Did you ever wonder how your showerheads or bathroom faucets became so dingy and crusty looking? You may have also noticed your traditional bathroom cleaning products are not doing the job. This may be the cause of hard water.
Hard water is when your water has a high mineral content. They are formed when water absorbs these minerals through rocks or soil prior to making there way through your plumbing system. However, it is not harmful to one’s self, but can cause some serious damage to your fixtures. When your toilet or sink basin has rust, it is when iron particles are exposed to the air. You’ll see this occur in leaky faucets. As for the crusty, soap scum, buildup it is commonly the cause of magnesium and calcium in your water supply.
Not only can hard water stains leave your fixtures looking dirty and old but it can also make detergents less effective. After running the dishwasher you’ll see your dishes have unwanted spots still lingering on them even after the wash. These hard water stains, can also build up in your pipes staining everything where water comes out of such as your shower, sink and toilet.
How can you tell if you have hard water? If it lathers quickly and easily when washing your hands with soap you don’t have hard water. If you there are no suds or lathering under water than there is probably extra minerals in your water system. A very visible sign to tell whether you do or not is check all your fixtures where water comes out of.
Here are a few tips on how to get rid of hard water stains that leave your dishes stained and your faucets looking grungy:
1. Fill an empty spray bottle with half water and half vinegar
2. Spray your concoction wherever the water stains are. For example, bathroom/kitchen sinks, toilets, showerheads and fixtures.
3. After spraying your surfaces, scrub the objects with a towel to get any excess scum off.
4. If this doesn’t work, cut up some lemons and put then in the spray bottle. The natural acid from the lemon will help break apart any hard water buildup.
For those trying to rid of the hard water stains from spotting your dishes try adding vinegar in your dishwasher while the water is beginning to fill. This will help reduce any hard water stains that were left behind on your dishes and glassware.
Cleaning your household appliances can be cheap and easy. Especially with the use of pure vinegar, those hard water stains and soap scum walls don’t stand a chance. So grab your spray bottle, vinegar and water and starting getting rid of those embarrassing hard water stains.
