LIMESCALE REMOVAL FROM VITREOUS ENAMEL
This page deals specifically with removing limescale
To avoid Lime Scale – dry the enamel after use.
Limescale can be very difficult to remove if it is allowed to accumulate, even over a short period of time. It is formed when water in a hard water area combines with soap residues, evaporates, and leaves the lime salts on the surface as a deposit. This is why we suggest that baths and enamel sinks are dried after use. If your taps are dripping, get them fixed.
Limescale removal with dilute vinegar
If limescale has already formed in a bath, the lime scale can be removed using vinegar to dissolve the deposit. However, extreme care should be taken in removing limescale, as bath enamel, particularly on old baths, is formulated to be resistant to the alkali in soap, not to the acid in vinegar.
The recommended method for removing limescale is as follows:
Dilute vinegar approximately half-and-half with water. Using a soft cloth, rub only the limescale area with the diluted vinegar. Avoid getting the vinegar on the enamel surface surrounding the lime scale and rinse frequently. Then clean the area with a VEA Approved Cleaner. When all of the limescale has been removed, rinse well and dry the enamel surface.
This is a job that is often better approached by the ‘little and often’ method! Some people find that a very soft baby toothbrush is useful, especially around the taps.
Some users have also had success in removing limescale with a method that was given as a “handy tip” that was in the “Daily Express”
“Tip of the Week – This is the old favourite. Getting limescale off a bath is a nightmare and I have yet to find the perfect product. I have tried lemon and vinegar and they help but don’t shift it totally. However, I have found one way of removing it. Get an implement that is less hard than the bath enamel – I used the blunt end of a disposable razor handle; and then apply sheer elbow grease. After an hour’s rubbing, the limescale had completely gone, and one bath looked fantastic and it hadn’t harmed the enamel one bit.”
Another General Cleaning Tip
Take a clean cork from a wine bottle and apply the A VEA Approved Cleaner to the bit you want to clean and use the end of the cork to rub the area in a rotary motion. This will provide very good localised cleaning and also it doesn’t wear out your fingers.