Working to Remove Hard Water Stains is Not Hard
Have pesky discolourations on your clothes, glassware or bathroom fixtures? You could have hard water stains. These stains are not harmful to most materials or individuals but can be challenging to clean without the correct tools and methods. The Cleaning Ladies strive to provide professional cleaning services trained to handle all manners of stains and messes. Continue reading to learn from our practice how to remove hard water stains in a snap.
What are Hard Water Stains?
Hard water is water with a high concentration of minerals, such as calcium or lime. Water hardness is determined by your location and water supply. Homes with water high in mineral content can leave mineral deposits on surfaces they come into contact with. These mineral deposits can leave behind stain-causing minerals. The resulting hard water stains can be very stubborn stains unless choosing the correct cleaning process.
How to see a Hard Water Stain?
Hard water stains are easy to notice as they stand out on most surfaces. They can occur on anything associated with water located in your house. These items can be:
- Shower Head
- Shower Doors
- Glass Shower Doors
- Kitchen Faucet
- Toilet Bowls
- Washed Laundry
- Spots on Dishes
Most hard water stains will be brown, red or white spots left behind after water build-up dries away. These water deposits carry the minerals onto the surfaces which remain after the water evaporates. They can be calcium deposits or deposits of limestone. Identifying hard water stains is the first step to cleaning them and knowing the proper steps to clean them.
What do you need to clean hard water stains?
There is a variety of cleaning solutions effective at removing hard water stains. They can be professional cleaning products or DIY cleaning solutions. DIY cleaning solutions can be the most cost-effective and available depending on the household items you have laying around. Common household items used in DIY cleaning solutions for hard water stains are:
- White Vinegar
- Baking Soda
- Natural Cleaners
Vinegar is a naturally acidic solution. It is regularly used in cooking but has many cleaning applications. Vinegar can be used to create an acidic household cleaner when diluted with water. The acid works to break down the mineral deposits left behind making them easy to wipe away after being allowed to work. Because it is safe to use in cooking, it is safe to use in cleaning and will leave behind no harmful residue.
Baking soda is another useful household item for cleaning. Mixing baking soda and water into a paste can be used on more stubborn stains on ceramic services. Applying the paste and allowing it to sit breaks down the mineral deposits for easy cleaning.
There are other varieties of natural cleaners available and effective on hard water stains. Like vinegar, other household acidic items can be used to create cleaning solutions. One example of a natural cleaner is a lemon. Lemons are naturally acidic and readily available. These or other acidic items are very cheap and effective.
Steps to Clean Hard Water Stains
Hard water stains are simple to clean when following the correct cleaning methods. They are similar across different surfaces but have slight differences for each. For our examples, we will cover glass surfaces and ceramic surfaces.
Glass Surfaces
Glass surfaces are very easy to spot stains of any kind, especially hard water stains. The steps to clean hard water stains are as follows:
- Mix your chosen cleaning solution
- Apply the cleaning solution to the affected area
- Allow the stain to set for 5 minutes
- Wipe with a soft or microfiber cloth
- Rinse the area
- Dry the cleaned area with a fresh damp cloth
Ceramic Surfaces
Ceramic surfaces affected by hard water stains are most common in the bathroom. They are either the tubs or sinks. While these surfaces are easy to clean, noticing a white hard water stain can sometimes be difficult. Cleaning ceramic surfaces can be done by:
- Spray the entire surface with chosen cleaning solution
- Allow the solution to sit for 20 minutes
- Apply the solution again and clean with a scrubbing brush
- Repeat the process until the stains are completely removed.
At The Cleaning Ladies, we pride ourselves on offering high-quality commercial and residential cleaning services in Durham Region, Bowmanville, and the surrounding areas. We are a fully insured company with over 10 years of experience and extremely qualified cleaning professionals.
Our team is keen on detail and flexible to accommodate your unique needs.
Be part of our growing happy client base enjoying our exceptional service delivery.
