It is doubly pleasant to be in a clean and well-groomed bathroom. Of course, the modern pace of life and constant employment do not leave much time for cleaning, and this leads to the appearance of lime compounds on the surfaces. Such a plaque often appears on faucets, faucets, sinks and even in a washing machine. In such cases, it is necessary to pay attention to cleaning plumbing and furniture. And every housewife should know how to remove limescale quickly and efficiently.
What is limescale
The mentioned deposits appear on heating and plumbing fixtures, in pipes, but not only plumbing and furniture suffer from them, but also the human body. Their occurrence is provoked by the presence of a large amount of magnesium and potassium in tap water. Such plaque is difficult to clean, so it will take maximum effort to get rid of it. Distinguishing limescale from other deposits is quite simple: it is graywhite in color, has a solid structure and does not conduct heat well. These features must be considered before removing limescale in the bathroom.
Surfaces must be cleaned with the utmost care so as not to damage them and to maintain the smoothness and uniformity of chrome, acrylic, tile or other coatings.
How to quickly clean a faucet
A buildup of scale on a faucet is a sign that it's time to clean up. You need to handle it carefully, using gentle detergents or cleaning the faucet with boiling water. In the latter case, the element to be processed must simply be poured with very hot water. Best of all, before removing limescale from the tap, first unscrew it by placing it in a basin of hot water. Under the influence of high temperature, the plaque will begin to soften, and this will greatly facilitate the task.
If it was not possible to clean the surface of a chrome-plated product with hot water, you should try acetic acid for cleaning. First, prepare a weak solution, and if it does not help, then it is better to increase the concentration of the composition. Acetic acid is applied to the faucet several times with a thirty-minute break, paying special attention to areas with a dense layer of deposits, and then rubbing with a soft sponge until the plaque disappears completely.
Even in advanced cases, it is better to refuse strong mechanical influences, since during cleaning you can damage the thread or spoil the appearance of the tap.
Rules for cleaning the sink from limescale
When you start cleaning your bathroom, you have to put in a lot of effort to clean the faucet and sink. There are several effective ways to remove limescale on the sink:
- The easiest is to buy a store-bought cleaning product. A wide range of various compositions makes it possible for the buyer to choose the option he likes. However, when using chemical cleaners, be extremely careful, as frequent use will soon damage the enamel coating.
- Unpleasant limescale from the sink will help remove the bleach. You just need to dilute it with water and pour the resulting solution into the sink.
- For many years, mustard powder has been used to clean the washstand from plaque. This is a harmless and natural product that can be used not only for washing the toilet, but also for disinfecting dishes.
To prevent limescale from settling in the sink, it is necessary to wipe the surface with a dry cloth every time after water procedures. It is also worth considering purchasing a special water filter, which will significantly soften it and get rid of s alts.
How can I remove limescale from plastic surfaces?
Decor elements in the bathroom also suffer from limescale, so they need to be constantly looked after, wiping each time with a damp towel. If this is not done, to clean plastic surfaces, you will have touse special gentle products.
How to remove limescale from plastic quickly and efficiently, consider further:
- A popular and frequently used remedy is a soapy solution. You just need to apply it to the plastic surface and wait fifteen minutes, then wipe it with a sponge.
- For more stubborn stains, a mild acid solution will do. To do this, add a little vinegar to the composition described in the first paragraph.
- Medical preparations such as ammonia are also used for cleaning. The drug is added to water and then sprayed onto the surface.
Having learned how to remove limescale in the bathroom when cleaning plastic elements, remember that you cannot use abrasive substances on them, as they destroy the structure of the material, which causes cracks to appear on the surface that do not look very attractive and spoil the look.
How to deal with plaque in the washing machine
People who have a washing machine have already faced such a problem as limescale more than once. It not only worsens the quality of washing, but also contributes to the failure of equipment. Unfortunately, you will not be able to completely get rid of this scourge, however, you can prevent and significantly reduce the accumulation of plaque.
The washing machine, like other household appliances, needs regular maintenance, because plaque settles and accumulates not only in the drum, but also on the exhaust filter, rubber band and powder reservoir. Put awaylimescale in the washing machine can be folk and chemical specialized means.
So, for example, it is enough to pour citric acid (3-4 bags) into the drum or into the powder compartment and set the longest washing cycle at the highest temperature. After that, check the rubber elements, drain and drum and, if there are pieces of plaque on them, get rid of it.
Tiles and ceramics
In order not to scratch the tiles, you need to know how to remove limescale. It is better to use products that resemble cream in consistency, unlike the rest, they will not damage the surface. For example, mix baking soda with water until it forms a slurry and apply it on the tile, then rub it well and rinse.
For those who do not know how to remove limescale in the toilet, ordinary or apple cider vinegar is suitable, which is heated and poured into the toilet, and then flushed.
Acrylic surfaces
Acrylic plumbing is the most finicky, because it cannot be cleaned with powdered and abrasive products. That is why you need to figure out how to remove limescale from acrylic surfaces correctly without damaging them.
Citric acid will cope with these deposits, with the following sequence of work:
- Take two packets of acid and a soft sponge.
- Pour the powder into a container and add water there, stirring until the crystals are completely dissolved.
- Dip a sponge into the solution and clean the acrylic surface from plaque.
- Leave for twenty minutes and thenrepeat everything one more time.
- Rinse the surface with clean water.
Household chemicals to combat plaque
Shops sell a lot of household chemicals that cope with the described deposits. In addition, each package contains instructions for use, which indicate how to remove limescale correctly and easily.
But you should not buy products that have aggressive components in their composition, as they can spoil the appearance and structure of the element being processed. And after using household chemicals, all surfaces must be thoroughly washed with clean water several times before proceeding with water procedures.
Folk methods of dealing with plaque
In order not to contact chemical agents once again, many housewives give their preference to folk methods of dealing with plaque. It could be:
- ammonia;
- s alt;
- peroxide;
- soda;
- vinegar;
- citric acid.
Before you remove the limescale, it is important to remember that the products can be used separately or make special solutions.
To achieve maximum effect, you must first clean all surfaces from dirt. Also, during processing, you need to open all windows and doors so as not to damage the respiratory tract and mucous membranes with harmful fumes.
Timely and thorough cleaning will preventlimescale buildup in the bathroom. After reviewing the methods and options for how to remove limescale from a faucet, sink, toilet, tile presented in this article, you can use proven folk remedies and note their effectiveness. The main thing at the same time is not to damage the surface and clean it as much as possible from pollution, and in what way you do this, it's up to you.