The clean and tidy bathroom is doubly nice to be. Of course, the modern pace of life and constant employment do not leave much time for cleaning, and this leads to the appearance of calcareous compounds on the surfaces. Such plaque often appears on faucets, taps, sinks, and even in the washing machine. In such cases, attention should be paid to cleaning plumbing and furniture. And every housewife should know how to remove limescale quickly and efficiently.
What is limescale
These 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 a plaque is difficult to clean, so you will need to make every effort to get rid of it. It is quite simple to distinguish limescale from other deposits: it is gray-white 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 extreme care so as not to damage them and maintain smoothness and uniformity of chrome, acrylic, tiled or other coatings.
How to quickly clean the tap
The accumulation of plaque on the tap indicates that it is time to do the cleaning. It is necessary to deal with its processing carefully, using gentle detergents or cleaning the tap with boiling water. In the latter case, the workpiece must simply be doused with very hot water. Best of all, before removing limescale from the tap, first unscrew it by placing it in a basin with hot water. Under the influence of high temperature, the coating will begin to soften, and this will greatly facilitate the task.
If it was not possible to clean the surface of the chrome-plated product with hot water, it is worth trying acetic acid for cleaning. First, prepare a weak solution, and if it does not help, then the concentration of the composition is better to increase. Acetic acid is applied to the tap several times with a thirty-minute break, special attention is paid to areas with a dense layer of deposits, and then rubbed with a soft sponge until the plaque disappears completely.
Even in advanced cases, it is better to refuse strong mechanical stresses, since during cleaning you can damage the threads or ruin the appearance of the valve.
Rules for cleaning a sink from limescale
Starting cleaning in the bathroom, you have to make great efforts to clean the tap and wash. There are several effective ways to remove limescale on the sink:
- The easiest is to purchase store-based cleaning products. A large assortment of diverse compositions makes it possible to choose the option you like. However, when using chemical cleaning products, be extremely careful, as frequent use will soon lead to damage to the enamel coating.
- Unpleasant limescale from the sink will help remove 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 to wash the toilet, but also to disinfect 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 the purchase of a special filter for water, which will significantly soften it and relieve salts.
How can I remove limescale from plastic surfaces?
Decor elements in the bathroom also suffer from limescale, so you need to constantly look after them, wiping each time with a damp towel. If this is not done, for cleaning plastic surfaces, you will have to use special gentle means.
How to remove limescale from plastic quickly and efficiently, we will consider further:
- A popular and often used remedy is a soap solution. You just need to apply it on a plastic surface and wait fifteen minutes, then wipe it with a sponge.
- For stubborn stains, a weak acid solution is suitable. To do this, in the composition described in the first paragraph, you need to add a little vinegar.
- For cleaning, they also use medicines such as ammonia. The drug is added to water, and then sprayed on the surface.
After learning how to remove limescale in the bathroom, cleaning plastic elements, remember that you can not use abrasive substances for them, since they destroy the structure of the material, because of which cracks appear on the surface that do not look very attractive and spoil the appearance.
How to cope with a plaque in a washing machine
People who have a washing machine have repeatedly encountered such a problem as limescale. It not only affects the quality of the wash, but also contributes to the failure of the 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.
A washing machine, as well as other household appliances, needs regular maintenance, since plaque settles and accumulates not only in the drum, but also on the exhaust filter, rubber band and powder tank. You can remove limescale deposits in the washing machine with folk and chemical specialized means.
So, for example, it is enough to pour citric acid (3-4 sachets) 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 left on them, dispose 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 are reminiscent of a cream in consistency, unlike the others, they will not damage the surface. For example, mix soda with water until gruel forms and apply it on the tile, then rub it thoroughly 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 washed off.
Acrylic surfaces
Acrylic plumbing is the most finicky, because it can not be cleaned with powdery 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:
- We take two bags of acid and a soft sponge.
- Pour the powder into the container and add water there, stirring until the crystals are completely dissolved.
- Dip the sponge into the solution and clean the acrylic surface from plaque.
- Leave for twenty minutes, and then repeat one more time.
- Rinse the surface with clean water.
Household chemicals for plaque control
A lot of household chemicals are sold in stores that handle the deposits described. In addition, each package has instructions for use, which indicate how to remove limescale correctly and easily.
But you should not buy funds that have aggressive components in their composition, since they can spoil the appearance and structure of the processed element. And after using household chemicals, all surfaces must be thoroughly washed with clean water several times before embarking on water procedures.
Popular methods of dealing with plaque
In order not to once again come into contact with chemicals, many housewives give their preference to folk methods of dealing with plaque. It could be:
- ammonia;
- salt;
- peroxide;
- soda;
- vinegar;
- lemon acid.
Before you remove limescale, it is important to remember that the funds can be used individually or to 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 prevent the accumulation of limescale in the bathroom. Having familiarized yourself with the methods and options for how to remove limescale from the tap, sink, toilet bowl, 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 to clean it from pollution as much as possible, and it is up to you to decide how you do it.