What is lime scale and soap scum

Soap scum or lime scale is a filmy layer that forms around showers, sinks, tubs, and other areas where soap and water are often present together.

Lime scale is a hard, off-white, chalky deposit found in kettles, hot-water boilers and the inside of poorly maintained hot-water central heating systems. It is also often found as a similar deposit in old pipes and other surfaces where hard water has evaporated. Other than being unattractive and harder to clean, lime scale seriously impairs the operation or damages various components that it has attached to.

It is caused by the minerals that are naturally present in water. When these minerals combine with soap, they create a sticky mixture that sticks to surrounding surfaces, slowly creating a rough buildup that may also include body oils, dead skin, hair, and dirt. For many people, soap scum is a regular cleaning worry, especially if they live in areas with hard water.

 Regular soap scum is white to gray in color, but it often acts as an ideal home for algae and molds, and it may develop a rainbow of colors along with some undesirable odors. When lime scale is allowed to build up to this point, it can also become very difficult to remove. Only heavy scrubbing and a strong cleaner will be able to penetrate the layers of lime scale and soap scum. The best ways to get rid of lime scale build up is to scrub it down with lots of elbow grease and hard chemicals (which are easier to use then eco-friendly chemicals) then prevent it by flushing your appliances on a regular basis with a vinegar based solution.