Tuesday, June 14, 2011

How To Safely Clean Soap Scum

A soap scum, usually found in the shower, is more than just soap build-up. Apart from soap that has dried up, soap scum can also contain dead skin cells, mold, mildew, etc. Though it is harmless, soap scum is an eye sore that should be removed before they get any worse.

If you are having some problem removing soap scum in your bathroom, follow the tips below for an easy and cheap way to get rid of them.

* Materials that you will need:
o Knife
o Baking soda
o Bowl
o Sponge
o White vinegar
o Microwave
o Spray bottle
* Take a hot shower. No, this is not to prepare you for the activity. Rather, this is to prepare the bathroom. Run a hot shower for 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure that the bathroom door it shut. The humidity around the room caused by the hot shower will help soften the soap scrum. After 15 minutes, turn off the shower and look for soap scum. Gently scrape them off with a knife. Be careful not to scratch the tiles or the tub while doing so. Removing the top layer should do if you cannot get them all off. If the soap scum has been there for years, it will take more than humidity to get of it.

* Make a baking soda mixture. In a large bowl, pour baking soda and slowly add water. Mix it while water is being added until you get a consistent texture similar to toothpaste. You can make more of this mixture depending on how big the affected area is. Next, get a sponge and dip it to the mixture. Rub the tiles or tub with soap scum. Leave the baking soda mixture applied for 30 minutes.
* Create a soap scum remover. As you leave the baking soda mixture, go to the kitchen and make some soap scum remover. A few seconds before your 30 minutes is up, get one and a half cup of white vinegar and microwave it for 30 seconds under medium setting. Transfer the heated vinegar into a spray bottle.
* Remove the baking soda mixture. Using a wet sponge, rub the baking soda from the tiles and tub.
* Apply the soap scum remover. After removing the baking soda mixture, spray the heated vinegar on the soap scum. Let it sit for a minute, then start scrubbing using the sponge. Work on the top area first and move down as you go along.
* Finish off with hot water. Rinse the area you have scrubbed with hot water. It is best to use a hose so some pressure is applied. Then, get a clean cloth and wipe the area dry. Apply some wax on the walls if desired, but not on the floor.

You now have a soap scum free bathroom!

Try to clean and get rid of soap scum as soon as possible. This way, you get to avoid build-up that is harder to remove. Rub the tub and tiles with warm vinegar every week, rinse, and dry. This will avoid the soap and hard water deposits to accumulate.

Monday, June 13, 2011

How To Clean Soap Scum

Soap scum is that stubborn creamy glaze that coats your shower walls and tub. It's extremely hard to clean because it's made up of different things like mildew, mineral deposits, hard water, soap talc and body oils. There are several techniques for getting rid of this multifarious sludge, but prevention is key.

The best thing you can do to prevent soap scum is to stop using bar soap and switch to liquid gel cleanser. If you have the patience, wipe down your walls, door and tub everyday after bathing to stop the scum build-up so you don't have to clean as often. Use a terry cloth towel to wipe away the scum in the bathtub and use a squeege on your shower walls. If you apply lemon oil to your shower, the acid will break-up any scum so it will be easier to wipe away. To prevent mildew build-up on your shower curtains, always pull the shower curtain closed. Otherwise, mildew is fast to grow in the dark wet folds of a curtain. Another little know fact, synthetic, cotton, and vinyl shower-curtain liners can put in the washing machine. Use hot water and a mild detergent. Also, keep bathroom windows and doors open to decrease moisture levels and increase light and air circulation.

If you've already let the soap scum build in your shower, there are several techniques for cleaning. It's important you use an acidic cleanser and some sort of abrasive substance, like detergent, or a brush to combat the sludge. Vinegar is a simple and cheap acidic cleanser that works almost anywhere in your house. One person suggests dipping paper towels into white vinegar and sticking them to the shower walls. Then letting them sit for 30 minutes. The vinegar should break up the scum so you can use a brush to scrub it away. Another person suggested using a pumice stone on fiberglass tubs or using an old credit card to scrape the scum in hard to clean areas. It's rumored that Avon’s “Skin so Soft” body oil is a great cleanser and has a lovely smell as well.

Whenever you clean, remember to wear gloves and to wash your hands afterward. Also, make sure to rinse your shower and tub with water after a good cleaning.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Soap Scum Removal Cleaning Tips

Getting rid of soap scum in the bathroom can be a real challenge, especially when it has been ignored for a while. Soap scum becomes like concrete when it hasn’t been cleaned off on a regular basis.

If any of the cleaning products you purchase contain bleach or ammonia as an additional cleaner, remember these two are highly toxic when mixed together so be extra careful when using either of these not to accidentally use these together. I am very serious about this-

For those of you with back problems, try using a sponge mop to do the floors and around the ceiling. Mops with long handles make great cleaners and will save your back a lot of aching.
Preventing Soap Scum

To prevent soap scum there are several things you can do- #1 is to switch to liquid soap in the shower or bath.

Since the soap is a liquid and not a solid, it won't adhere to surfaces when dry. But of course, (since you are reading this, I assume it's much too late for that bit of advise-) keep that cleaning tip in mind if you want to avoid having to chisel off soap scum in the future.

Waxing the walls and hard shower doors with regular car wax will make the water bead up and slide off—preventing any soap scum build up. This only has to be done about once every six months and will also work on the countertops and shower doors.

Another product that works well for the walls, shower doors and even shower curtains is RainX ™. This is an automotive product found in most stores with automotive sections. The purpose of this product is to cause rain water to bead on cars—but works very well on shower water.

One trick to keeping the soap scum from attaching is to add a bit of Epsom Salt to the bath water every time you bath. Something about the salt keeps the scum from attaching and will soothe away those aches and pains from all the cleaning!

When you use baby oil in the shower, spread a bit on the shower doors to keep them scum free. Just remember that baby oil makes the shower very slippery so reconsider if you have young ones who may slip slide their way around the tub.
Homemade Soap Scum Removers

There are a lot of methods and products available for getting rid of the soap scum once it has built up. If the first one doesn’t work, don’t give up—just move on to the next one.
Lemon Oil

Lemon oil (as in lemon furniture oil) will clean well and prevent further build up as well. Apply the lemon oil with an acrylic scrubby in a circular motion. Wipe away with a soft cotton cloth—cloth baby diapers work well for this. Borax works well as a scouring powder instead of harsher, chemically toxic cleaners.

Just pour the Borax on a sponge and apply to the soap scum with a touch of water. Rinse well when soap scum is gone. Circular motions when cleaning soap scum always work better than the back and forth motion many of us use.
Baking Soda

Baking soda is another non-toxic abrasive that can be used in the bathtub. Once you have rinsed the baking soda, follow it with a cup of white vinegar down the drain to clean the drain. Some people swear by laundry stain removers like Spray and Wash ™. Spray the liquid on and leave for 15 minutes, then rinse well.
Laundry Detergent

Powdered laundry detergent, works well as a non-toxic cleaner. Just work into a paste and scrub in circular motion. A squeegee always helps just because it removes most of the water where the soap scum is.
Ammonia

Ammonia works on the worst soap scum build up but you must wear gloves to protect your hands. Use about 1/2 cup of ammonia to a gallon of water, spray and wipe away.

Be sure to rinse well and keep the kids away from the ammonia. Straight white vinegar works well too. Just spray it on, use a plastic scrubby and work away the soap scum.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Tile Cleaning: Getting Through the Scum

Cleaning tile is one of life's most tedious, time consuming jobs. With all that being said it can get easier. If you are cleaning backsplashes in the kitchen, tile in the tub, or the tiled entry ways a few easy tricks of the trade could make the job much easier. The first thing you need to be aware of as a master cleaner is that tile inevitably gets dirty indifferent ways. Determine the root cause of the dirt and scum. It will be easier to pick the tool that will be the most effective if you know what battle you are fighting.

In the kitchen you will often find tile cleaning to be less of a hassle if you spend time throughout the time in the kitchen cleaning up food splatters as they happen. Waiting until the food has become an art form in your kitchen will present many grout and tile cleaning issues. For most kitchens cleaning with a simple mixture of vinegar and water, equal parts, will be sufficient. Spray on the cleaning solution and let it set and the stains should be easy to wipe off. For more stubborn stains a paste of baking soda and water can be applied. It is easier to get the tile and grout clean scrubbing in small circles rather than spreading the dirt around moving the debris about within the area using an up and down motion. Rinse the areas that you are cleaning with a straight water mixture and sop up the extra moisture with a clean sponge.

In the bathroom soap scum is a little bit harder to remove from between the grout and to get off the tiles. You can start by using household cleaners for soap scum removal. Most likely if the scum is visible you will need to use something a little bit stronger but we will discuss this in a minute. Household cleaners are available for purchase at most stores. Most over the counter cleaners that clean tile and grout will also help eliminate the buildup of mold and mildew in bathrooms. Another trick is to use a steam cleaner before actually using cleaning products. The steam will help to loosen some of the caked on grime allowing the products to get a better handle on the stains.

If you find that your cleaners are not getting the tiles and grout within your home as clean as you would like them to be go ahead and try a commercial grade cleaner. Commercial cleaners contain ingredients that are harsh to breathe in. You will want to make sure that you are using gloves and an air filtration masking when using these chemicals. If you would like to use a more natural solution that is equally strong try hydrogen peroxide or chlorine bleach. Make sure you dilute these chemicals thoroughly before starting the cleaning process. You will also want to make sure you are reading all labels to ensure that you don't ruin your tile or grout sealants.

The final process in cleaning tile and grout to make it look fresh and new is to apply a few coats of sealer. Sealer enables your grout to have a defense against stains. Once your tile and grout is clean keep up on routine cleanings. This will avoid having to spend hours removing stains that have set in. Also, it is important to maintain the grout by continuing to apply a sealer once a year. Add grout sealing to your list during spring cleaning so that you can avoid staining.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Soap Dispensers Are Perfect In Your Kitchen or Bath

These days people like to use soap dispensers because it keeps the germs at bay in your house or work.. But not everyone is convinced that they should use kitchen or bath soap dispensers for a number of reasons. If you're one of those who are not convinced with the merits of this item, here are some of the advantages that you ought to take a look at before dismissing the concept altogether:

o Keeps the kitchen or bathroom counter from getting smeared with cleaning soap scum

o Saves on soap consumption

o The dispenser has both practical and decorative uses. Most owners of contemporary houses prefer to have kitchen or bath dispensers due to the fact that they add a lot more personality to an otherwise bland space.

o They are more pleasing to look at than stray soap dishes

Shopping for Kitchen and Bathroom Soap Dispensers

If you want to have a soap dispenser installed in your house, you should buy one which is dependable. It is necessary to shop around first prior to buying so you are able to land the most effective product at the very best feasible cost.

Home or bathtub accessory stores can be a great place to look for this type of fixture. Nonetheless, if you need to save lots of time and effort, you might as well shop online. You are able to find lots of selections for soap dispensers plus you have a much better chance of finding one to match your spending budget perfectly.

As far as your option in soap dispensers go, you will find no strict rules as to which one you have to acquire. It all depends on your personal taste as well as your existing price range. However, you ought to be ready to note which products are the most effective to utilize for certain kinds of situations.

If you've a contemporary looking kitchen that's fully outfitted, it can be excellent to pick a stainless steel soap dispenser as it would fit perfectly to the backdrop of the space. You could also go a lot more practical and opt for a less pricey kind, for instance a ceramic dispenser, which is just as useful as the rest of the choices. What matters would be to have something that you simply can use for a really extended time.

High quality is always crucial. If you will go for less costly varieties, you can not expect good quality from it and you also can not bet that you won't be purchasing another one in a few months.

Price versus High quality

This has been and always will be the battle when it comes to purchasing for any type of merchandise. Whenever you shell out more money for some thing, there's an underlying expectation that you will likely be able to utilize such item for a long time. Inside the same way, if you want to pinch pennies and go for cheaper items that are made of much less dependable materials, you may not be ready to expect much from it.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Cleaning Soap and Scum: Tips and Tools for Minimizing Buildup

One of the most unpleasant cleaning chores can be cleaning soap and scum buildup. If the buildup is quite bad, the process of cleaning soap and scum take a few cleaning applications. However, there are some tips to preventing soap scum and some methods to remove it quickly and easily.

Soap scum and buildup develops from the ingredients in hard soaps (bars) and the dirt and minerals that are removed when showering and bathing. Soap is made from sodium or potassium fatty acids and created through a process called saponification. The result is an emulsifying substance that can separate dirt and oil in water so that these can be removed from items such as clothing. One problem with soap is that they can be converted into fatty acids that form soap scum. This is a particular problem with hard water. The mineral talc is also used in soaps. The talc helps the minerals adhere to the shower, and before you know it, a buildup of soap scum develops, and cleaning soap and scum is required.

For cleaning soap and scum, a commercial product specifically designed for this purpose is recommended. These products are chemically designed to clean the components of soap scum. For built up soap scum, it may be necessary to repeat the process a few times. For cleaning soap and scum, the product must 'sit' on the problem area. This works fine for the edges of a bathtub, for example, but can create a problem on walls. As such, a foaming product is best, as the foam will stay on the problem area longer than a liquid. Follow the directions on the label for how long to keep the soap scum remover on the problem area. All types of dried on soap scum will require the use of a sponge or brush to remove. The extra friction helps remove the buildup. If the dried on soap scum is thick, a stiff-bristled brush may be necessary for thoroughly cleaning soap and scum. If the soap scum buildup is on a flat surface, a razor blade is also very effective--and more dangerous, of course, so exercise caution when using this tool. For lesser buildup, a standard sponge with a scouring side and soft side should do the trick for cleaning soap and scum that is not thick.

After removing dried on soap scum with a soap scum remover, regular maintenance and prevention is key. When shopping for products for cleaning soap and scum, look for a product that includes some type of barrier protection. These create a wax-like barrier on your tub and shower wall that helps prevent soap scum from adhering to the surface. Although everyone is busy these days, a quick, two-step process can help prevent the build-up of dried on soap scum and will save time later when you are doing other things rather than cleaning soap and scum! First, after every shower or bath, use a squeegee or cloth to remove soap residue. Follow this by spraying the shower and tub with a product for cleaning soap and scum. Avoid spraying the bottom of the tub as this can make it very slippery. This daily routine will save a lot of time later. Cleaning soap and scum in this manner prevents the long-term buildup that can take hours to clean. If you are cleaning your tub and shower in this manner on a daily basis, a weekly, thorough clean with a soap scum remover should keep the problem in check.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Want To Know How To Remove Soap Scum?

So you’re in need of some tips on how to remove soap scum. The first thing to do is find the proper cleaner to help you get the job done. Then it’s about getting down to the task and keeping a regular routine in place.
Water spots, soap scum and grime, the kind that builds up in the bathroom, can be quite disgusting. Trying to tackle it before it gets too comfy is always a good idea. Otherwise it tends to turn into a bigger adventure, one with more color, and potentially smellier.

It’s going to try and settle in areas such as tiles along and around the bathtub and shower area, on faucets, and on the shower curtain or door. In short, it’s most everywhere on surfaces within reach of your bathing area. That includes your shaving implements, combs, bottles, containers, and any other items close by.

Some stains can be a bigger issue for those people with hard water, which contains more minerals to help leave those white or grey filmy traces on all your bathroom surfaces. You might want to look for something to use on your shower area after each use. This way you can save time when you get to your regular cleaning regiment. Something with a trigger, so the big kids can use their imagination while spraying down the shower in style. Life doesn’t have to be void of fun, so encourage them to live on the wild side and be part of the cleaning adventure.

While there’s no special science book on how to remove soap scum, not one that I know of, a few simple pointers should help you with the task. Truly, science should be working on a programmable robot to help with this, but I digress. Look for a product that can be purchased in bulk, to save on plastic containers and your budget. Also try one with a spray
nozzle, so you can fire it straight at the enemy on the wall. It’s more fun, and allows for the use of a more vivid imagination.
Spray and then let it work on the surface for a few minutes while you get another task completed in the same area.

Use a damp cloth or a sponge to remove the cleanser and then rinse the remaining traces, then wipe the spot down and leave the surface clean and shiny. Always rinse out your cloths, rags, or sponges after you use them, and let them air dry properly. They’ll last longer and not take up that smell you’ve worked so hard to make disappear. Gather them together and throw them in the washing machine on a regular basis to keep them fresh and clean. They’ve worked hard enough to merit their own cycle, and a nice hot one at that!

In the end, it’s all about the right tools for the job. Like any other household task, learning how to remove soap scum takes rolling up your sleeves and getting it done.