20 december 2021
- VVS
Have your faucets gone from a shiny metallic look to a cloudy look? If so, you'll probably want to return them to the way they looked when they were first installed.
The dirty appearance is likely the result of limescale buildup in your tap water. Calcium buildup occurs in areas with hard water. Over time, minerals build up in your appliances. Here is a brief explanation of why limescale forms and some suggestions for cleaning it.
What is limescale on your taps?
Limescale is also called limescale. This happens because water containing dissolved calcium salt flows through your shower heads and faucets. This is why you have the white, crusty buildup that is almost impossible to clear away.
If your water supply contains a lot of calcium, minerals and salt, you have hard water. In some areas, hard water also contains high iron levels. This gives the construction a rusty or yellow appearance. You may even notice stains in your sink or bathtub.
Hard water is not only unsightly, but it can also cost you thousands of dollars in repairs and replacements every year. Calcium sticks to your home's plumbing system. Clogs form and damage your appliances.
One of the main appliances that can be damaged by limescale is your boiler. If there is significant limescale build-up, instead of lasting twelve years, your boiler may only last six to seven years. Calcium buildup is a problem. Below are some simple solutions you can use today to remove calcium buildup.
Use vinegar to remove limescale from taps
Your faucet or shower head has turned from a geyser into a trickle. You don't want to remove your shower head or find a way to disassemble your faucet. Fortunately, there's an easy way to remove surface minerals that requires nothing more than some vinegar, a plastic bag, and a rubber band.
Step 1: Pour white distilled vinegar into a plastic bag. Take a rubber band and place the rubber band around your shower head or around your faucet. You can wrap it twice so that it fits tightly against the water pipe or tap. Attach the bag to the shower head by carefully sliding the edge of the bag under the elastic band.
Step 2: Leave the bag overnight. Remove the bag in the morning. Turn on the water to rinse away any residue. Use a soft cloth to polish your faucet or shower head.
You may wonder why vinegar works so well against limescale. This is because limescale, like lime, consists of calcium carbonate. The acid in the vinegar attacks and breaks down the calcium carbonate.
If you don't want to make a mess with a bag of vinegar, you can also take a towel and soak it in a vinegar solution. Wrap the towel around your faucet or shower head. Leave it overnight. Remove it in the morning and rinse your faucet or shower head with plain water.
Use muriatic acid to remove calcium from taps
Few detergents work as well as muriatic acid to treat calcium buildup. That being said, it is not a product that should be taken lightly.
Muriatic acid is a diluted form of hydrochloric acid, making it one of the most caustic cleaners on the market. If you're not careful, you can quickly damage your eyes, skin, and any unprotected painted surfaces.
However, if you follow the precautions, you will find that muriatic acid is a powerful cleaning agent for removing limescale. Make sure you wear protective gloves and goggles. You want to work in a ventilated area. If this is not possible, use respiratory protection.
When mixing muriatic acid with water, make sure you always pour the acid into the water. If you pour water into the acid, a reaction occurs that can cause the acid to spray over you. Also, never pour acid into an empty container.
When you have finished removing the limescale, discard the cleaning solution by pouring it into a large container of clean water. The goal is to dilute it to a 50:1 ratio. You can safely pour the diluted acid down the drain.
Remove calcium with lemon juice
In the same way that the acids in vinegar attack the calcium carbonate in the calcium deposit, so do the acids in lemon. This is another natural but effective solution.
To start, cut a fresh lemon in half. Use your thumbs or other device to open the center of the lemon. Push the lemon onto the edge of the tap. Wrap a small plastic bag around the lemon and use a rubber band to secure the tap. Leave the lemon overnight and let the citric acid do the heavy lifting.
After removing the lemon in the morning, use a soft scouring pad to remove any hard water build-up. Use a damp cloth to remove any remaining lemon juice. Your faucet should be sparkling clean. The best part so far was not having to rely on harsh chemicals.
Remove calcium with CLR
CLR is an extremely popular lime and limescale remover. CLR is an abbreviation for calcium, lime and rust. The product's slogan proudly announces that it dissolves limescale, flushes calcium and removes rust stains.
CLR can quickly remove limescale from your shower heads, faucets and other appliances. It is a safe alternative to other traditional descaling chemicals. CLR is phosphate-free and septic safe. Although it is a chemical, it is also part of the EPA's Safer Choice Program.
To use a CLR in a well-ventilated area, combine equal parts warm water and CLR. You can apply CLR directly to your faucet or shower head. Find an area where you can test the CLR before applying it to an entire surface.
Never leave the CLR in a room for more than two minutes. The product should never be mixed with bleach or household cleaners. Avoid contact with carpet, natural stone, galvanized metals or painted surfaces. Spilled material must also be cleaned up immediately.
An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure
If you are in an area with hard water, limescale will form. By installing a water softener, the water coming out of your taps will be soft. This means that magnesium and calcium are removed from the water before it enters your sewer network.
Dealing with hard water and frustrating limescale? Our technicians from Crystal Blue VVS Varme og Luft are happy to offer you our assistance. We are a certified HVAC and plumbing company serving the Sacramento, CA area. Since 1981, our team has been helping homeowners and business owners improve their plumbing and heating systems.
Some of the services we offer include indoor air quality, humidification,VVS, Inheat upServices. We invite you to see for yourself why we are the best at what we do. Contact us today. Our technicians look forward to working with you.
