I am not sure there is anyone out there who is comfortable with having soap scum on different accessories in the bathroom. Soap scum can make great-looking bathroom accessories ugly. It can be challenging to get rid of if left unattended for some time.
What Are Soap Scum?
Soap scum refers to a filmy grey layer that we can find on various surfaces in the bathroom like bathtubs, showers, shower glass doors, and bathroom sinks. They can also be found on faucet, tiling, and bathroom fixtures, amongst others.
How Soap Scum Build Up With Time?
Soap scum is formed when soap comes in contact with hard water. Hard water contains several minerals, like calcium and magnesium. When the minerals come in contact with soap, soap scum is formed.
Hard water filled with minerals will lead to the rapid development of soap scum. If left for too long, the scum builds up to form a stronger solid, which can be challenging to get rid of.
Besides the above, leaving soap scum unattended makes it easy for the scum to combine with mold and mildew. This may lead to discoloration and emission of unpleasant odors in the home. The combination of mildew or mold and soap scum can lead to a solid substance that can get hard like concrete.How To Get Rid Of Soap Scum Permanently From Faucet
There are numerous ways how to get rid of soap scum that may have made your faucet a new home. Let’s take a look at the different ways to get free of soap scum below.
Scrub With A Microfiber Cloth
For simple soap scum stains, you can start by using a soft microfiber cloth to get rid of the stains. Wet the faucet to soften the soap scum stains. Then use the microfiber cloth to scrub the soap scum stains gently.
The stains should start coming off. You may need to rinse and repeat the process a few times to get rid of the soap scum stains completely.
White Vinegar Solution
For tougher soap scum stains, you may need to make the cleaning a step further. The homemade vinegar cleaning solution is excellent for tough soap scum stains.
Mix equal amounts of white vinegar and water. Pour the solution into a spray bottle. Spray the vinegar solution directly on the faucet where you have the soap scum stains. You may leave for some minutes to loosen up the soap scum. Scrub with a sponge or scrub brush and rinse with clean water.
To make the solution powerful at ridding your faucet of tough soap scum stains, add drops of peppermint oil or tea tree oil to the mix.
If you notice there is still soap scum on the faucet after rinsing, you may need to repeat the process till all stains are gone.
Water And Borax Solution
Another great way to get rid of tough soap scum stains on your faucet is to use a mixture of water and borax. Mix a quarter or half cup of borax with two cups of mild hot water in a spray bottle. If you are not ready to use the mix, do not mix until you are ready. This is to prevent the borax from hardening, thereby making the mix unusable.
Once in the bottle, shake the bottle up and spray the faucet with the soap scum stains extensively. Leave for at least fifteen minutes. After fifteen minutes, scrub with a brush thoroughly. Rinse the solution off with warm water, and all the soap scum stains should be gone.
Baking Soda And White Vinegar Mix
Baking soda and white vinegar mix is another excellent way to get rid of soap scum stains on your faucet. Mix one-quarter cup of white vinegar with a cup of baking soda in a small plastic bowl. Mix to form a paste. While mixing, the mixture will produce some fizz but hold on for the fizz to stop.
Once the fizz stops, dip a soft cloth or microfiber cloth into the paste and apply on the soap scum stains. You can also make use of a sponge instead. Leave the paste solution applied to the faucet for about fifteen minutes.
Wipe off the solution with a soft, non-abrasive cloth and warm water. Rinse off any residue left on the faucet entirely, and all the soap scum stains should be there no more.
Commercial Cleaners
Thankfully, there are commercial cleaners that promise to help with soap scum stains if going through the process of making a homemade cleaning solution for soap scum stains seem a little far off for you
All you need do is get any of the brands that appeal to you, spray on the soap scum stains, scrub with a clean non-abrasive cloth and rinse the faucet with clean water.
Tips To Keep Faucet Clean To Avoid Further Soap Scum
Though altogether avoiding soap scum may be a little challenging, there are steps you can take to reduce how quickly soap scum forms on your faucet. Some of them include;
Vegetable Based Soaps
Petroleum-based soap and soaps that contain animal fat will cause soap scum to build up quickly on your faucet when they are in contact with hard water. Switching to vegetable-based soaps will reduce the incidence of soap scum in your bathroom.
Natural and vegetable-based soaps when in contact with hard water will not leave behind soap scum stains on your faucet or shower area.
Daily Cleaner Spray
After know how to get rid of soap scum from your faucet, you can also make a DIY daily shower cleaner. This will help you keep mold, mildew, and soap scum at bay. Using the cleaner regularly will also make it easy to get rid of any other stain during extensive cleaning.
After using the spray, make use of a squeegee to stop the formation of water spots by getting rid of excess water.
To make the daily cleaner spray, mix a half cup of vodka or rubbing alcohol with one cup of water and ten drops of peppermint oil. Mix it all and put it in a spray bottle. Use after every shower to stop the formation of soap scum.
