How to get rid of lime stains

Hard water increases films and stains from soaps, minerals, and other substances. Bathroom fixtures, sinks, dishes, and other surfaces need more frequent cleaning. Calcium and magnesium in water leave hard deposits called limescale on fixtures and equipment.

These minerals make cleaning products less effective. To clean the scale, you need a cleaning product with “sequestrants”. Sequestrants capture and deactivate minerals in water (Calgon is an example of a product with sequestrants). Deactivated minerals cannot react with other materials to form slag, film, or lime scale.

Also, think acid. Anything with acidity can help remove hard water stains on any surface. The general types of cleaners discussed below will help you remove stains on household surfaces. It is best to spot clean regularly. If they are allowed to soak into the surface, they become more difficult to remove.

Be sure to follow label directions for safe use of cleaners. You may need to open a window or use a fan to get adequate ventilation. Store cleaners in a safe place and properly dispose of empty containers.

Basic lime stain removal

* Scrub area with warm tap water to first remove dirt and soap scum. Dry with a towel or cloth afterwards. It is much more difficult to remove the lime stain with the dirt and soap scum intact, so you must treat the problem layer by layer first, or else you risk making the stain worse and more difficult to remove. .

* Vinegar or lemon juice can be rubbed on the stain to dissolve it. Many people use vinegar to clean coffee pots, dishwashers, and garbage disposals. Go get some Heinz white vinegar or even the generic stuff; It does not matter which one. Soak a brush in the vinegar and begin to scratch the stain.

Lemon juice is also suggested because it works on the same principle as the white vinegar solution. You can simply use the juice or exfoliate with the lemon itself; that is, cut a lemon in half and rub it directly on the stain.

The acetic acid from either method should work its way through the soap scum and help dissolve any organic compounds left behind in your bathroom grime. Rinse well. After stains fade, follow up frequently with white/lemon vinegar to prevent stains from reappearing.

* Use a brass brush and some bleach. Bleach is a chemical that removes color or whitens, often by oxidation. Common chemical bleaches include household “chlorine bleach,” a solution of approximately 3-6% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), and “oxygen bleach,” which contains hydrogen peroxide or a peroxide-releasing compound such as perborate. sodium or sodium percarbonate.

Sodium hypochlorite is used in endodontics during root canal treatments, disinfecting the canal and dissolving any remaining pulp tissue; The same process is used to dissolve hard water buildup in baths, sinks, and pots and pans.

* Boil some rhubarb in an affected, lime-stained pot. Rubarb is a genus of perennial plants that grow from short, stout rhizomes. The plants have large leaves that are somewhat triangular in shape with long, fleshy petioles, and the latter are readily available in most grocery stores.

Rhubarb is particularly effective at removing limescale stains because it absorbs most marks through the copious amounts of absorbent acid it contains. When you’re done, dispose of the plant debris, then clean up as usual.

* Ammonia can also work, but should never be mixed or used in conjunction with bleach because they can form toxic fumes.

* If all else fails, consider using stronger acids to finish the job. For example, oxalic acid is effective as a rust remover; phosphoric acid is often found in cleaning products that remove hard water deposits; and hydrochloric and sulfuric acids are sometimes used in dilute concentrations in toilet bowl cleaners.

commercial lime stain removers

Shop around if vinegars and lemons just don’t cut it; you may need a more powerful approach. Visit hardware and grocery stores for more stringent chemical cleaners. Commercial products designed to remove hard, white limescale can be used if the label says they are safe for the surface.

* Lime-A-Way is a product found in most stores; if you have hard water, it’s a must. You can use it for many applications. To clean your sink and tub, spray it on the stained spots, leaving it there for up to 15 minutes, depending on how dirty they are, then wipe and rinse.

Once you clean the sink or tub, use the same sponge to swipe your faucets – it leaves them so shiny and clean you’ll think they’re new.

* Bar Keepers Friend is a powdered cleaner that works wonders on pots and pans. However, do not use on non-stick surfaces. Wet the surface of the pot and sprinkle a generous amount of BKF over the pot. Use a sponge to scrub in a circular pattern. Rub and rinse. Your pots will shine.

* Calgon is a product consisting of powdered sodium hexametaphosphate (amorphous sodium polyphosphate), which in water would complex with the ambient calcium ion and other cations, avoiding the formation of unwanted salts and the interference of those cations with the actions of soap or other detergents.