Cleaning a soap scumy shower

Wil L
by Wil L
Any advice on inexpensive ways to get it clean because no matter how much I try it just doesn't come clean. I'm on the verge of hiring a professional but I'm too stubborn to give up.
HELP! Yuck
  48 answers
  • Jo Jo on Sep 05, 2016
    I used to manage a health club - long ago . Soap scum was a problem because it is a mixture of grease and limescale which need different solvents, an acid for the lime and a detergent for the grease. We used to put rubber gloves on and give it a go with toilet cleaner. Try a small area and see if it works, leave it on for half an hour or more, don't just put it on and scrub! Be careful, this stuff is caustic and fume-y and can burn skin and clothes, which is why the manufacturers say only use it on loos!
  • Cha5400135 Cha5400135 on Sep 05, 2016
    I own a cleaning business, you would be suprised what you can get off with a magic eraser....for situations like that I would use a peroxide cleaner and a magic eraser--- spray let set for 5 mins and scrub with the magic eraser
  • Ann7108970 Ann7108970 on Sep 05, 2016
    hold pieces kitchen towel against an affected area and spray with your cleanser. keep the towel in position by spraying it at intervals for a day, then wipe clean. Repeat until clean - no scrubbing required.
  • Judy Van Horn Judy Van Horn on Sep 05, 2016
    Clorox foam cleaner! Just spray and walk away!
  • Alan Alan on Sep 05, 2016
    This is the best I have used........ http://www.buyshowerpower.com/
  • Sus10204530 Sus10204530 on Sep 05, 2016
    CLR full strength in a spray bottle - not the CLR bathroom cleaner. You may need to do it a few times. Spray it on and leave if for awhile - then come back with scrubber or brush.
  • Joy Peterkin Joy Peterkin on Sep 05, 2016
    Try the magic eraser, it worked on mine.
  • Merryl rothman Merryl rothman on Sep 05, 2016
    Use baking soda on it and spray the baking soda with vinegar and let it sit for a few minutes and watch the magic happen .Good luck I know this works great
  • Mwe6013747 Mwe6013747 on Sep 05, 2016
    In some countries where I visited, people use muriatic acid to clean ceramic tile and toilets. It works, but it's dangerous to use, so be careful.
  • Fho3960399 Fho3960399 on Sep 05, 2016
    I use something called "The Works". It works great. Not expensive about $1.00 but amazing cleaner. It's a liquid that squirt all over and wait a bit and wipe off. My sons apartment bath was solid rust stain and mold. He tried other cleansers nothing typical worked. I told him about The Works and we got and tub white again! Found right along side other cleaners meant for bathtubs.
  • Frank Maniaci Frank Maniaci on Sep 05, 2016
    Tilex and a stiff brush
  • Lucy Sanchez Lucy Sanchez on Sep 05, 2016
    Use a spray with baking soda, the steam it and use hydrogen peridotite to desinfect,
  • Pam McDaniel Pam McDaniel on Sep 05, 2016
    I have used toilet bowl cleaner and it seems to work well , I have also heard of using oven cleaner but have never tried it.
  • Lorrie Lorrie on Sep 05, 2016
    Mary Hunt from Debt Proof Living has a recipe of one cup blue Dawn to 5 cups white vinegar. Fills a 32 oz bottle. Soray heavily and leave over night. Use a scrubby next morning and repeat. Works on tiles, mildew and fiberglas.
  • Debby Debby on Sep 05, 2016
    I sprinkle baking powder on an then in a spray bottle mix vinegar 3/4 full and then mix water and dawn and add that to the spray bottle. Then spray on the walls and let it sit for a few min. I use a round. Kitchen brush with a handle and all that gunk comes right off. I keep the spray bottle in my bathroom for after a shower and just spray it on. Let it sit for a few while I dry myself off and then rinse the shower out and all clean.
  • Lynda Duthler Lynda Duthler on Sep 05, 2016
    Previous response explained the residue is a mixture of grease and lime. It may also have calcium deposits as well as the mold. The best mold cleaner I have ever used is X-14. You will have to look for the full strength product - not the bathroom cleaner version. Look for it to be in a bright blue bottle. Very strong! Wear gloves! Once mold is gone use full strength CLR on rags to keep it stuck to the vertical surfaces and let it soak for 30 min or so. Then scrub with green scrubbie pad. The Magic Eraser may work well. I have not used it on shower walls but it is amazingly effective on many surfaces. Once you have all that use the product pictured to finish off any residual deposits and to give it a beautiful shine and --- protect it from further build up!
  • Barbara Barbara on Sep 05, 2016
    I use an automotive degreaser and a magic eraser. Almost no scrubbing.
  • If you decide to go the non chemical way, use "cleaning vinegar" - sold in restaurant or janitorial supply stores. Some big box chain markets also carry it. In my area, I can get Heinz Cleaning Vinegar for $3.50 for a half gallon. Regardless what you end up using to remove the yuck, clean once a week with the vinegar, and be sure to rinse thoroughly as you do not want it to "eat" your grout. I would suggest a thorough cleaning and then reseal the grout . I had the same problem in one of my bathrooms when I moved into my house. I leave the window above the shower cracked permanently for proper air flow. If it is an inside bathroom, run the fan with the bathroom door open to prevent future mold.
  • Sue Shipman Sue Shipman on Sep 05, 2016
    I used carb soda & peroxide worked very well best result ever
  • Patty Patty on Sep 05, 2016
    I had the same problem with another house we moved into and I tried vinegar, backing soda, bleach, everything known to man, nothing worked, so I borrowed a steam machine and it looked brand new when I was done. I have since bought my own steamer they are not that expensive and can be used for so many different things it will pay for itself, and it really cuts down the chemicals used in your home. Just don't use it on laminate flooring. I have used it to remove wallpaper, clean stove tops, ovens, cabinets, white wall tires, upholstery, carpet, like I said so much and so easy.
    • Debbie Kuhar Debbie Kuhar on Sep 06, 2016
      My daughter just bought a shark. It has a button on the side that you can attach a hose& it turns into a steam machine. Comes with extra pads, various shapes. They used to make a steam machine only, which I bought, you have to be very careful with it or you can get burnt. They no longer manufacture this & came out with the new shark that has a steam machine on the side. Forgot where my daughter bought it. Check on Shark;s web sight. It works wonderfully. I do my kitchen cabinets & everything.
  • Raz8313566 Raz8313566 on Sep 05, 2016
    Good old stainless steel wire wool and biological soap powder. Lightly rub the limescale away with the wire wool and soap powder and rinse clean.
  • Carol Carol on Sep 05, 2016
    I had this problem too.My daughter told me to get some Drywall sand screen. It worked great. Normally used to sand down drywall.
  • Cle4832049 Cle4832049 on Sep 06, 2016
    I was helping my friend clean a rental once, and I used oven cleaner in the shower . . it looked amazing when we got done.
  • Matthew Heaphy III Matthew Heaphy III on Sep 06, 2016
    The combination of scrubbing bubbles and Mr. Clean sponge . Works crazy
  • Sandy Sandy on Sep 06, 2016
    Tilex
  • J.b. kelly J.b. kelly on Sep 06, 2016
    Check with the tile manufacturer, see if they have any solutions, if not use CLR as per directions then do scrub w/ hot h2o add laundry soap and some amonia G.B. and good luck J.B.
  • Lma6834786 Lma6834786 on Sep 06, 2016
    have you tried a hot water OxiClean solution?
  • Jill Ron Pike Jill Ron Pike on Sep 06, 2016
    Daily Clarifying shampoo (like Suave or another inexpensive brand) mixed with some salt and baking powder, OR mixed with Barkeepers Friend, Bon-Ami or another mild abrasive into a paste. Apply in a circular motion, let sit for a few minutes, then rinse well, scrubbing again if needed. Use the shampoo mixed with water in a spray bottle (half and half solution) to spray down shower in between cleanings.
  • Fho3960399 Fho3960399 on Sep 07, 2016
    Wow!! You've gotten a lot of responses! It be fun to let us know what you end up using and show an "after" picture!
  • Cztromley Cztromley on Sep 07, 2016
    barkeepers friend is great stuff-i have mixed it with dish soap-use Dawn. The de -greasing part of it works great on smokers stains and should work well with the scrub of the Barkeepers. I would also try those Mr Clean sponges which may cost a bit but they do work well. Good Luck
  • Mandy Smith Mandy Smith on Sep 07, 2016
    I use InstaGone, a spray on product I purchased from QVC. It is pretty remarkable. The only drawback is the sprayer clogs very easily if you shake the bottle.
  • Connie Connie on Sep 08, 2016
    I use the WORKS on my claw foot tub and think it would work fine on a tiled shower. Just spray on, use sponge to distribute evenly and let it set for 10 minutes or more and use water to spray it off. Works for me.
  • I used a kitchen grease remover like grease relief or orange degreaser. Soap is made from fat so this remedy works fine.
  • George Lopez George Lopez on Sep 09, 2016
    use oven cleaner with the blue top NOT THE YELLOW. Fume free oven cleaner wit blue top. Just spray a thick coat and let it set for some time. Scrub off with soft brush. Rinse well
  • Joanne Sliva Joanne Sliva on Sep 10, 2016
    Once the degreaser has had some time to work, start with a putty knife to scrape away the thickest parts and then use a green scrubby or 0000 steel wool or Brillo to finish. When using the putty knife the tile should be wet. You can also use a scraper that takes razor blades (the single edged safety kind you can buy in bulk at Home Depot).
  • Paul Hammond Paul Hammond on Sep 16, 2016
    Vinegar and Baking Powder add some lemon juice as well, scrubbing bush, including tooth brush. Scrub away. Many off the shelf cleaning have Sodium Hypochlorite, they work well but can be toxic especially if your in a confind space and breath in the fumes.
  • Florida Beachpotato Florida Beachpotato on Sep 16, 2016
    Being a bachelor, I use what I have around the garage, spray on brake cleaner or hydrogen peroxide/baking soda. Some scrubbing for the bath in the above photo thats for sure. Do not let it get that bad again. Simple green is the best cleaner for everything!
  • Shelly Day Shelly Day on Sep 16, 2016
    Fume Free oven cleaner. Spray on and let it sit about 15 minutes. Scrub off with a brush and rinse well. I learned this from a retired maid. Works like a charm.
  • Liz Erbe Wilcox Liz Erbe Wilcox on Sep 16, 2016
    I've used razor blade to scrape off lime scale, and then maintain with Greased Lightning. We had ours professionally cleaned once and the guy who did it also suggested the Greased Lightning.
  • Brenda Hand-Amunrud Brenda Hand-Amunrud on Sep 16, 2016
    I was desperate the other day because I had run out of tile cleaner so I used toilet bowl cleaner and now my shower is spotless! I was amazed. I used "Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner with Clorox Bleach". I just squirted it all over the walls, scrubbed it and let it sit for 30 minutes then washed it off. It was so easy and the shower looks as good as it did when we first moved in.
  • Lma6834786 Lma6834786 on Sep 18, 2016
    Lots of suggestions...what did you decide to use? What worked best?
  • Toni Mccall Toni Mccall on Sep 18, 2016
    Vinegar and baking soda. The mixture actually bubbles and fizzes without the toxic smell from regular cleaners. This mixture also helps unclog stubborn drains or toilets.
  • Robin wright Robin wright on Oct 10, 2016
    Get some CLEANING vinegar and Dawn dish soap. Mix 1C. of each in a spray bottle. Works like magic! Vinegar has to be CLEANING vinegar through!
  • Jamie King Jamie King on Oct 10, 2016
    Hillyard Crème Clean has jewelers pumice in it to remove stains and soap scum build up, we use it all the time in our house, and when we renovate houses.
  • Debby Debby on Oct 11, 2016
    I am curious also...which items did you use? I always use the vinegar, dawn and baking soda. I have also used scrubbing bubbles for really rough hard water... good luck.
  • CeeJay CeeJay on Oct 23, 2016
    If this is soap scum and mildew I've had great results with Dow Foaming Shower cleaner in the spray bottle (not aerosol). If you have hard water and some of this is mineral deposits you need to try CLR (Calcium, Lime, Rust) remover. You can find this in most hardware stores or Lowes/Home Depot type stores. For just everyday water spots and tub ring I have great results with basic shampoo on a sponge. I use samples and brands that I didn't care for. When you think about it, shampoo is designed to cut hair products and oily build-up and easily rinses clean.
  • Lisa Lane Lisa Lane on Feb 06, 2019

    Bleach, Mr Clean erasers and wash weekly! Use a Rinseroo to rinse. Makes shower cleaning super easy!