Living in Utah means dealing with hard water. The chalky white buildup you might see on shower heads, faucets, and dishes is common in the Rocky Mountain region. While not dangerous, hard water deposits aren’t very attractive. On a faucet or shower head, they can cause water to spray all over the place and damage your home, or waste water.
In this article, we give you 3 tips to remove hard water from your plumbing fixtures so you can avoid dysfunctional faucets and keep them looking beautiful.
Instead of chemical cleaners, white vinegar is a household acidic cleaner that works wonders on hard water deposits. You can use white vinegar to tackle hard water spots and buildup on showers, sinks, faucets, and more.
One option is to soak a rag in vinegar and wrap it around a faucet to break up the deposits. Try to wrap the rag all the way around the fixture and leave it in place for 30+ min. After removing the rag, use a soft bristle brush or a clean rag to clear the residue away.
Another way to get rid of hard water buildup is to use white vinegar as a spray cleaner. Add equal amounts of warm water and white vinegar to a spray bottle. Spritz the solution in your showers, sink basins, and at your faucet connections. Allow 30+ minutes for it to penetrate the residue. Then use a soft bristle brush or old toothbrush to remove the residue.
One of the most common places for hard water to build up is inside the aerator in your faucet. To remove the aerator, carefully turn it clockwise, and avoid denting or pressing on the screen.
Once you have it out, white vinegar is your best option. Soak the aerator in a glass of white vinegar and take a small soft bristled brush to the faucet where the aerator is connected.
You can also use the brush on the aerator to remove anything loosened by the vinegar. Rinse the aerator with water and reassemble the faucet.
Have you ever stepped into the shower and noticed water spraying all over the place? Take a look at your shower head and check for hard water deposits. Hard water can build up on each jet and cause your shower to spray erratically. Sometimes simply taking an old toothbrush to the jets and knocking the deposits off works great!
Other times, you’ll need to use equal parts white vinegar and water solution to spray shower heads, tub faucets, and drain levers. Metal in showers tends to attract hard water, so try to tackle hard water early and often.
Hopefully, these tips will help you scour away hard water in your kitchen and bathrooms. If you’re looking for a way to permanently reduce the hard water in your house, check out this “In The House” podcast episode about water softeners. If you already have a water softener and are concerned it might not be working correctly, have a plumber take a look. Don’t have a plumber you trust? Any Hour Services would be happy to help.
