How to clean hard water stains on kitchen faucets?

Kitchen faucets that come regularly in contact with water and can develop stains over the years. Since hard water is rich in mineral deposits like silica, lime and calcium, the stains commonly known as hard water spots are regular feature in bathrooms and kitchens. The stains are generally grey and back which if not cleaned regularly can become an eyesore and impact the beauty of the kitchen faucets especially the faucets with a chrome finish.

Since these hard water stains compromise of mineral deposits, the regular cleaning process may not always be adequate to get rid of them entirely. Let us take at some of the best remedies to clean these stubborn mineral deposits from the kitchen faucets.

A cleaning potion of hot water and white vinegar acts as one of the best deterrents to remove the hard water mineral stains. Calcium, deposits which are an intrinsic part of hard water stains is an alkaline earth metal. The metal breaks down when it comes in contact with highly reactive acids like white vinegar. The hot water acts as a perfect temperature for the chemical reaction between the acid and the alkaline earth metal which eventually breaks down the stubborn stains from the faucets.

Soak a clean cloth or paper towel in the potion of 50% hot water and 50% white vinegar. The paper or towel must them we wrapped around the stained faucet area. The chemical reaction needed to break down the alkaline earth metal deposits must be left untouched for at least an hour. It is recommended to drape the towel or paper around the faucet overnight in case of stubborn or highly prominent stains. The towels can then be removed and discarded leaving behind stainless kitchen faucets.

Cleaning the faucet with a mixture of white vinegar and a dash of baking soda or sodium bicarbonate must be scrubbed on the surface of the faucet using an old toothbrush. The vinegar and baking soda compound breaks any remaining deposits or stains. The use of a tooth brush allows us to reach the difficult areas especially behind the back and other areas. The faucet can then be rinsed with lukewarm water after the cleaning process.

If the faucet appears to be quite abrasive and devoid of shine after cleaning, a dash of oil soaked in a paper towel must be rubbed on the surface of the faucet to bring back its luster and lost shine. If the faucet aerators and tap or shower heads are removable, they can be removed and dipped in a solution of pure white vinegar overnight to remove the common stains in the pores.