Cleaning limescale - no need to change taps

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.

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

Christian.

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

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

Christian.

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.

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

Suplphamic is available in hardware stores and BM's

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.

"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

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

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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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

In message , stuart noble acid

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

right next to the caustic soda