What is limescale and its causes?
Whenever you see a white hard chalky or reddish-brown appearance inside kettles, pipework, toilet or bathroom (hot water boiler, taps, shower head and plugs), no doubt, it is a limescale which is natural after the effects of hard water. In hard water, you can find dense clusters of minerals such as magnesium and calcium. When the water vaporizes, it usually leaves these mineral deposits behind which is the main cause of limescale. As a result, (depending on its mineral properties) these brown, white or gray crust layers come to our mind whenever we think about limescale.
How Limescale builds up
If you spare some time from your work and consider watching some places around your home, you will see limescale invisible or visible build-up.
Visible limescale
- Toilet and bathroom
- Kettles
- Shower heads and screens
- Taps
Invisible lime scale
- Water pipes
- Heating system machine or pipe
- Radiators
- Dishwasher
How to remove limescale from your toilet?
Lime scale has now become common problem of everyone as it leaves horrible stains in your toilet which looks untidy and unhygienic. Most of the people don’t like to clean their toilet bowl. It becomes a messier task by the existence of limescale and hard water stains. Using harsh chemical toilet cleaner over and over again to rid yourself of limescale can damage your toilet and scrubbing can lower its brightness.
So, remove limescale from your toilet by following these steps;
Step 1: Pour Vinegar in Your Toilet
As you know, vinegar is cheaper than other chemical products and easily accessible from any shop. According to your needs, pour vinegar into your toilet bowl. Make sure the vinegar reaches all the area of the bowl but pay more attention to covering the limescale affected area.
Step 2: let the vinegar sit for 3 to 4 hours
After you pour it, leave the vinegar for 3 to 4 hours. If your limescale is stubborn, you should leave it overnight for the best result.
Step 3: Scrub toilet bowl
Now, use the toilet brush and scrub the limescale areas. If the stains appear again, add some vinegar.
And still if the stains seem to be more stubborn, scrub the area forcefully by wearing a pair of gloves with a kitchen scouring pad.
Step 4: Flush the toilet
Once you are done with the scrubbing, flush the toilet a few more times to eliminate remaining vinegar, limescale or mineral deposits.
Step 5: Repeat the process
After following all these steps, it had really eliminated limescale from my toilet bowl. I hope it worked for you too, if not you should repeat the process.
Preventive measures from limescale in your toilet
As we talked above about the cause of limescale. It is caused by the high concentration of minerals in the water supply in your home. It is less connected with cleaning toilets.
However, using this method helps to prevent limescale before it becomes a serious issue.
- Use lemon or vinegar
Once a month, pour lemon or vinegar into your toilet because it helps to prevent the expansion of limescale deposits. The acidity contained in lemon or vinegar will wash away limescale deposits which prevents stubborn stains and hard scrubbing.
- Install water softeners
Installing these devices in your toilet is quite expensive but it has worked great for me. It helps me to remove the minerals in hard water supply which prevent limescale build up in your toilet.
Concluding Thoughts:
Addressing limescale in your toilet can be straightforward with solutions like vinegar. For persistent issues, considering professional help, like a residential cleaning service in Sydney, proves practical. Don’t forget preventive measures, such as regular use of lemon or vinegar, to curb limescale deposits. Exploring water softeners can contribute to sustained reduction.
For a comprehensive house cleaning guide, explore our blog article titled “House Cleaning Guide: Your Ultimate Resource“. It offers valuable insights and tips to maintain a clean living space. Whether dealing with limescale or seeking general cleaning advice, our blog aims to be a helpful reference for your cleaning endeavors.