# Fungus in my tub - what to do?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fungus-in-my-tub-what-to-do/195637>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 16, 2003, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fungus-in-my-tub-what-to-do/195637 "2003-08-16T20:25:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![swannguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@swannguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swannguy)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fungus-in-my-tub-what-to-do/195637/1 "2003-08-16T20:25:39Z")

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Well it’s not quite fungus, but a rather heavy case of soapscum…I’ve tried Kaboom but it cleans in streaks. So now my tub has clean streaks and grey scum.

Are there any household products (ala Heloise) that work better? Any store-bought products?

Please advise…

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**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fungus-in-my-tub-what-to-do/195637/2 "2003-08-16T20:36:22Z")

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Bleach. Kills everything, cleans everything.

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**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fungus-in-my-tub-what-to-do/195637/3 "2003-08-16T21:02:44Z")

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Ajax. It’s stronger than dirt!

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**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fungus-in-my-tub-what-to-do/195637/4 "2003-08-16T21:03:41Z")

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Kaboom [is advertised as](http://www.greatcleaners.com/ogi_retail/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=ogi&category%5Fname=KitchenBathroomMultiPurpose&product%5Fid=17511) “a healthier alternative to ammonia-based or acidic solutions.” In my experience, that’s often linguistically equivalent to saying “it doesn’t work well.” The [MSDS](http://www.greatcleaners.com/ogi_retail/images/products/M17511.pdf) (pdf) for the product lists 5-7% Urea-HCl as the main ingredient. Urea is a fairly good solubilizer, and denaturant, but it’s not known for its ability to dissolve calcium (etc) salts of detergents, i.e. soap scum. Get yourself an acidic cleaner, something with acetic acid, citric acid, or sulfamic acid listed as an ingredient. These acids are weak enough that they’ll dissolve the scum, without harming your tub.  
I just use a ~2% solution of citric acid to break up scum. Vinegar, straight from the bottle, will also work, but not as well as citrate.

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fungus-in-my-tub-what-to-do/195637/5 "2003-08-16T21:21:51Z")

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I understand tubgirl has, um, “solutions” that will kill just about anything.

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**Author:** ![peri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/67e7ee/32.png) [@peri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peri)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fungus-in-my-tub-what-to-do/195637/6 "2003-08-17T00:52:00Z")

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Dishwashing liquid if it is just heavy soapscum.