"Soap makes the shower hard to clean"

[KiwiMoose]

Says everyone ever when i ask them why they don't use soap anymore. So they've all switched to liquid soap.

I want to have some counter-arguments - can any of my more chemistry minded friends here provide me with some? I would say that commercial soaps have more 'additives' in them so are more likely to cause a film on shower doors - but don't know that. Maybe it's the superfat?

Also I could argue that they are contributing to a greater use of plastics by using bottles - that's always a winner!

 

[Obsidian]

Your friends are right, soap makes soap scum while detergant based washes don't.

There are things you can add to your soap to lessen the scum. EDTA is a popular one. Having soft water will also reduce or eliminate scum.

 

[Hendejm]

I’ve never heard that one...but most people I know use soap (mine or other handmade soap). I haven’t noticed any soap scum....hmmmmm. I am gonna have to check more closely...or maybe not care since that isn’t one of my chores! I’ve got plenty of other chores I’d gladly trade - like mowing 3 acres of grass every 2 or 3 days in the summer. Lol

 

[Dahila]

soaps leave soap scum , this is why I use edta in my soaps. Easier to wash and less soap scum.

 

[penelopejane]

I know this isn't answering your question but...
For handmade soap you can use Citric acid at 1% of oils to reduce soap scum substantially. Also use less superfat.

The reason I don't use liquid shower wash is that this is what is in one liquid shower wash:

• Ingredients: Aqua (water), sodium lauryl sulfate, glycerin, lauryl betaine, disodium cocoamphodiacetate, sodium cocoyl isethionate, peg-120 methyl glucose dioleate, glycol stearate, methylparaben, citric acid, propylparaben.

 

[Dean]

I wonder if its the saturated fat that causes it? Does castille leave white soap scum stains?

I used Dr. Bronner b4 making my own. It had citric acid in it but left worse scum than my soap.

Perhaps liquid soap is next on ur to-make list @KiwiMoose...

 

[Steve85569]

Sodium citrate helps reduce mineral deposits ( soap scum) at 1 to 3 % by weight of oils. I typically use 2% and add in the extra sodium hydroxide to react the citric acid.

I am by no means a chemist so one of the more scientific members will need to 'splain that part.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Perhaps liquid soap is next on ur to-make list @KiwiMoose...

I don't see myself making liquid soap. It doesn't look as pretty as bar soap. Also, I'd have to start using plastic bottles.

 

[Misschief]

I don't see myself making liquid soap. It doesn't look as pretty as bar soap. Also, I'd have to start using plastic bottles.

No, you wouldn't. Have a look in any home furnishing shop; there are all kinds of gorgeous glass or ceramic pump dispensers.

 

[KiwiMoose]

No, you wouldn't. Have a look in any home furnishing shop; there are all kinds of gorgeous glass or ceramic pump dispensers.

You're still not selling it to me. It sounds far too much like hubby's kombucha brewing and bottling.

 

[Misschief]

You're still not selling it to me. It sounds far too much like hubby's kombucha brewing and bottling.

Honestly, liquid soap is no harder to make that CP or HP soap. And it's pretty! Just look at that gorgeous colour!

 

[KiwiMoose]

Looks like a glass of kombucha

 

[Misschief]

Looks like a glass of kombucha

LOL.... can't argue with that. It doesn't do this, though.... Coffee Kombucha (don't bother trying it; it was disgusting).

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[KiwiMoose]

Coffee kombucha sounds disgusting!

But aside from me not being remotely interested in making liquid soap, is soap scum really the culprit of cloudy glass in the shower? Or is it lime/hard water deposits? We don't live in a hard water area. It seems that anything will make the shower glass go cloudy. My friend had a brand new shower installed, only uses liquid soap, and cleans it after every shower with a window cleaner thingy (like a car windscreen cleaner) and she still has problems.

 

[Dean]

No, you wouldn't. Have a look in any home furnishing shop; there are all kinds of gorgeous glass or ceramic pump dispensers.

@KiwiMoose could put her liquid soap in her hand-painted non-plastic dispensers!

 

[Misschief]

We don't have hard water either and we have the same issues. It was like that even when we weren't using handmade soaps.

@KiwiMoose could sell her liquid soap in her hand-painted non-plastic dispensers!

Now, you're thinking!

 

[SaltedFig]

... Having soft water will also reduce or eliminate scum.

As @Obsidian mentioned, having soft water reduces or eliminates scum.
Without the minerals in the water (that make the water "hard"), the insoluble mineral soaps cannot be formed.

I wonder if its the saturated fat that causes it? Does castille leave white soap scum stains?...

The calcium and magnesium (mostly, but other minerals too) in hard water can form soaps that are white and don't dissolve - soap scum.
Calcium stearate is commonly known as part of the soap scum (family? ), but calcium oleate is also insoluble, according to this old paper
(see the line "water" on the second page - all are marked insoluable): http://europepmc.org/backend/ptpmcrender.fcgi?accid=PMC1259507&blobtype=pdf

... But ... is soap scum really the culprit of cloudy glass in the shower? Or is it lime/hard water deposits? We don't live in a hard water area. It seems that anything will make the shower glass go cloudy. My friend had a brand new shower installed, only uses liquid soap, and cleans it after every shower with a window cleaner thingy (like a car windscreen cleaner) and she still has problems.

We don't have hard water either and we have the same issues. It was like that even when we weren't using handmade soaps.

I did a bit of research on this a while ago, and ended up talking to a glass manufacturer. The clouding in shower screens can occur with any cleaner that reacts with glass (similar to the reason why we don't make lye in glass containers) - the glass reacts just a little each time, and for shower screens, this is seen as tiny holes (or "pits") in the surface of the glass. Visually, this looks almost identical to soap scum.

Some cleaners will aggressively pit the glass. A check (to see if it's pitting, rather than scum, is to wipe the screen (when it's clean and dry) with a very light coating of sweet almond oil. If it goes clear, then it's pitting, not scum.
(The sweet almond oil can be left on the screen to reduce the visual impact of pitting, and using less reactive cleaners helps keep the glass in good condition).

 

[penelopejane]

I wonder if its the saturated fat that causes it? Does castille leave white soap scum stains?

I used Dr. Bronner b4 making my own. It had citric acid in it but left worse scum than my soap.
[/USER]...

Dr Bronners soap isn't real or pure CASTILE. It is a combination of oils and other ingredients including FOs. In the US they use "Castile" randomly.

 

[KiwiMoose]

@KiwiMoose could put her liquid soap in her hand-painted non-plastic dispensers!

That's creating a lot of work for me! I do have a day job y'know!

 

[Dean]

Dr Bronners soap isn't real or pure CASTILE. It is a combination of oils and other ingredients including FOs. In the US they use "Castile" randomly.

View attachment 34886

Hi Pen.

I kno Bronner is not castille. Thats y I mentioned it in dif paragraph. Dr Bronner was mentioned cuz of the use citric acid.