How To Remove Limescale From Showers And Taps

Best of all, you probably have everything you need to remove limescale in your home already. The citric acid in lemon or acetic acid in vinegar is your best weapon, ensuring a limescale-free bathroom without the need for abrasive chemicals that can damage the finish on your bathroom fittings.

Limescale is not a hazardous substance, but it can look unsightly. It can also interfere with the performance of your taps, pipes and showerheads, leading to blockages and reduced water pressure over time.

If you live in an area with hard water, it’s perfectly safe to drink water straight from the tap. Naturally occurring minerals like calcium and magnesium that cause limescale are essential for our health – but not so great for your plumbing and appliances!

Taps are one of the trickier bathroom fixtures to clean. Lemon juice or vinegar will drip off when sprayed, not allowing the acid enough time to work on the scale. You’ll often notice white deposits on the spout, so targeting this area is a good idea. Follow these simple steps to get rid of limescale on taps:

1. Soak a rag or a cloth in vinegar or lemon juice and wrap it around your tap, ensuring all areas are covered.
2. Secure the cloth with an elastic band and leave for an hour.
3. Occasionally squeeze the cloth to release more of the acid onto the tap.
4. Remove the cloth and wipe away the limescale.
5. If the limescale around the spout still won’t come away completely, cut a lemon in half and screw it onto the spout until it stays in place.
6. Leave for another hour and then rinse and scrub away the remaining scale. Use a scouring pad on tough limescale but only on the underside of the spout as it may scratch the finish on the faucet itself.

Removing limescale from tiles and plugholes is less complicated than taps, as the acid can be applied directly to the affected area. There are a few options you can try:

1. Apply vinegar or lemon juice directly onto a cloth and scrub the limescale until it comes away.
2. Alternatively, mix one part lemon juice or vinegar to four parts water. Put the solution in a spray bottle and spritz it onto tiles and plugholes. Leave this to soak for up to an hour for stubborn scale deposits.
3. Polish the tiles or plughole with any remaining solution until completely clean.

Limescale deposits can make your toilet bowl look dirty, but there are plenty of ways you can get rid of them. Remember to wear gloves and protect your eyes and clothes in case any cleaning product splashes you during the process.

• Pour equal parts of lemon juice and white vinegar into the toilet bowl, leaving it for at least one hour before scrubbing with a toilet brush. The scale should come away easily. Leave the solution overnight if possible, allowing the acids to work deeper into tough scale deposits.
• Alternatively, pour one cup of vinegar followed by one cup of baking soda into the toilet, letting it sit for around 10 minutes before scrubbing with a toilet brush.

The method you use for removing limescale from a showerhead will depend on the type of shower you have. Find out more information on cleaning showerheads and descaling your shower here.