Anyone know of a soap scum remover that actually works?

[WLJ]

Seems like soap scum just laughs at the "new and improved" bathroom cleaners.
Anyone know of one that still work like the old ones use to without having to resort to pulling out a belt sander?

[cordex]

Not a chemical cleaner, but have you tried those bristle brushes you chuck up into an electric drill?

[WLJ]

Not a chemical cleaner, but have you tried those bristle brushes you chuck up into an electric drill?

Yes, they work but not happy doing it that way I'm lazy.
The old cleaners I could just spray and come back 10 minutes later and rinse with no to very little scum left. The newer ones even after 3 application 90% of the soap scum is still there.

[HankB]

I'm thinking of a new ad campaign by the enviro lefties - GO GREEN, EMBRACE THE SCUM!

SOME reformulations are beneficial - we really don't need lead in gasoline or the paint on baby furniture, or heavy metals in food, but the regulators have gotten carried away, drunk with their own power, and as a result there are SO many things that no longer work very well thanks to government meddling - cleaners, weed killers, insecticide . . . even your unleaded gasoline has been diluted with alcohol.

[bedlamite]

Detcord.

[dogmush]

Some of that spray on wheel cleaner might work....

[WLJ]

After doing some reading I'm just going to have to put some elbow grease into it and supposedly switching to a liquid soap prevents soap scum.

[RoadKingLarry]

Go to a real hardware store and get some real TSP.
Oaxalic acid is another option.

[K Frame]

The bristle brushes in the power drill work great.

So do the Magic Eraser pads.

[RocketMan]

Detcord.

Blowtorch

[dogmush]

Alternatively:  Maids.

[Brad Johnson]

Spray bottle full of vinegar with a healthy squirt of dish soap, one tablespoon per cup or so. If you can find cleaning vinegar (6% vs 5%), even better. Fine to let sit on ceramict tile and chromed fixtures. Can discolor stainless if left too long. Use in moderation and wipe away quickly for marble or stone (better yet, don't use at all as repeated use will eventually discolor and roughen the surface).

If you need something stronger, Tractor Supply carries 30% vinegar. I think it's ship-to-store availability only but check locally and see. Careful, though. Used straight, 30% acetic will etch marble surfaces and blacken stainlesss steel. Instantly. Cut it at least 2:1 with RO or distilled water (water:vinegar) before use. Even at 10% strength it will be enough to cause problems on some materials so test before use and use sparingly.

Brad

[WLJ]

Alternatively:  Maids.

I tried calling a couple of maid services. When I asked for a hot French maid to be sent over they told me I had called the wrong number.

[MillCreek]

I tried calling a couple of maid services. When I asked for a hot French maid to be sent over they told me I called the wrong number.

I remember this from 30 years ago: https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19920306&slug=1479564

[cordex]

I remember this from 30 years ago: https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19920306&slug=1479564

If they did such a good job on your soap scum that you remember them 30 years later, why don't you just give WLJ their number?

[WLJ]

Cocaine for soap scum? Hadn't thought of that.

[MillCreek]

If they did such a good job on your soap scum that you remember them 30 years later, why don't you just give WLJ their number?

Is 'doing a good job on your soap scum' what the kids are calling it these days?

[cordex]

Is 'doing a good job on your soap scum' what the kids are calling it these days?

Yes.  Kids are kind of stupid these days.

[Ron]

Bar Keepers Friend

[French G.]

Bar Keepers Friend

Yep, which starts with oxalis acid. These days I just buy a 5lb bag of oxalic since I use it for bees. My water turns everything rust colored since I have iron issues so I mix some oxalic, dawn dish soap and vinegar in a spray bottle. I usually use that after I attack the scum mechanically with a magic eraser.

[K Frame]

I remember this from 30 years ago: https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19920306&slug=1479564

Jesus Christ... I opened that expecting to see a date from the late 1970s or early 1980s...

Holy hell... I'm old...

[Doggy Daddy]

I am satisfied with using these 2 items.
 

Spray an area, come back in 5 or 10 minutes and give it some brushing. Spray off with shower massage...

Don't need to put in much elbow grease at all.

[tokugawa]

I use oven cleaner. The odorless kind. Spray that in the shower, let it sit a while and hit it with a scrub brush. Wear goggles and gloves and old waterproof shoes or rubber boots.

[230RN]

^
And turn on the bathroom fans.

TSP, the former "King":

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/why-are-phosphates-in-detergent-so-dangerous-12268795.html

quoting the link:
History
Phosphates began to replace soap for household purposes after World Way II, due to availability of resources and a growing problem of poor cleaning performance due to hard water.

Negative Impact
Phosphates carry into waste systems and are hard to break down by ordinary wastewater processing systems. As they carry into streams, lakes and rivers, they increase algae growth and subsequently decrease the oxygen that is needed for healthy aquatic life, and contribute to the pollution of water bodies.
end quote

I believe some cleaners like dishwasher detergents still contain trisodium phophate (TSP), the effective evil ingredient,  You might try a solution of Calgon.  I also seem to recall that some farm stores sold TSP-based cleaners, but that might be obsolete information.

I never tried this, but I suspect that a generous sprinkling of table salt sprayed lightly with water would loosen things up.  Seems the sodium would replace the calcium "soapate" in enough of the scum molecules of calcium "soapate" to loosen things up.

NaCl + Calcium "soapate" ->(partial reaction) Na "soapate" (soluble) and calcium chloride (also soluble.)

Just looks that way to me.

Caution:  After you clean the tub it will be very slippery.

I used to think that environmental concerns were all "good," and made the world a better place to live in, but as regulations get more and more onerous,  I'm starting to wonder about that.  I was thinking the other day that EPA should stand for Excessive Prohibitions Agency.  I'm sure I'm not the first to think that.

Terry, 230RN

[tokugawa]

^
And turn on the bathroom fans.



I used to think that environmental concerns were all "good," and made the world a better place to live in, but as regulations get more and more onerous,  I'm starting to wonder about that.  I was thinking the other day that EPA should stand for Excessive Prohibitions Agency.  I'm sure I'm not the first to think that.

Terry, 230RN

It is the classic case of an agency seeking something to do. This is a example of the law of diminishing returns- all the low hanging fruit AKA gross contaminants were either taken care of forty years ago or exported to nimbyland.  They have worked through the mid level and now  are trying to get the last apple on the top limb, regardless of cost-benefit.