What are hard water stains?
Hard water stains are known by many other terms one of which is ” mineral deposits”. As the name suggests , these are white chalky residue , that appear as a result of excess minerals from hard water (i.e water having high mineral content . These stains can often be seen on shower heads , sides of taps and flush tanks.
Hard water stains can be a huge problem for the homeowners as they are stubborn and can present as quite a challenge when it comes to removing them. They can deposit almost anywhere from toilets , to flush tanks , to shower heads and can make a neat and tidy place look disgusting and dirty .
Which is why we came up with different methods to help you get rid of them for good.
Installing water softener
The best way to get rid of anything is to target the source , in this case , hard water . A water softener unit can solve this problem. The unit works by filtering out excess minerals that make water hard and replaces them with beneficial ones . For example, water softener removes excessive Calcium from hard water , along with metal ions like magnesium ions and iron ions, and exchanges them with sodium and potassium salts. Thus solving the issue of hard water stains.
Soft water can also leave stains if the place isn’t kept clean , however unlike hard water stains, soft water stains are easier to clean as the detergent doesn’t go to waste by binding to the excess calcium that was present before.
Vinegar and Baking soda
Vinegar being a dilute acid and baking soda being basic in nature react together to form clean havens. This is an old technique and rid you of any type of stains; from oil stains to hard water stains. Although the instructions vary from stain to stain , the following can be followed to get rid of hard water stains from toilets and about every other space they’ve infiltrated.
- Dampen the surface with vinegar. You can pour a cup in the toilet bowl if that is where the stains are.
- Cover the damp surface with a thick layer or baking soda. Pour 1 cup of it in the toilet bowl over the vinegar.
- Allow the mixture to sit for 10-15 minutes and then scrub it with a brush. This will ensure that all the stains have been covered with the solution.
- Continue to scrub and stir around for another 30 minutes until all the stains are gone and then clear the mixture away.
You will find a noticeable difference in the after picture.
Vinegar and Borax
This method works the same way as vinegar and baking soda. Borax works great against stubborn hard water stains. The following steps are how the solution will get you results you’ve been hoping for. This will work for toilets and other surfaces as well.
- Dampen the surface with vinegar. And if it is a toilet bowl , mix ¼ cup of Borax in it.
- For a toilet : Pour a cup of vinegar into the bowl. For other surfaces : Apply a layer of Borax on the dampened area. Leave (both) for 20 minutes.
- Scrub with a brush and clear away the mixture.
For especially stubborn stains a paste of ½ cup of Borax can be made instead of ¼ cup. Apply the paste over the stain and let it sit for 15-20 minutes . Scrubbing this with a stiff-bristled brush will scrub off the stains as well.
Simply contact Us
Although we have mentioned the methods to get rid of the stains , the best method so far is water softener unit installation.
We Chula Vista 1st Response Plumber are here to assist you. Simply contact us and our team of experts will provide you with the best skills for water softener unit installation along with consultation and tips to avoid stains for good.