Asked on Oct 31, 2017

Porcelain tile walk-in shower. How to clean a white film on it?

Betty
by Betty

The floor of the shower has a white film on it. I have tried every commercial cleaner out there, plus vinegar, bleach, baking soda and other things. Nothing seems to help. Have also scrubbed with a brush. Any one have cleaning advice or ideas for the best shower tile cleaner? Thanks, BB

  16 answers
  • Karen Tokarse Karen Tokarse on Oct 31, 2017

    Try Heavy Duty Easy Off.

  • Pax31466701 Pax31466701 on Oct 31, 2017

    Try Coca Cola with vinegar and baking soda (create a paste with a capful of coke to a 1/2 cup or equal amount of vinegar & baking soda).

  • Barbara Barbara on Oct 31, 2017

    i have always used TSP on tough stains.

  • Millie Millie on Oct 31, 2017

    Try Iron out

  • Deb Barnett Deb Barnett on Nov 01, 2017

    Automotive rubbing compound with a kitchen scrubby will work when all else fails and will leave a nice finish..The white is soap scum from using bar soap..Switch to liquid soap and the problem should not come back unless youh have super hard water

  • Kristi Barnes Kristi Barnes on Nov 01, 2017

    Blue Dawn soap, baking soda and white vinegar. Mix together, slowly because it foams like crazy! Or make a paste of baking soda and soap, then spray with white vinegar. Let sit for 20 minutes , wipe and rinse.

  • Roxy blue Roxy blue on Nov 03, 2017

    Depending on where you live this may be a substance called hazing it's when hard water combines with the grout and creates a haze. The thing that we use in the industry is a very mild acid wash that if you go to any of the box stores and ask them for an acid wash compound you can pick that up. I know it sounds bad but it's really not that bad as the acid is so weak. I've actually used it with my bare hands just make sure you don't have any open wounds cuz that really hurts. Just put it on the areas where you have The Hazing and it will break that up and then just wash it away

    • Betty Betty on Nov 03, 2017

      I don't have hard water and my problem may be soap scum? i'll try almost anything. We have a septic tank, so I'm careful using chemicals. Thanks for your help.

  • Tracey Messerly Tracey Messerly on Nov 03, 2017

    I get it from calcium in the water, and use left over soda to clean it. For soap scum, I use a foaming bathroom cleaner. My shower looks like yours. My floors are real stone (the small tiles), but the walls are porcelain. I normally have to wipe the product away, rinsing just allows it to reset somewhere else in the shower.

  • Debbie Leonard Debbie Leonard on Nov 03, 2017

    I like kerosene! I had a farm house that had a calcium build up on the shower. I tried everything. Then I read an old helpful hint book, and it mentioned kerosene. One wipe and it was gone! Just soap the walls after you use it! Bit also takes tar out of clothing.


  • Sharon Sharon on Nov 03, 2017

    That white substance is called efflorescence and its due to the natural mineral salts in either the mortar and/or the tiles. Using any water-based products will not have any effect on getting rid of it. Its really hard to get rid of, and its usually treated with muriatic acid, and then sealed to prevent water penetration.

    Here is a good discussion on the topic..... https://www.houzz.com/discussions/1335010/shower-floor-grout-and-efflorescence

    After cleaning, I would allow to dry out for quite awhile, days, and I would put a fan and/or a small heater in the bathroom to ensure its dry as a bone before re-sealing it.

  • Lisa Lisa on Nov 04, 2017

    I have a water softener and still have problem with natural slate floor tile in the shower floor. I did some checking and was told that the soaps and shampoos you use contribute/cause this problem. My hubbie uses bar soap. So I started using another shower in the home with my products and no problems. I am guessing it is the bar soap.

  • Marianne Howley Marianne Howley on Nov 04, 2017

    just spray full strength "Greased Lightning " from Menards on entire surface ...let it set for about 3-4 hours and just scrub lightly with a scrub brush...I did that on our bathroom tile, thought the color was gray, it turned out it was pink ..turned out beautiful


  • Roxy blue Roxy blue on Nov 06, 2017

    I would say if you know for a fact that its only soap scum then most normal cleaners for stone should do it

    However. Make sure you seal your stone every 3 months. Get a sealer from the box stores, i use 911 impregnator from home depot. Its fast and easy tp do

  • Rosa Rosa on Sep 20, 2020

    My tiles ended up like this after I applied scum remover. How can I fix this ?

  • Connie Wachter Connie Wachter on Jan 25, 2021

    did you every find out what method you used to clean your shower? I have the same problem when I bought my house. Never had this type of tile before so I am not sure what to use.