soap scum

noun

The buildup of insoluble calcium or magnesium fatty acids from the use of soap with hard water, which leads to a dulling of surfaces and acts as a matrix for trapping soils.

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Meanings

nounsoap scum (uncountable)
  1. uncountableThe buildup of insoluble calcium or magnesium fatty acids from the use of soap with hard water, which leads to a dulling of surfaces and acts as a matrix for trapping soils.

    Clean soap scum off a tub or shower stall by applying hot vinegar with a sponge or rag, then scrubbing hard with a stiff-bristled scrub brush.

    2007, Ellen Sandbeck, Organic Housekeeping, →ISBN
    2 more examples

    You can purchase one of the numerous cleaners on the market specifically formulated to dissolve soap scum or use a variety of home remedies for ridding tile, showers and bathtubs from the dull gray film.

    1999, Jeff Bredenberg, Clean It Fast, Clean It Right, →ISBN, page 349

    Bars made of real soap (sodium salts of fatty acids) are still very popular products for showering and whole body bathing, however, and using these products will produce soap scum. It is interesting to speculate on whether soap scum becomes less of a problem as use of shower gels continues to increase.

    2008, Uri Zoller, Handbook of Detergents, Part E: Applications, →ISBN, page 96

Translations

German Kalkseife
  • KalkseifeTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

soap scum. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/soap%20scum

MLA

“soap scum.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/soap%20scum. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “soap scum,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/soap%20scum.

Source: soap scum on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.