Soap scum in the shower.

the fellow who installed tiles in kitchen and bathroom told us to NEVER use any abrasive or strong chemical cleaner. it will damage the tile surface and even though they may look shiny the tiles will develop tiny (microscopic) surface fissures; once the tiles have fissures, they've had the biscuit. scum will hang on to the tiles like a gecko to a window pane. he told us that mild soap and vinegar would be the best for cleaning tiles. here is another one from our plumber : he told us to NEVER use strong chemical solutions to keep the drains from plugging. he explained that while the drains would start running again, the chemicals would make a nice meal of the drain-pipes. his suggestion : water, water, water ... also said that putting baking-soda(bicarbonate) into the drain followed by vinegar would be o.k. ... again followed by plenty of water after a few minutes. i wonder if baking soda and vinegar on a sponge might also work if it's done each time after the shower has been used. hbg

We use regular paste-type car wax on the walls and floor of our shower enclosure. Seems to work pretty well. Apply it just as you wopuld to a car, including a real good final buffing. We do it a couple, maybe there times a year. Dunno if it'll work for your problem, Wilso, but it could be worth a shot.

Anything's got to be better than this. The only way to keep it clean at the moment, is to get down on my hands and knees and clean with a strong chemical every two day. I don't have time to do that.

It sounds like all the strong chemical cleaning has eaten away at the protective top layer of your tiles, wilso. timber's suggestion on how to protect the surface sounds quite practicable.

Good luck!

When I realised that the surface of these tiles was f@cked, I did the only this I could think of. This afternoon I bought everything I need to build a new shower recess. Should be finished by the end of the week.

My new screen is in. The only thing left is a few rivets and grouting the new floor. And a sh!tload of cleaning up to do. How can a job in one little corner cause so much mess?

Now, have you tossed all your strong chemical cleaners, wilso?

Remember - vinegar and water only to protect your new tiles.


I had to laugh when you asked about the big mess from a small job. You sound like a new parent talking about a baby - How can such a little thing make such a big p**p!

Vinegar and water. OK, I will remember that.

Hi, I used to own a janitorial service and one of my books suggests that after a good cleaning you treat the walls and floors of your shower with lemon oil to help prevent soap scum build up.

I used to be able to buy a huge bottle of pure lemon oil for about $2.00 from my janitorial supply house.

Always seemed to work for me and my clients.

If you don't have lemon oil, try Pledge, or even Endust, a product I've used on many types of surfaces.

Never heard of those products. Other side of the planet and all that.

http://216.239.53.104/search?q=cache:Fvk190JMNbUJ:www.landseer.com.sg/news/sep02/+%22australia%22+%22lemon+oil%22+%22furniture+polish%22&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

"Make furniture polish by mixing lemon oil with three parts of olive oil."

c.i. You're not supposed to drink soft water, you should have a bypass for drinking water faucets such as the line to your fridge/icemaker if you have one.