How to Get Soap Scum Off Porcelain

With regular cleaning, there's no reason to dread sitting in your tub.

Your shower and tub is your hygienic haven, the place you go to clean yourself of all the grime that accumulates throughout the day. However, if your tub seems dirty or stained, it can become less of a sanctuary and more of an annoyance and eyesore. Many houses still have porcelain shower walls and bathtubs, and there are effective methods to remove soap scum from these surfaces that will not damage the porcelain or you.

Things You'll Need

• Baking soda
• Cleaning buckets
• Sponge and sponge mop
• Synthetic scouring pad
• Goggles and gloves
• Chlorine or hydrogen peroxide bleach
• 1 tablespoon trisodium phosphate
• Ammonia

Instructions

1. Turn on your shower at its hottest temperature, close your shower curtain or door, and wait for a good 10 minutes, allowing the steam to loosen any surface soap scum or dirt.

2. Mix baking soda with warm water in a bucket. Coat a sponge with this solution and wipe down shower walls and tub, giving special attention to areas of caked-on soap scum. You can also use a synthetic scouring pad to better scrub these areas. Rinse the tub thoroughly.

3. Put on gloves and goggles, and dilute chlorine or hydrogen peroxide bleach in water in a separate cleaning bucket if soap scum persists. Apply either solution to the problem areas and let it sit only for a few seconds before rubbing or rinsing away from your porcelain.

4. Mix the tablespoon of trisodium phosphate with a gallon of hot water if particularly stubborn soap scum still remains. Apply it to a sponge or rag, and scrub soap scum away. You can also dilute ammonia in warm water for this same soap-scum-cutting affect. Afterward, rinse the tub thoroughly, and dry.

Tips & Warnings

• Wipe down your tub and shower after every use in order to minimize soap scum in the first place.

• Ensuring that your bathroom is well ventilated, limiting baths and making sure that your drain is working efficiently can also help minimize soap scum buildup in your tub and shower.

• Always wear gloves and eye goggles and work in a well-ventilated area when dealing with chemicals.

• Do not mix chemicals or directly breathe in the fumes from any chemical, as this can cause bodily harm.

References

• Porcelain Enamel Institute: Care & Cleaning of Porcelain
• ApartmentTherapy.com: How To Clean Soap Scum