It is no secret that tap water contains many mineral impurities, including lime. Therefore, calcareous deposits accumulate over time on all surfaces that are systematically in contact with water: heating elements of teapots and washing machines overgrow with crust, deposits form on taps and plumbing, and on tiles
How and with what to clean the limescale?
Home Limescale Remover
You can deal with limescale with the help of specialized household chemicals sold in stores. However, given that in most cases we are talking about surfaces in contact with the body or with food (for example, the surface of a bathroom or a kettle), many people try not to use powerful chemistry. In such cases, home remedies will come to the rescue.
Limescale is destroyed by any acid. Therefore, in the fight against it, the main role can be assigned to "food" acids, which can be found, probably, in any home. And in the first places in terms of effectiveness will be:
- oxalic acid,
- acetic acid,
- citric acid (can be replaced with lemon juice).
To clean surfaces from limescale, 5-9% acid solutions are used. In order to get a solution of this concentration, you need to dissolve a tablespoon (with a hill) of oxalic or citric acid in a glass of warm water. Table vinegar does not require dilution - it is sold just in those concentrations that are necessary for cleaning surfaces.
Soda and potato starch are also effective in controlling limescale - they are also one of the tried and tested home remedies for controlling gray peel.
How to clean kettles, coffee makers, pans and other utensils from plaque
In order to clean the kettle or coffee machine from limescale, pour a bag of citric acid into it, fill it with water and bring to a boil. Then let the water cool, remove the loose pieces of lime scab. If there is still a gray coating on the walls or the heating element, rub it with a sponge. The softened gray peel will move away without much difficulty. Repeat the procedure if necessary.
Instead of citric acid, you can use lemon, cut into several parts.
Metal dishes coated with a gray coating can be wiped with half a lemon, leave lemon juice to act for 5-7 minutes, after which it should be washed and rinsed in clean water.
How to wash limescale from faucets, plumbing, tile
It is better to use vinegar to clean metal surfaces - it effectively copes not only with limescale, but also with rust. Apply vinegar to the sponge and wipe the surface of the sink, pipes or faucets, then clean with a soft brush, rinse with water and wipe dry. For hard to reach places and joints, you can use a toothbrush.
If the layer of limescale is thick enough - you can add a little baking soda to the vinegar, this will make cleaning more effective. You can also use a “vinegar compress” instead of cleaning with a sponge - moisten the cloth in vinegar, put it in a place that needs cleaning and leave for an hour and a half.
Removable parts (for example, a shower head) can be placed for a couple of hours in a warm solution of acetic, citric or oxalic acid, then rinsed thoroughly with water.
To clean the limescale, wipe the tile with a sponge moistened with a solution of any of the mentioned acids. You can clean it with soda - it should be mixed with water and put the resulting slurry on the tile, then wipe it thoroughly and rinse with water.
