In the 90’s, BEMA sponsored a series of tests by an independent testing firm to determine which bathroom cleaners were both effective at removing soap scum and gentle on the finish of the metal hardware that frames the bath enclosure. The latest study was completed in May 1997. The following is a description of how the study was conducted along with the results of the tests.
TEST PROCEDURES, effective cleaning
Bathroom cleaners were tested on dirty bath enclosures. To test cleaning effectiveness, 100% cotton cloths soaked in each cleaner were placed on the glass and anodized aluminum in multiple spots for two-minute and thirty-minute exposures. At the end of each exposure, the surface was washed for 15 seconds with a slow back-and-forth motion using 1 KG of force. It was then rinsed with water and dried with paper towels.
A rating scale was established ranging from zero to two. If the cleaner failed to remove the applied buildup, it received a rating of zero. If it removed up to 50% of the applied buildup, it received a one. If the cleaner removed over 50% of the buildup, it received a two. Each cleaner received a score for the two-minute exposure to glass, the 30-minute exposure to glass, the two-minute exposure to aluminum and the 30-minute exposure to aluminum. These four scores were then added together for a total between zero and eight, with zero having no effect on soap scum and eight being the most effective.