Date Published: May 10, 2022, Last Updated on September 5, 2023 by Brian Doherty
The prospect of dealing with limescale in your Melbourne premises can be daunting. However, regular cleaning and reduction in moisture can dramatically help to prevent limescale from developing in bathroom and kitchen fixtures.
What causes limescale?
If the water quality is ‘hard’ (i.e., it has high mineral concentrations, mainly compounds of magnesium and calcium), this leads to sedimentation when the moisture evaporates. This resulting greenish or white deposit is commonly called limescale.
Limescale can cause long-term damage to plumbing fixtures and appliances. Subsequently, you might be forced to replace these units, which can be quite expensive.
Chrome surfaces of plumbing fixtures, shower heads, taps, hot water systems and pipelines are more prone to limescale build-up, and the mineral deposits can clog these. Glass surfaces can also develop limescale stains, such as bathroom mirrors if they come in contact with ‘hard’ water.
Preventing limescale
Drying
To prevent stubborn timescales from damaging your appliances and plumbing fixtures, regular cleaning and drying are very effective solutions. Keeping excessive moisture at bay by wiping surfaces will reduce the chances of sedimentation, hence lowering limescale build-up.
For a similar reason, it is also advised to drain your water heaters completely if these are not used for long periods of time.
Water softeners
Installing a water softener in your home or workplace, particularly if the water quality is ‘hard’ in your area, will help in the long run.
Water softeners aim to reduce the mineral content in the water which increases its hardness. This mechanism replaces the magnesium and calcium concentrations in the water with sodium or potassium, i.e., exchanges these ions, thereby improving water quality.
To know more about how water softeners can help, read our blog here.
Removing limescale
If limescale deposits in your bathroom or kitchen show no signs of going away through simple wiping or scrubbing, you could tackle these mineral deposits using the following methods.
These materials help effectively combat limescale due to their acid content, which dissolves the mineral sediments.
DYI limescale cleaner.
Using vinegar and lemon juice readily available in the store or your cupboard, you can blend either of these into a mixture with water. Spray the concoction onto the limescale-covered surface and leave it on for some time. Use a cloth to give the surface a good wipe and scrub off the deposit.
Borax
A versatile cleaning option, borax can lift the limescale stains off the surface of the toilets, sinks, taps and showerheads.
What if you need professional assistance?
If the limescale build-up has gone beyond control, particularly inside the pipelines, then you might need professional assistance.
The team at Doherty Plumbing Solutions are fully trained and licensed to assist you to tackle these plumbing issues. We will work with you to find the best solutions, and provide reliable advice for the long-term prevention of limescale in your plumbing fixtures.
