Hard water is a big problem for many New Jersey residents. Though hard water is mostly harmless, it can create unsightly buildup throughout your home. Here is how to remove hard water buildup in your home.
Cleaning Shower heads and Faucets
What you’ll need: plastic bag or bowl, distilled white vinegar, water, tape, string or twist ties
Shower heads and faucets can be some of the biggest problem areas when it comes to hard water buildup, but they are often the most neglected. To clean your faucets and shower heads, fill a plastic bag with equal parts distilled white vinegar and water. Use tape, string or twist ties to secure your plastic bag over the faucet or shower head. If your faucet or shower head is handheld or can be extended using a bowl instead. Let it soak for a few hours, then remove the solution. Wipe away any remaining hard water with a rag. Run your faucets and then dry them again.
Cleaning Dishes
What you’ll need: Distilled white vinegar, cold water, paper towels
If your dishes are covered in a white haze, they have hard water buildup. To clean your dishes, fill up your sink halfway with distilled white vinegar and halfway with cold water. Next, place your dishes into the sink and let them soak for 3 to 4 hours. After the time has passed, remove the dishes from the solution and wipe them down with a paper towel. If your dishes still aren’t clean, run them through the dishwasher using vinegar instead of traditional dish washing detergent. If you are doing all of your dishes, you will probably need a few gallons of distilled white vinegar, so make sure you refresh the solution every time you soak a new load.
Cleaning Toilets
What you’ll need: Borax, distilled white vinegar, toilet brush
Cleaning your toilets isn’t the most desirable chore, but it’s one of the most important ones. A simple solution to removing hard water stains in your toilet is a Borax and distilled white vinegar solution. First, pour a quarter cup of Borax into your toilet bowl and use a toilet brush to mix it into the water. Then add a cup of white vinegar. Let the mixture sit for 20 minutes before you use the toilet brush to scrub the hard water stains.
Cleaning Glass Shower Doors and Tile
What you’ll need: Distilled white vinegar, water, a clean spray bottle, a squeegee or towel
To clean your glass shower doors or tile, fill a spray bottle halfway with distilled white vinegar and fill the other half with water. Spray your shower with the mixture and let it sit for about five minutes. Continue to spray the mixture when it starts to dry. After the mixture has soaked the surfaces of your shower, wipe down glass doors with a squeegee and tile with a towel.
Preventing hard water build-up
You can prevent hard water build-up by cleaning problem areas as soon as you see hard water spots start to build up. This method is effective, but repetitive and tiresome. The best way to truly prevent hard water build-up is to invest in soft water solutions. When your hard water buildup gets to be too much, Tri State Water will help you find the water softener that is right for your needs.