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

Question

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

Karen Tokarse · Answer

Try Heavy Duty Easy Off.

Pax31466701 · Answer

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 · Answer

i have always used TSP on tough stains.

Millie · Answer

Try Iron out

Janet Pizaro · Answer

https://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to-remove-calcium-buildup-on-a-shower-floor

Deb Barnett · Answer

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 · Answer

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 · Answer

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

Tracey Messerly · Answer

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 · Answer

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 · Answer

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 · Answer

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 · Answer

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 · Answer

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 · Answer

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

Connie Wachter · Answer

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.

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

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

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