How To Keep Soap Scum Out Of The Drain

We are all familiar with soap scum, that unpleasant white residue that clings to our shower stalls and bathtubs. What you may not realize and what you cannot see is the soap scum that clings to the inside of your drains and pipes. Soap scum is one of the largest reasons for clogged drains.

How Does Soap Scum Form?

Soap scum forms when soap comes in contact with water, particularly hard water with a high mineral content. The fatty acids found in soap react with the minerals in hard water to create what is called lime soap, also known as soap scum. Soap scum can still occur in households with soft water, although soft water does help to cut down on the amount of soap scum. 

Problems from Soap Scum Build up

As soap scum builds up over time, it attracts mold and mildew and can clog your drain. This buildup reduces the space that your water has to exit your tub drain causing your drain to get blocked up or drain very slowly. Soap scum will accumulate additional contaminants like hair which turns into an even bigger clog.

Not only is soap scum bad for drains, but it can also contain a host of bacteria. In this case, soap scum is not only a nuisance but is also unhealthy.

How to Treat Soap Scum

The most important thing you can do to keep soap scum out of your tub drain is to use a simple mesh grid drain cover over your bathtub drain. This helps to prevent soap scum, hair and foreign objects from entering your drain, clinging to your pipes and causing a clog. You also want to flush your drain with hot water regularly as that will also help to loosen soap scum to exit through your drain.

Installing a new bathtub stopper with a drain cover is a good way to help prevent clogged drains from soap scum or any other contaminant. Watco offers easy to install replacement tub stoppers that come with a mesh grid drain cover to protect your bathtub drain.  FixMyDrain.com offers the SimpliQuick® Tub Fix solution, which is an easy to install push pull stopper with a universal fit and a five-year warranty.

FixMyDrain.com is your one stop for the Watco tub fix solution, a simple tub stopper replacement with a mesh grid drain cover. Choose a matching overflow plate to upgrade the look and function of your bathtub with beautiful, matching new fixtures. Get your SimpliQuick® Tub Fix solution today and help protect your drain against excessive soap scum and hair entering your drain.