If you live in an area where your water utility company supplies water, or if you have a well, you may have lower-quality water. This means it is high in calcium and lime, and you have to deal with their buildup on your taps time and again. Let’s figure out what you can do about this problem.
Why Is There Calcium Deposits on My Taps?
Calcium buildup, which is another name for limescale, is that chalky layer you see forming on taps, showerheads, and sometimes even inside sinks and tubs. It happens because the water that flows through your pipes carries dissolved calcium salts. Every time the water passes over a surface and then dries, a little bit of that calcium gets left behind. In time, those tiny bits stack up until you see a thick, crusty layer.
When the water in your house has a lot of calcium and other minerals in it, it’s called hard water. Hard water is the main reason for the calcium buildup so quickly. If the water also has a lot of iron mixed in, the deposits can take on a rusty or yellow look instead of just being white. That’s when you start seeing these deposits on your sink, bathtub, or even on the metal taps themselves.
How to Remove Calcium Buildup on Taps?
1. Commercial Chemicals
When taps and other fixtures are full of calcium deposits, one of the quickest ways to deal with them is with a commercial cleaner to break down hard water stains, limescale, and rust that collect over time.
The most popular cleaner you’ll hear about is CLR, which stands for Calcium, Lime, and Rust Remover. Another good option is Zep, which you can find at local hardware stores, big supermarkets, or order online.
Now, CLR usually comes ready to use, but Zep is a concentrated cleaner, which means it needs to be diluted. You don’t use it straight from the bottle. Instead, you pour some into a spray bottle and mix it with a little water. Once you’ve got it prepared, you can spray it directly on the spots where calcium deposits show up. On taps, you’d aim at the buildup around the spout or handles.
It also works well for other surfaces, like shower doors and shower heads, where you see cloudy streaks, or inside the kitchen sink, where water stains leave ugly marks.
After spraying, let the cleaner sit for a few minutes to loosen the deposits. Then, scrub lightly with a sponge or cloth to wipe everything away. It’s a fast way to restore the shine to your taps and sinks when regular soap and scrubbing won’t get the job done.
2. Lemon Juice
Lemon juice has loads of citric acid that can remove the calcium deposits that hard water leaves behind on taps. To do this, press the cut side of the lemon onto the faucet, rub it over your taps, and you’ll be amazed wth the quick results.
3. Vinegar
Just like lemon juice, vinegar cuts through the mineral layers that stick to taps.
There are a couple of simple ways to apply it. One option is to pour vinegar into a spray bottle. With that, you can spray it directly onto the faucet the same way you would use an all-purpose cleaner.
If the calcium deposits are stubborn, take a cleaning cloth, soak it in vinegar, and then wrap it tightly around the tap. Then, leave it in place for a couple of hours to allow the vinegar to soak deep into the hardened deposits. After that, you just remove the cloth and wipe the area clean. Most of the buildup will either be gone or soft enough that a light scrub takes care of the rest.
Tip: When regular wiping or spraying fails, a deeper soak can make a big difference. One easy method is to fill a large Ziploc bag with enough vinegar or lemon juice to cover the tap completely. Then, slip the bag over the fixture so it’s submerged in the liquid, and then secure it tightly with rubber bands. When you leave it overnight, this gives the acid plenty of time to break down tough calcium deposits. By the next morning, just remove the bag and wipe the surface clean, and most of the hardened buildup should be gone.
4. Baking Soda and Vinegar
This method is a simple home remedy to remove calcium deposits from your taps. The trick is in the mix: use 1 portion of baking soda to 2 portions of vinegar. When you combine them, they start fizzing. That reaction helps loosen up the mineral deposits you’re trying to clean.
After you’ve mixed the baking soda and vinegar together, put the mixture inside the zip-lock bag and tie it tightly around your tap area with a rubber band. You need to make sure it’s airtight so the liquid doesn’t drip out. Then, leave it overnight.
When you check it the next day, you’ve basically made a homemade cleaner. Now, take a towel, dip it into the bag, and spread the mixture over the affected taps. Don’t rush this part. Let it sit on the stains for at least thirty minutes. This gives the solution more time to eat away at the deposits.
After that, grab a brush and scrub the area to lift off the loosened minerals. Then, rinse the tap with clean water. Finally, dry it off with a towel.
5. Fluoride Toothpaste
Fluoride toothpaste as a tap cleaner is quite wondrous for many, but it has a mild abrasive, which helps scrub away the calcium deposits that love to stick to metal surfaces.
To clean your taps, squeeze a bit of toothpaste onto the toothbrush and scrub the stained areas thoroughly for at least a minute. Make sure you cover spots around the spout, handles, or anywhere water collects. After scrubbing, let the toothpaste sit on the metal for five to ten minutes. Then, rinse the tap off with cold water and wipe it dry with a toilet paper or a towel.
6. Water Softener
A water softener is more of a permanent fix to deal with the calcium deposits caused by hard water.
Simply install a whole-house water softener on your home’s main water line, so all the water flowing into your house passes through it first. Inside, it uses a special resin that swaps out the calcium and magnesium salts (the stuff that creates limescale) with sodium or potassium. By the time the water reaches your taps and showerheads, it’s already softened, which means no minerals left to form those white or yellow crusts.
Will WD-40 Get Calcium Buildup off of a Faucet?
WD-40 can remove some calcium deposits on taps, but it’s not the best option out there. It’s a lubricant, so yes, it can loosen grime or light buildup, but it won’t fully clear away hard calcium layers.
Conclusion
All those cleaning methods work, but they only deal with the deposits after they’ve already formed on your taps. A softener goes after the root cause, and if you want to install one, contact California Coast Plumbers for a cheaper yet reliable service.