Table of Contents
Faucets accumulate hard water and calcium deposits over a while, especially if you do not follow a regular cleaning. The leakage of your faucet can be the primary reason behind excessive hard water deposits around your sink.
However, water remains on the faucet while brushing or washing the mouth that leads to hard water buildups in the long run. Calcium from water builds around the edges of your faucets. If you are worried about the nasty outlook of your faucet, do not worry at all. You can fix the issue without replacing your faucet. Are you looking for answers to the questions such as how to remove hard water buildup from faucets? You will get answers to all your queries in this complete guide.
Fortunately, here is a list of methods you should try to remove hard water stains from the faucets.
Cleaning tips: How to remove hard water buildup from faucets?
Faucets often get cloudy due to hard water or calcium deposits from water. They look untidy and can also block the water flow if you neglect cleaning over time. Follow these cleaning tips to get rid of these hard water deposits. Before using any of these methods, thoroughly dry the area you want to clean.
1.1. Distilled vinegar
Vinegar is a lifesaver in home hacks. It is natural, safe, and cheap. Many people use it as a cleaning agent over some time. However, its smell is very sharp. Make sure you can bear it. You can clean faucet buildup with vinegar.
The thing you will need
- Distilled Vinegar
- Rag/Microfibre cloth
- Toothbrush
Steps
- Dry your faucet completely. Make sure no water is around your faucet.
- Take a rag or microfibre cloth.
- Now pour distilled vinegar on the rag, until it is wet complete.
- Once your rag is wet, place it around the faucet where you see hard water buildup or calcium stains.
- Make sure that you wrap the piece of cloth so that the vinegar reaches out in the required area.
- You can also drizzle some vinegar over the rag again. This step will ensure that vinegar has reached all pointed areas.
- Now leave the faucet like this for one hour or more.
- After one hour, take out the cloth and scrub the buildup with a toothbrush.
- Vinegar will soften the build-up, the deposit will come off easily.
Read more about Outdoor Faucet Leaks When Turned On: Quickly Fix
1.2. Lime/citric acid
Lime is very acidic. It is not only used for cleaning stains but also contains anti-bacterial capacity. You can get rid of the smell by using lime, and it will also take of bacterias and germs along with the deposits and stains.
The things you will need
- Lime wedge/citric acid
- Soft-bristled brush/sponge
- Cloth
Steps
- Dry the faucet surface.
- Now take a lime wedge and rub it on the hard water buildup.
- You can also dip a cloth in lemon juice and spray it.
- Now after around an hour, scrub it with a brush, wash with water, and dry.
- You may also use citric acid in place of the lime wedge. Pour citric acid on a piece of cloth. Place it on the required area, scrub it with a brush or sponge after an hour.
- Wash with water and dry it.
1.3. Commercial cleaners (muriatic acid, sulphuric acid)
In the market, you will find a variety of hard water buildup cleaners. However, these products are on an expensive edge. Moreover, these acids are strong. Muriatic acid, for example, is highly acidic. It can burn your skin. Make sure to wear gloves and still do not directly use your hands in the acid. They work magically, but a small spill can also be damaging to your skin, tile, or sink tub. You can use one part of acidic cleaners and mix it with three-part of water. This step will lower the highly acidic pH of the chemical cleaner.
Things you will need:
- Any acidic cleaner of your choice
- Water
- Glass bowl (good quality)
- Piece of soft/microfibre cloth.
Steps;
- Take out the aerator, showerhead, or any part of your faucet that needs cleaning.
- Take a glass bowl, add the acidic cleaner to it. One-quarter of the cleaning would be sufficient.
- Now soak the faucets part in it and you will notice an instant cleaning.
- Keep your skin away from the acid.
- Now run the part under tap water and dry.
- Make sure you do not drain the cleaner directly in the drainage. It can damage your pipeline.
- Open the tap, water the acidic cleaner slowly under running water. Otherwise, it can also damage your sink tub.
Install water filtration/softener to avoid water deposits
Hard water buildup not only needs extra cleaning of your faucets but also clogs the drainage and slows down the water pressure. In extreme cases, you may also need to change your factors all over again. To avoid such issues, you should consider softening your hard water.
You can install water filtration with your main supplier (water tank). Filtration will not only soften the water but secures you from water deposits in all areas of your house. Hard water does not only cause you extra charges for faucets but is highly damaging to skin and hair. A water filtration plant will also increase the life of your faucet and drain pipeline tremendously. It is always a good idea to invest on a better side, rather than going for maintenance again and again.