Soap Scum Investigation: Why Does Bar Soap Leave Residue?
Oct 14, 2024Scary Baths Vol. 5: one Small thing left These Homeowners wondering how to clean years of soap scum buildup
Our annual Scary Bathrooms roundup has returned, and this time we have a monster in our midst. Like the Blob or the Creature from the Black Lagoon, this grimy villain rises from the depths to take over your shower. It’s The Invasion of the Soap Scum Menace!
Unfortunately for our victims, these issues could have been prevented were it not for a single common accomplice sabotaging their showers: A bar of soap. That’s right – bar soap can heavy soap scum, harder to clean than anything from liquid soap. Some of these showers suffered so badly, their owners resorted to scraping the scum with a blade!
Thankfully the Improveit team was able to reclaim these spaces from the overgrown soap scum in each bathroom and give the homeowners tools to prevent the issue from coming back.
SEE MORE SCARY BATHROOMS: 1970s Bathroom Nightmares!
Scary Bath #1
Battling the Soap Scum Beasties
An impressive transformation took this shower from “oh dear” to “oh wow!” Bar soap residue and minerals in the well water serving this old farmhouse caused extensive orange staining. The homeowner was ready to start fresh with materials that would look great and be easy to clean. The Improveit team delivered, removing the old shower and water damaged wall, ceiling, and subfloor, replacing everything with new materials, moisture-resistant backerboard, and a beautiful, easy-clean shower surround in our Tuscany pattern with a white shower base. The space is unrecognizable!
Scary Bath #2
Scraping by with soap scum remover
Soap scum and hard water did a number on this tub-shower combo over the years to the point where the homeowners were using scrapers to cut through the grime. No only that, but the tub itself had become a scary hazard for getting in and out of the bathing space. It was time for a walk-in shower with materials that would be easy to keep clean. This homeowner chose smooth white walls to the ceiling to help solve the cleaning problem – their new shower will wipe clean with no scrubbing – while a low-threshold shower base, corner seat, and sturdy grab bars help eliminate any fears of falling in the shower.
What is Soap Scum? And Why Does Bar Soap Leave Residue?
With a whitish color and waxy consistency, it’s easy to think that soap scum is just a layer of dried soap left behind after bathing. In reality, soap scum is a different substance created when the fatty acids in soap ingredients react with minerals in the water, including magnesium and calcium.
SEE MORE SCARY BATHROOMS: Attack of the Green Bathrooms!
Bar soap is a major contributor to soap scum because of its high quantity of saturated and sodium-based fatty acids. Ingredients like lauric acid and stearic acid give bar soap its stability and solid form, while other fatty acid-based ingredients like sodium laurate and sodium oleate are added for lathering and moisturizing properties. When these ingredients mix with minerals in water – especially in hard water – they form insoluble compounds that won’t dissolve with normal washing.
Liquid soaps also use various forms of fatty acids, but often in water-soluble forms so they don’t linger on surfaces. If your family uses bar soap and you’re wondering how to clean years of soap scum build-up, consider switching to liquid soaps to help solve the problem.
Scary Bath #3
Dated Design & Bar Soap Residue
Outdated color and style were hiding under years of soap in this tub-shower combo. Not only did the materials need to be replaced, but the homeowner was ready to ditch the bathtub altogether in favor of a walk-in shower. The impressive transformation pairs one of Improveit’s newest shower color options, Evo, with a white shower base for contrast. The best part is that the smooth walls and glass shower door will be easy to keep clean with just an occasional wipe down. Taking out the old materials also gave the installation team a chance to replace damaged or missing insulation before installing all new backerboard under the brand new shower.
Scary Bath #4
How to Prevent Soap Scum & Tackle Bad Design
The green showers return! When you’re working with a ghastly green shower, cleanliness and good taste can only take your design so far. That was the case with this bathroom where the homeowner had an excellent eye for design, but had to contend with an outdated green shower surround that had come to the end of its useful life. While this homeowner’s use of liquid soaps prevented soap scum buildup, it wasn’t without its issues. Removing the surround revealed mold and mildew that had festered behind the shower wall. The Improveit team quickly took care of that, and the finished design is stunning!
The Best Method for How to Prevent Soap Scum: Easy Clean Materials
When soap scum builds up and other issues like orange staining start to invade your shower, most people turn to harsh chemicals to try and clean them. While this may help in the short term, these cleaners often wear away the smooth surfaces of your bath shower materials, making them more susceptible to grime, mold, mildew, and staining down the road. Like our scary bath customers discovered, eventually, your shower will be too far gone to ever get clean again.
LEARN MORE: List: Proper Acrylic Shower Cleaning Products & Techniques
The best way to prevent grime from building up – or to correct years of soap scum build-up – is to turn to easy-clean shower materials like acrylic. With a non-porous surface, acrylic shower walls wipe clean with soap and water or mild cleaners like a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water. A quick weekly wipe-down is all it takes to keep your acrylic shower clean! And with dozens of beautiful colors and patterns to choose from, and a lifetime warranty, you’ll have a beautiful shower to enjoy for as long as your home is standing!
Reach out today or use the form below to start the conversation a bathroom update that will free you from the ghoulish grime of greasy soap scum.
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