If you’ve recently installed a whole house water softener in your home, then you’re probably going to want to clean up all the soap scum hard water created in your bathroom. If you didn’t know, scum forms in showers and bathtubs when soap reacts with calcium and magnesium that are normally found in tap water. This reaction leaves a curd-like film on surfaces as well as on skin and hair. Over time, that scum starts to build up and become more and more difficult to clean off.
While many products in the market boast about their cleaning abilities to remove soap scum, many of them are designed as maintenance cleaners. This means if you started with a new shower or tub that didn’t have scum, you use the cleaner to clean and prevent the build-up from getting out of hand. But if you have caked on scum, then those cleaners won’t do much, you’re going to need to put in some elbow grease to get surfaces clean.
There are a few things you’ll need to tackle this job. The first item would be Zep Shower Tub and Tile Cleaner. You’ll also need a stiff bristle brush and a drill with a brush attachment. All these items can be found at a local home improvement store or Amazon. Once you have all of your tools to clean the shower, you’ll need to follow these steps:
- Spray Zep Shower Tub and Tile Cleaner liberally throughout the shower/tub. Let it dwell for a minimum of 5 minutes. (make sure that the bathroom is well ventilated while cleaning)
- Start scrubbing! Take your stiff-bristled brush and scrub all of the flat surfaces. Use your drill with the brush attachment to address the walls and any areas that need more effort to remove the scum.
- Rinse the shower/tub. At this point, assess the situation and determine you are satisfied with the results. If not, repeat step 2 until it meets your standards.
Sometimes the scum can be so thick that brushes simply cannot remove it. If that’s the case, consider using a plastic scraper to remove stubborn scum. Plastic won’t mar or damage tile and shower surfaces, which makes them safe and effective in removing scum.
Now that you have your shower/tub clean, it will be easier to maintain since soft water is devoid of calcium and magnesium, this means you will not get the same type of reaction between water and soap like you used to when you were on hard water. You’ll be able to enjoy a richer, thicker lather and the best part is, no more soap scum!
Martha Stewart recommends cleaning your shower/tub at least once a week. When you do, don’t forget to remove any products to scrub the areas where you kept them. This will ensure that you’re removing dead skin cells that are laying on the surface. This environment can breed mold, mildew, and bacteria. It’s also a good idea to throw away any empty containers and to clean the bottom of shampoo and conditioner bottles before placing them back in the shower. The same steps mentioned above are applicable in treating bathroom sinks as well.
