# Cleaning soap scum from older tub?



## wahoowad (Jun 21, 2010)

Hey folks. I have a full size fiberglass shower/tub unit in a home I am renting. If you look close you can see it has a lot of soap scum and the Scrubbing Bubbles doesn't do a whole lot to remove it. The Scrubbing Bubbles just cleans a little bit of it off. I can run a fingernail through it so it is soft soft scum, not hard water buildup. Do any of you know of a strong cleaner that is commonly available that will work? I don't mind wearing a mask and gloves to do a deep cleaning. Thanks!


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## begreen (Jun 21, 2010)

TSP


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## festerw (Jun 21, 2010)

You'll need a cleaner with a little more kick.

Something like one of the these, you'll need to head to a janitorial supply company to get them.

Johnson Wax Crew Tub and Tile Cleaner

Misco Bul-It


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## vvvv (Jun 21, 2010)

oven cleaner-spray,soak,brush,rinse? wanna get tricky= rinse off with bleachsolution if needed. oven cleaner + bleach is dangerous- gets hot & fumes like crazy


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## wahoowad (Jun 21, 2010)

I am hoping for something safe for the fiberglass finish on the walls.


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## vvvv (Jun 21, 2010)

wahoowad said:
			
		

> I am hoping for something safe for the fiberglass finish on the walls.


i just sprayed OC + bleach solution on small horizontal surface 4fun on fglass. no prob. scrubbed it with my backbrush & cleaned that too! held my breath & ran the exhaust fan


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## WES999 (Jun 21, 2010)

Try this, spray orange cleaner, let soak for a while then use a Mr. clean Magic eraser soap scum remover sponge.
I tried a lot of the suggestions on the Internet( rubbing alcohol, WD40 ammonia) this worked the best for me.


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## Drifthopper (Jun 21, 2010)

Wah….Try Scrubbing Bubbles..   The stuff is spray on, wipe off..  Super easy.  
For hard soap scum..it may take a few sprays, But scrubbing bubbles will lift it off.   about 5 minutes before getting into the tube / shower, spray the stuff on,,,shave or brush your teeth , then run the water and wash it off.  after a few times the tube will look good.  

Simple…Try it out.


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## fraxinus (Jun 22, 2010)

Go to www.bathfitter.com and you'll find a list of cleaners this particular company has found to work well with no damage to acrylic fiberglass. We've used Tilex on our tub and shower walls for many years with excellent results.

BTW, using liquid rather than bar soap makes a real difference in cutting down on scum accumulation. Talc and other binders in bar soap create more scum which is also stickier and harder to remove.


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## Burn-1 (Jun 22, 2010)

I use 20 Mule Team Borax for cleaning my tub. It's abrasive enough to clean but not scratch. It's also cheap, relatively safe and has about 50 other uses around the house. Look for it in the laundry aisle of the supermarket.


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## firefighterjake (Jun 22, 2010)

I tell you it is threads like this that keep me coming back to hearth.com . . . I have the same issue as Wahoowad . . . and have just printed out folk's solutions . . . I think I'll skip the mixing of amonia-based products with chlorine though . . . I want to keep what few brain cells I have left.


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## LLigetfa (Jun 22, 2010)

I've never used Scrubbing Bubbles but I have used Fantastik with good results.  For what Fantastik doesn't get, I use a commercial product called Zolvex from Wood Wyant.  It is an acid based cleaner and so should be used with caution as it can stain gel-coat finishes if left on too long.


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## chrisasst (Jun 23, 2010)

Bar keepers friend


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## pybyr (Jun 23, 2010)

Simple Green- spray on, let soak, spray some more- scrub with a stiff but not scratchy brush, then rinse


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## BrotherBart (Jun 23, 2010)

As with a chimney, if the accumulation is over 1/8" thick, scrub with a wire brush.  :coolsmirk:


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## spacecowboyIV (Jun 23, 2010)

I used Lysol toilet bowl cleaner (blue bottle) to clean up years of soap scum and hard water stains in a bathtub in my first apartment.  Worked beautiful, thing looked like it was brand new.


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## humpin iron (Jun 25, 2010)

Soft scrub,  not the gel type use the original white kind.  Used it to scrub a boat that had sat under trees for 2 yrs and was black.  Came out nice


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## Drifthopper (Jun 29, 2010)

wadoohoo.......its been awhile, so what did you end up using to clean that tub...???


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## smwilliamson (Jun 29, 2010)

BeGreen said:
			
		

> TSP


x2


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