Lime scale is an alkaline deposit that is caused by hard water. The deposit presents as a white chalky residue. It is often found in bathrooms and kitchens around faucets. The build up can eventually cause a restricted water flow, so it is very important to maintain your fixtures and appliances so they do not build up an excess of lime scale.

Lime scale can aslo be found on small appliances, such as coffeemakers and tea kettles. Basically, anywhere you use tap water, lime scale may develop. There is a way to clean the lime away without causing any damage to the fixtures and appliances.

The most effective thing to use when cleaning faucets and drains is white vinegar. All you need to do is soak a rag with the vinegar and wrap it around the faucet. Secure the rag using a rubber band, and let it sit for about an hour. Remove the rag and wipe the faucet.

You can also create a paste by using 3 parts cream of tartar and one part water. Apply the paste, let sit for an hour and wipe off. You may have to scrub a little, but this “recipe” works well.

Lemon juice is effective when cleaning tubs and sinks. The surfaces should be sprayed with a lemon juice/water combination. Let the solution stand for about 30 minutes, then clean the tub and sink as you normally would.

To clean lime scale from coffee makers, place one denture tablet in the basket and run the coffee maker. After using the denture tablet, make sure to run hot water through the machine before using.

There are also water softeners that will reduce the amount of lime by preventing it to deposite. These simply attach to your faucets and purify the water.

Tags: Hard water, Home and Garden, lime scale, limescale, Plumbing, water softener

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 18th, 2009 at 8:58 am and is filed under Cleaning Tips, DIY. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.