Living in the Kitchener-Waterloo regions means that we have to accept that our plumbing fixtures are going to start looking like this over time. Mineral buildup! Of course, this can be reduced by using water softeners and/or reverse osmosis systems, but this may be outside the budget of some homeowners.
We never recommend harmful cleaners to do the job. While they may work slightly quicker than our solutions – ultimately, you’d be releasing harmful chemicals into the sewer system and out into our waterways. It’s simply not necessary, there are other solutions and they are likely already in your home.
Here are our top 3 solutions to cleaning your faucets & fixtures:
- Vinegar – One of the greatest cleaners and sanitizers in existence. It’s been around for thousands of years and readily available and inexpensive.
We recommend putting some vinegar in a spray bottle (roughly a 50/50 mix is adequate)
Spray it on and let it sit for a while. If your mission is to completely clean the faucet, we recommend spraying a few times – letting it sit for an hour, wiping away then spraying again and repeating until the buildup completely releases from the fixture.
We recommend periodically spraying your faucets in the location of buildup with your vinegar bottle. If you do this every few days, you can avoid the major buildup and cleaning cycle.
- Lemon Juice – This amazing naturally occurring acid is perfect for cutting through layers of mineral buildup. Why not try cleaning your fixtures with a fresh lemon – you’ll be surprised at the results.
- All-purpose Cleaners – These cleaners are often not strong enough to cut through some of the ‘baked’ on buildup. They do also harm the environment to some extent and should be avoided. If you do choose to use them, you’ll find them most effective at using them as a maintenance cleaner – use in between the methods described above.
If you find that you are not able to get your fixtures clean no matter what you do, it may be time to replace them outright. If you’re looking for replacement toilets, faucets or tubs, contact us, we’d be happy to make a professional recommendation.