My husband will not give up bar soap in the shower. Does anybody know what kind of bar soap leaves less residue in the tub?
Lynn from Albany, NY
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Any kind of pure glycerin soap should do the trick. Bath and Body Works runs them on special $5 for 5 all the time. My DH uses the plain vanilla one and doesn't complain about it.
No soap from Bed and Body Works or any store like this has ingredients that kills germs or cleans dirt, swet, and etc from the skin.
Glycerine is the worst. It leaves a film of glycerine (grease) on the bottom of the tub. Impossible to remove.
In addition to $5 bars at Bath and Body, you could get them even cheaper at the Dollar Tree. Also, I think Ivory Soap is good. And then there is baby soap...real gentle.
Zest is the only soap that leaves no scum or residue build up.
Zest was purchased by another company and formula was changed. It is now one of the worst for leaving soap scum.
That would explain it! I've used zest for decades & in recent history was not happy with how it left a film on my skin I honestly thought it was their new variations- I've quit it altogether been searching for something simular ever since
When in navy boot camp 1971 our commander made us throw standard issue soap away and we had to buy Zest. Showers were always clean at inspection.
Nope. We use Zest and that's why I'm looking for an alternative.
All soaps will leave a film and it becomes more noticeable over time. The best way to keep a shower or bath scum free once the scum has been cleaned is to wipe down the shower or tub with a towel after each use.
I use a squeegee, which you can find at most dollar stores. Simply squeege the water across the top in stripes and then to the bottom, and wipe any excess or missed spots and the fixtures with a towel or microfiber cloth. I never have a soap scum problem.
Neutrogena and Pears aren't supposed to leave a residue.
Try Dr. Bronner's liquid soap. i know you said he likes bar soap but this is real soap not body wash. It is way less messy then bar soap. as a plus it is good for the environment and is recommended for laundry use and household cleaning.
Oh - not so. I have given up Bronners because the residue is terrible. I've used a variety of them and had issues with all of them.
Although I like Dr. Bonner's - I use it to make foaming hand soap for the bathroom, it makes my sink look gross after about five hand-washes. Synthetic liquid soaps (like Bath and Body Works) do not, the sink stays looking clean and shiny for days, but Dr. Bonner's is the absolute worst.
Omg! Dr. Bronners liquid soap leaves an awful film on the tub! I have to use limeaway to get rid of it. Just imagine the film left on the body! I also use a squeegee & shower spray with tilex in it by Clorox.
They make a bar soap too. Here is a link on Amazon but you can probably find it many places.
www.amazon.com/
My husband also insists on a bar of soap in the shower. The clear glycerin bars leave the least residue IMO. I stockpile the B&BW bars when they are on sale for $1. Dial also makes a glycerin bar--I think it's the White Tea one. Keep on the lookout for glycerin soap in dollar stores, Big Lots,ethnic groceries, etc. as sometimes you hit the jackpot unexpectedly.
It's important to keep the shower walls clean. I wipe down the walls with an old towel or squeegee.
Used to be that Zest was the go-to brand for no-scum bar soap. The name was bought by another brand, and now it is one of the scummiest. Ick. I have found that Lever 2000 is a good quality, inexpensive bar soap that leaves virtually no scum.
Does Lever 2000 have a strong fragrance? I can't do strong fragrances. I may try their cucumber and aloe version, but does that work without scum as well?
When I was in the Navy Boot Camp (1974) they made us use Zest for that very reason.
I recognize the situation. My boyfriend's shower is disgusting. I read that acid (e.g. vinegar) would react with the soap residue and make it come off. It worked, sort of, but not completely.
Later I learned that artists (the type that paint pictures) sometimes use oil to clean stuff. I tried, and found that the soap residue can be dissolved with cooking oil. Then the cooking oil can be removed with the same stuff you use on your dishes. This worked better than the vinegar.
Make a mixture of 1 cup blue dawn and 1 cup white vinegar, heat but don't boil. Put in spray bottle, really cuts the scum with virtuallu no elbow grease.
Lynn, The very best scum cleaner I have found is
Comet Bathroom cleaner. It's wonderful! Don't know
of any soap that won't cause scum.J.B.
This my have worked on the older steel tubs but not on todays fibre glass. Use Comet and watch the surface disintegration begin!
Zest
Zest has changed its not the same original I used for decades :,-(
Dove White soap! For many reasons. For his skin especially!
I clean my shower/tub area with this wonderful product called Bar Keeper's friend. It cleans, fiberglass, glass shower doors, stainless steel, copper, brass (it's a polisher), porcelain, and the list goes on...check out their site @ http://www.barkeepersfriend.com You can find this product at most grocery stores. Just look where the comet or ajax is located. I promise you if you use it you will say goodbye to soap scum. Just use it weekly. And use whatever soap you want!
If you check, you will find that this cleaner's active ingredient is really just oxalic acid. You can order this very inexpensively from amazon and just use a little bit for cleaning your tub and shower. It makes cleaning a breeze. This from a retired chemist. Regards
When reading about oxalis acid it says it's only for wood. Have you used this on porcelain tubs/showers?
AVOID deodorant soaps- they leave far more scum than others I think.
I use Amazing Soap. It is a glycerin soap that is all natural. You can find them on the web at www.AmazingSoap.com
Ivory soap? It's the worst
My bathtub was disgusting, I had it refinished, the guy told me not to use bar soaps cause they leave scum buildup. I'm trying to find info to corroborate or contradict his advise. I've only found contradicting opinions. ; (
I guess I just need to wash it every week.
regular soaps leave an insoluble film due to the ends of the soap molecules forming insoluble compounds that leave the film. Soft soaps have the ends of the molecules changed to sodium ions that form sodium salts that are always soluble so you do not get the soap scum or film which again is just insoluble salts formed. These are facts and I know because I am a retired chemist/ chemistry professor. I hope this helps your understandiong of soaps. It is just chemistry. Regards
Thank you for taking the time to explain I had to read it twice to understand & saved in my phone - I highly respect your awesome level of education & helping with this problem especially for me my back was injured permanently so bending long periods of time hurt & both hands in industrial work accident so this helps me more than most people guess I'll be trying soft soap & congratulations on your level of higher education & helping thank you! From the bottom of my heart
I like your comment about insouluble compounds and am wondering what Soft Soaps or sodium ions type soaps are available? I'm looking and mostly coming up with liquid soaps. Do you know of any bar products?
Warmly,
Patrice in CA
Zest bath soap bars don't leave a lot of soap scum. Have used for 60 years.
They do now
Dove bar soap does not leave soap scum
Wet and Forget weekly shower spray does a fantastic job cleaning the shower and the glass doors!
Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar is the best. Very gentle on your skin and virtually no soap scum.
Zest
Zest and Dove WERE detergent NOT soap bars. I'll leave the explanation to the retired chemist, but essentially soap dissolves dirt and detergents carry it away. The cooling fat of soaps leaves dirt in the 'ring' where water meets the air. Glycerine "soaps' are a better way to get rich lather with only a slight oily glycol film but no fat scum or 'slush' that you get from soap, esp. Ivory Snow.
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