together to create a thick paste. Once you have the solution ready, follow these steps below.

• Mix all your supplies together to create a paste.
• Apply your baking soda paste to any area with soap scum.
• Let it sit for at least 10 minutes.
• Vigorously scrub the paste to remove residue.
• Rinse with water.

Once you’ve rinsed it thoroughly, it’s recommended that you use an old rag or sponge to wipe away any remaining soap scum, but this is optional. Repeat this process until all residue has been removed.

3. Borax (With Dishwashing Liquid)

Borax is a mineral that is widely used for a variety of housekeeping tasks. With the ability to kill mold and mildew, this all-natural mineral is a great way to remove soap scum and deodorize your bathroom, all at the same time. 

Supplies Needed:

• 1 cup of Borax
• 2 cups of Warm Water
• 1/8 cup of Dishwashing Liquid

How to Use:

You’ll closely follow the same cleaning process mentioned above with baking soda. For best results, try to mix your supplies until the consistency resembles that of toothpaste. Once the solution is ready, follow these steps below.

• Using a cleaning brush, apply the paste to soap scum.
• After 10-20 minutes, use the same brush and vigorously scrub the paste to break apart built-up soap scum.
• Thoroughly rinse all areas with water. If possible, use a showerhead to apply hot and pressurized water.
• Repeat this process until all soap residue has been removed.

If you use borax to get rid of soap scum, make sure to rinse the surfaces completely, followed by drying the surfaces with a towel. This will help remove any soap scum that may not have been rinsed away, as well as prevent the surface from feeling slippery. Two things you don’t want in your shower or bathtub.

4. Ammonia & Water

With an impressive ability to cut through grease and soap scum, ammonia is another all-purpose cleaner used in households around the world. Perhaps best known for cleaning ovens and cooktops, ammonia is also a fantastic way to clean glass surfaces without leaving streaks behind.

If you use ammonia to remove soap residue, it’s strongly recommended that you do so in a well-ventilated area. It has a strong odor, and if not properly diluted, it may irritate your nose, throat or respiratory tract. Because of this, you should take all necessary precautions to protect yourself, as well as wait to use until there are no children or pets around.

Supplies Needed:

• 4-8 tablespoons of ammonia
• 4 cups of water

How to Use:

• Mix all ingredients in a spray bottle.
• Spray directly onto residue.
• Let it sit for at least 15-20 minutes.
• Scour the surface with a brush.
• Rinse thoroughly with warm water.
• Repeat, if necessary.

Tips to Prevent Soap Scum (Forever)

Now that you’re tub and shower are clean, let’s discuss some easy ways that you can maintain a clean environment, and prevent soap scum from overtaking your bathroom going forward.

Switch to Liquid Body Wash

Throw away all of the bar soap in your home. Remember, it’s the fatty acids in the soap and make the switch to a liquid body wash. While they both achieve the same goal, liquid soap is a detergent that will prevent soap scum entirely.

Install a Water Softener in Your Home

By softening the water in your home, you will create an environment that is not favorable to the development of scum. This will go a long way in preventing build-up, and limiting the amount of time you spend cleaning.

Add Epsom Salt or Baking Soda to Bathwater

If you can’t add a water softener, you can always add a little baking soda or Epsom salt to your bathwater to help prevent residue from sticking to the surface and creating that fine film that builds up over time. The smooth skin and relaxing feeling is just a small bonus.

Always Dry Tubs & Shower Walls (And Fixtures)

Simply drying off all the surfaces in your tub or shower will go a long way in slowing down the buildup of soap scum. It’s not going to completely prevent it, but it’ll help. Keep a small squeegee in the tub, and take a few moments to wipe away the beads of water from the wall. It’ll only take a few seconds, but can save you hours of cleaning time in the long-run.

Deep Clean Frequently

Make a habit out of deep cleaning your tub and shower. If you can do this on a regular and frequent basis, you’ll prevent the tough build-up of soap scum that can be difficult to remove. There’s no “right amount of time” to do this. Whatever is most convenient for your schedule.

Or… you could simply never use the shower again. It’s a bold move, but no doubt the most effective. The choice is yours.