Cleaning limescale - no need to change taps

[ff]

Hi you all probably know this.

But I had v.good results; I soaked kitchen paper towel in very strong colourless vingear (cheap in supermarkets e.g. pickling, distilled) wrapped them around the tap's spout and around where the tap sits on the sink/bath. Covered the wet paper with cling film to stop it drying out and left it for many hours.

You can then just scrub off all the gunk, makes it look if you the taps are new and you have just installed them.

Was thinking of getting some new taps - no need now.

I don't think its wise to use that brown malt vinegar - might stain

[stuart noble]

Good idea. I've used the same principle on the rim of WCs. 10% citric acid solution is much stronger than vinegar and just as easy to handle.

[Christian McArdle]

I use brick acid. A bit stronger still...

Christian.

[Ian Middleton]

But watch brick acid it will attack and remove grout as well as limescale.....

[Christian McArdle]

I must have missed the lesson where they teach you to grout the toilet. ;-)

Christian.

[stuart noble]

And dangerous to handle..... and a bloody nuisance to store. Sulphamic is the best of both worlds, but you can't just nip round the chemist's to buy it. Citric was 69 pence for 100gms last time I looked.

[Andy Hall]

On Fri, 29 Oct 2004 10:44:45 +0100, "stuart noble" acid

You can nip to the plumber's merchants though.

Fernox DS-3 Limescale Remover is sulphamic acid and does a good descaling job for taps, shower screens, bogs, kettles etc.......

Cost is about £8 for a 2kg tub.

.andy

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[Andy Dingley]

On Fri, 29 Oct 2004 10:44:45 +0100, "stuart noble"

[Wanderer]

[The Natural Philosopher]

Suplphamic is available in hardware stores and BM's

[stuart noble]

The tub I bought a couple of years ago will probably last my grandchildren into their old age..... There was talk on here a while back that, although the crystals are harmless, the solution is less so. I keep a tub of it handy to dunk the shower head in overnight.

[Keith G. Powell]

"stuart noble" acid

If you have a left over lemon from a meal, there's enough citric acid in it to clean some lime scale.

Keith G. Powell

[Keith G. Powell]

By the way(?), citric acid attacks copper and probably therefor brass. The solution will turn blue.

What is brick acid? Is it concentrated hydrochloric acid?

Keith G. Powell

[The Natural Philosopher]

30% conc. HCL - mine is anyway.

[Andy Hall]

I believe that fully concentrated HCl is around 35% but rather less stable at that concentration and a pH close to 0.

Stomach acid is also HCl and has a pH of 1-2.

One of the reasons for a sore throat after a Technicolor yawn. (aside - why is there always tomato skin and diced carrot even if you haven't eaten any?)

.andy

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[Phil Addison]

Yes, good idea. The cling film is the key to it though. I used the same principle to use cling film to wrap up a job I wanted to soak in nitromors overnight. Worked a treat too.

Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at

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[raden]

In message , stuart noble acid

I've got a 20 kg tub of it somewhere ....

right next to the caustic soda