Water is said to be hard when it contains magnesium ions and calcium and when the mineral content is higher than usual. Hard water stains take place as the mineral-rich water evaporates causing the appearance of grimy residue on different surfaces in the home. The common home surfaces you will see hard water stains include the toilet, bathroom, wood, and glass (cup, eyewear, window). Hard water stains also occur in the clothing.
Removing hard water stain from the aforementioned surfaces has been a major concern to house owners. You will learn the best 5 cost-effective and time-saving techniques to do this from this article.
Dealing with Hard Water Stain
Did you notice your once glittering bathtub stained? Have you tried removing the stain caused by hard water evaporation? If your answer to these questions is yes, you are reading the right article. Although hard water stains may not be harmful to health, it reduces the effectiveness of detergents and soap.
Some of the materials you need to effectively get rid of hard water stains from different surfaces in your home include white vinegar, baking soda, scrub sponge, hydrochloric acid, and paper towel. With these materials and following the ways of removing hard water stains to be discussed, hard water stains removal is made easy.
Ways of Removing Hard Water Stains
There are many ways you can remove hard water stains.
Some of them are:
- Use of dishwashing soap.
- Use of white vinegar
- Use of water and salt
- Use of baking soda
- Use of lemon juice
1. Use of dishwashing soap
You can make use of dishwashing cleaners in liquid form to remove hard water stains and keep home surfaces like glass sparkling bright. Do not forget to rinse before drying it with a paper towel.
2. Use of white vinegar
Hard water stains can be removed when you mix water with vinegar. You can put the mixture in a bottle from where you will be spraying it on the surface you want to remove the stain. Wipe clean after allowing it for few minutes. It is considered as the most popular hard water spots remover.
3. Use of water and salt
A combination of water and salt can remove stains found in-home surfaces. The salt which serves as a scouring powder passes through the hard water stain. The mixture of water and salt is not only effective in removing saltwater residue but also cheap.
4. Use of baking soda
Hard water stains from surfaces can easily be removed from a paste made from vinegar and baking soda. Just like the mixture of vinegar and water, this method is cost-effective and saves time.
5. Use of lemon juice
The use of lemon juice together with vinegar is another effective way to get rid of hard water stains from different surfaces in the home. The lemon juice should be rinsed and the water dried after 10 minutes. Both lemon juice and baking soda are generally known as vinegar mix. You can also mix vinegar with hot water if the stain is stubborn.
How you can Remove Hard Water Stains or Spots
For cleaning of light hard water stains
- How to remove hard water stains from glass starts from producing a vinegar solution. White vinegar is the natural, cheap and best material to fight hard water stains on glasses, toilets, and bathtubs. Combine white vinegar and water in the same amount and pour it into a spray bottle. Make sure you wash the spray bottle thoroughly if it was once used for chemicals before pouring in the water and vinegar mixture.
- Spray this mixture on your glass, floor tiles, shower door or bathroom wall. Using vinegar is safe to use on different surfaces apart from wood. Take your time and spray and make sure no spot is missed.
- You should now use your paper towel to wipe clean the surface. Hard water stains that are light will come right off. You can also pour the vinegar mixture into a bowl and soak your towel in it before using it to wipe clean our home surfaces.
- The next step after wiping the surface is to rinse it. Use a clean cloth to wipe it dry as failure to do so will leave additional spots.
How to Remove tougher Hard Water Stains
- Allow the vinegar solution to set on the surface stained from hard water for a few minutes. This will make the vinegar to cut through the stain than when you wipe it off immediately. You can leave the vinegar solution for 5-10 minutes. Instead of using a paper towel, the scrub brush should be used on the hard water stains to loses thicker spots.
- Another way on how to remove hard water stains from toilets that are tough is by soaking a paper towel into the vinegar. This should be followed by draping it on top of the stained surface. This method is mostly used on bathtubs and shower floors.
The mixture of hydrochloric acid and cleaner can remove hard water stains. Hydrochloric acid is a harsh and strong acid so it must be considered last. When you are making use of it, open your doors, window and have your fans turned on. This should be done before spraying it over the surface affected with hard water stains. Make use of a glove when handling this acid and then rinse and dry clean the surface.
Conclusion
Cleaning of hard water stains is challenging especially when you are using ordinary soap and detergents. How to remove hard water stains from glass (including cups, doors, windows, and eyewear) effectively is by using a vinegar solution. It is the common and most popular tool in hard water stains removal.
The simplest way to prevent hard water stains on your surfaces at home is to wipe dry any surface after use. Make use of your towel to wipe the water that splashed on the walls of your bathing after bathing. Use a clean cloth to wipe your glasses in your kitchen to prevent the appearance of spots. This is the best preventive measure that will make your surface to retain their gleaming appearance.
you can get more home and kitchen tips & gadgets review in this article.