Lime deposits (or sometimes referred to as limescale) can cause a nasty appearance around your sinks, tubs, and faucets. However, lime deposits don’t just look bad but they can also cause internal problems in your home plumbing or piping systems. Lime deposits are caused from the rich minerals that are in most tap water. To fully understand how to combat lime deposits, Orsack Plumbing Company will explain how lime deposits occur and how you can remove and prevent future lime deposits from building up in your home.
Causes of Lime Deposits, Calcium, Magnesium & Iron Minerals
Lime deposits are caused when your tap water contains high levels of calcium, magnesium, and iron. This is more commonly known as hard water. Hard water is safe to drink, cook with and bathe in. However, hard water has many draw backs. Since hard water is filled with minerals, they tend to build up over time and then leave behind white or green lime deposits. Hard water also causes soap scum to build up. The minerals in the water attach to the soap which then accumulates in tubs and sinks. Some of the most stubborn clogs are, in many cases, lime deposits inside the drains.
Removing Calcium Build Ups & Lime Deposits
You may feel like scrubbing lime deposits away is a never ending battle. As lime deposits begin to build up, it helps to remove them before they become a major challenge to remove. There are a number of ways to remove lime deposits from using homemade cleaners to purchasing commercial products. The key to removing lime deposits is by using a mild acidic solution. You may use commercial products such as “Lime-Away.” However if you want to avoid commercial products you can use regular vinegar. Vinegar contains high levels of acid and can do the trick and dissolve lime deposits. The key to using vinegar correctly is time. To remove lime deposits from shower heads and faucets you’ll want to submerge them in vinegar. After allowing these smaller fixtures to soak in vinegar, use a toothbrush to scrub off the lime deposits. For sinks and tubs, this gets a little more tricky. You can’t submerge bathtubs and sinks in vinegar. Instead soak a clean cloth in vinegar. With the vinegar saturated cloth, squeeze out most of the vinegar on the areas most affected by the lime deposits. After the vinegar has had time to set on the lime deposits, use a soft sponge to clean the deposits away.
Hard Water Scale Prevention
The best way to prevent lime deposits is to keep the minerals from building up. Areas prone to accumulating lime deposits should be wiped dry after each use. Regularly clean faucets and plumbing fixtures with vinegar or other products designed to prevent lime deposits. Lastly, you can also install a soft water filter system to help reduce the amount of minerals in your water.
Plumbing Inspections, Repairs, Water Softeners & More in Spring, The Woodlands, Magnolia, Montgomery & Conroe Texas
If your home’s plumbing fixtures or piping needs to be replaced due to lime deposits or hard water damage, contact Orsack Plumbing Company. We provide a wide range of plumbing services. Contact Orsack Plumbing Company today.
