Cleaning limescale - no need to change taps
 

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




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ff wrote in message ...
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.

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.

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.

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
. net...
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...

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

Christian McArdle wrote in message
...
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...
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"
wrote:


Christian McArdle wrote in message
...
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...
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.


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

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

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

Sulphamic is
the best of both worlds, but you can't just nip round the chemist's to buy
it.

Isn't sulphamic what's in the overpriced retail grade descalers ?

I tend to use citric myself - cheap.
--
Smert' spamionam

On Fri, 29 Oct 2004 12:36:21 +0100, Andy Dingley wrote:

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

Sulphamic is
the best of both worlds, but you can't just nip round the chemist's to buy
it.

Isn't sulphamic what's in the overpriced retail grade descalers ?

Kilrock K ain't that expensive, and does a damned good job, and as for
descaling around taps, there's Kilrock Gel. It's available by post from
the manufacturer if your local hardware store doesn't keep it.

--
wanderer at tesco dot net

stuart noble wrote:

Christian McArdle wrote in message
...

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...

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.


Suplphamic is available in hardware stores and BM's

Andy Hall wrote in message ...
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.
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" wrote in message
...

Christian McArdle wrote in message
...
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...
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.

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" wrote in message
...

"stuart noble" wrote in message
...

Christian McArdle wrote in message
...
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...
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.

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

Keith G. Powell wrote:

"Keith G. Powell" wrote in message
...

"stuart noble" wrote in message
...

Christian McArdle wrote in message
et...

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...

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.


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?

30% conc. HCL - mine is anyway.


Keith G. Powell

On Fri, 29 Oct 2004 23:25:52 +0100, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:

Keith G. Powell wrote:



What is brick acid? Is it concentrated hydrochloric acid?

30% conc. HCL - mine is anyway.


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

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 08:40:18 GMT, "ff" wrote:

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

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 http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/
Remove NOSPAM from address to email me

In message , stuart noble
writes

Christian McArdle wrote in message
...
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...
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.

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

right next to the caustic soda

--
geoff