In Search of the Soapscuminator

I hate cleaning showers. Now I know that "hate" is a strong word, and we really should say "dislike," but really? I hate cleaning showers. My shower is huge, which is great when one is shaving, but not so great when one is cleaning. It is marble on two sides and glass on two sides, and it is really hard to keep clean. When I cleaned it today, I found myself wondering, "Why is it that a cleaner that says it cleans soap scum really cannot get it off the glass in my shower? And why is it that a cleaner with bleach (which is needed for shower mold) cannot seem to rid my shower of soap scum?" (Not that I have shower mold or anything... *ahem* We'll just think of this as more of a hypothetical post.)



I grew up using the Scrubbing Bubbles brand cleaner. My mom is one of the people I know that actually keeps a clean house all the time. She'd tell you otherwise, but I know better. When she says she needs to clean house, there is usually a stray dead spider in a corner, and a few dead leaves that have blown in, and two spots on the tile floor. That's it. Anyway, I always figured that if this was her cleaner of choice, it must be a good one. But now that I am keeping my own house clean, I am not so sure. I guess maybe if you use it after every shower or two, it might do a good job; but let's be realistic here. I am a homeschooling mom of three littles. I am lucky to clean my shower every week.

After realizing that my shower was going to need something with more muscle, I bought this Lysol cleaner with bleach. It says it cuts shower mold and soap scum, but in real life? Not so much. I followed the directions and sure enough! Whamo, presto! My mold - er, hypothetically speaking... - was gone! But even with some scrubbing, the glass still has a nasty film of soap scum on it. And really, a cleaner with fumes that make all of my mucus membranes scream and run for the hills is just not for me.

What I need is the ultimate Soapscuminator. Does it exist? Is there actually a cleaner out there that does it all? I want a cleaner that is cheap, that kills any science projects threatening to take over, that cuts all the soap scum, and that isn't totally toxic. Is that really too much to ask? I mean, I spent the majority of my childhood in the 80's, so I learned that I can have it all! Right?

For example, I am a big fan of Comet cleaner. I get the store brand for $.50 a can and use it to scrub my kitchen sink, my counter tops, and clean the insides of my toilet. And it works great!

Hmmm...I wonder if it will cut soap scum? It says it will, so maybe I will try it. I also want to try making some cleaners that are more natural and economical. I found this page of cleaner recipes that looks interesting. Also, About.com has a page of cleaner recipes under their Frugal Living section. I also found these pages of recipes. What do you use? Have you had any better luck with shower cleaning than me?