How to Get Soap Scum Residue Off Your Sink

Washing your hands with bar soap makes sinks susceptible to soap scum, which forms when waterborne minerals react with the fats in soap. Mildew and skin oils also contribute to soap scum's cloudy residue on sinks. Although regular cleaning often prevents soap scum on sinks, the cloudy residue is inevitable as long as homeowners continue using bar soaps. While you can completely remove soap scum from sinks, the longer soap scum residue stays on sinks, the more stubborn it becomes.

Soap scum on sinks encourages mold growth.

Step 1

Fill a spray bottle with full-strength distilled vinegar. Spray the sink generously with the vinegar, thoroughly saturating the soap scum residue.

Step 2

Let the full-strength vinegar permeate the soap scum residue for 10 minutes.

Step 3

Wipe the vinegar and loosened soap scum residue off the sink using paper towels. Clean off as much soap scum residue as possible.

Step 4

Inspect the sink for remaining soap scum residue too stubborn for vinegar to soften. If stubborn soap scum residue lingers, make a paste with 1 oz. of water and 2 oz. of baking soda. Mix the ingredients to smooth the paste.

Step 5

Smear the paste over the soap scum residue using a spatula. Keep the paste on the sink for 10 minutes.

Step 6

Wet a nylon sponge with water. Scrub the paste completely off the sink using the sponge.

Step 7

Dry the sink's surfaces thoroughly with a towel.