What Cleans Hard Water Stains?
Tap water usually has a high amount of minerals in it. These minerals--such as lime, scale, rust, magnesium and copper--will leave a residue on surfaces it comes in contact with. This residue is known as hard water stains or deposits and will not budge with typical cleaners. Does this Spark an idea?
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Lemon Essential Oil
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Lemon oil will cut through hard water deposits while leaving a fresh, citrus aroma in the air. Pour 1 cup of distilled water into a spray bottle. Add 8 to 10 drops of lemon essential oil to the water and swirl the bottle in a gentle circular motion to mix the water and oil together. Saturate the hard water spots with the mixture and let soak for several seconds. Scrub the surface with a clean cloth while applying the mixture if necessary until you have removed the hard water stains. Rinse the item clean with cool water and wipe dry with a towel.
White Vinegar
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White vinegar is a versatile all-natural cleaner that will kill fungus, eliminate odors and remove hard water stains. Dampen a sponge with undiluted white vinegar and scrub the surface clean. For tough hard water deposits, dampen several paper towels in white vinegar and lay the saturated paper towels directly on the hard water. Leave the soaked paper towels on the hard water for several hours before wiping the hard water off the surface.
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Trisodium Phosphate
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Known as TSP, trisodium phosphate is a heavy-duty cleaning agent that kills mold, removes grease and dissolves hard water deposits. While wearing a pair of rubber gloves, add 2 to 4 tbsp. of TSP to 1 gallon of water. Scrub the hard water spots off surfaces with a sponge saturated in the mixture. Scrub vigorously for several seconds. If the hard water spots are still visible, let the mixture sit on the surface for several minutes before scrubbing clean. Rinse the surface clean with cool water and wipe dry.
WD-40
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A water-displacing spray, WD-40 has many uses including removing hard water film. Saturate the film with the spray and let sit for several minutes. Scrub the surface clean with a damp cloth. If needed, add more spray and let sit for several more minutes before scrubbing clean with the cloth. Rinse the water-displacing spray off the surface and wipe dry with a towel.
Pumice Stone
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Found in the beauty aisle of most department stores, pumice stone will keep the bottoms of your feet smooth and remove hard water stains from hard surfaces. Dampen a pumice stone with cool water and scrub the hard water off bathtubs, sinks and toilet bowl. As you scrub, the pumice stone will leave a layer of residue on the surface. This residue is essentially mud and will wash off the surface with water.
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References
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