Phisherman wrote:
On Sat, 25 Jul 2009 07:17:00 -0700, "The Ranger" cuhulain _
wrote:

Brian wrote in message
...
I have a problem with soap scum all over the shower doors.
[snip]
Does anyone know of a chemical that will cut the scum?
Kaboom, Dow's Scrubbing Bubbles, and Limeaway all work for me, depending on
the time I have available. I soak the showerhead while wiping down the two
clear glass doors with Kaboom. Usually takes 10-15 minutes work. If I have a
little more time, I use Dow Scrubbing Bubbles because it is my all-purpose
cleaner. Limeaway is the Big Bertha. I only bring that out on REALLY bad
build-ups.

Kaboom
https://www.officialtvwebsite.com/ka...D=265773304012
(When the above link breaks, click on the tinyurl below
http://tinyurl.com/krf6an )

Dow Scrubbing Bubbles
http://www.scrubbingbubbles.com/

Limeaway
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...7zoyk3zy mq_e
(When the above link breaks, click on the tinyurl below
http://tinyurl.com/nn96tb )

The Ranger



All of these are good. I use the Dow product mentioned and allow the
foam to work for a few hours. Then scrub the surface with a brush
dipped in household ammonia after the soaking period, and rinse with
cold water. Use lots of ventilation. I can clean the shower/tub in
less than 1 minute, all while holding my breath. It helps to use a
daily shower spray. Use of acids is not recommended as it can damage
metal parts.

Scrubbing Bubbles is a brand name for several products. The one I know
for soap scum uses an unspecified acid. Why add ammonia?

Why hold your breath? I'd be more afraid of spattering ammonia in my
eyes. Strong vapors can be irritating but exposure isn't known to be
harmful in the long run. If you don't like the vapors, you can dilute
it. Straight from the bottle it has a lot of dissolved NH3 gas.
Diluted, the ammonia is mostly NH4+, which stays in the water.

Some recommendations for treating soap scum come from cleaning kitchen
sinks or toilets. Unless one washes his hands in the kitchen and feet
in the toilet, I don't know why soap scum would appear in either place.

Simple soap scum is insoluble soap, which has a waxy feel and is hard to
see on an opaque surface. It's pretty easy to remove. Baking soda on a
wash cloth works fine for me.

If I neglect it, it yellows and can get rough like sandpaper. I think
it happens when mineral deposits accumulate on the soap scum. I've
tried Tilex ( which is hard on the skin and the vapors are harsh ),
another spray soap-scum remover, CLR (mineral-deposit remover), vinegar,
Bon Ami, and ammonia. Baking soda works best for me.

Sometimes a wash cloth will remove a yellow buildup easily. Sometimes a
plastic brush makes a big difference. Sometimes if I can't remove a
stain in a minute with a wash cloth, the baking soda will dissolve it if
I walk away for a few minutes.