Water stains around a faucet from mineral deposits can be so ugly. I grew up with well water, but ever since I’ve been married (22+ years) we have had city water, and no water softener. The problem is that I get water stains/mineral deposits around my faucets, and it makes them look dirty, and they seem almost impossible to get off. If we all dried off around the faucets whenever we use the sink, we may not have this problem, but REALLY that’s not happening.
I’ve tried multiple types of cleaners on these marks and they seem impenetrable.
This rock hard film around the faucet is what I fight with. It’s annoying, and my sinks are not very attractive anyway, so I needed to do what I can to at least make them clean. So when I saw this idea at The Thrifty Home, I gave it a try.
Here is what you do:
Soak a couple of paper towels in white vinegar
and wrap them around your faucet.
Every hour or so I checked on the situation, scrubbed a little and added some more vinegar. It took several hours and several scrubbings to get it all off,
but I DID!
My sink looks so much better now,
and I am excited to do this to all the sinks in my home.
The vinegar smell is strong, so keep some ventilation going whether a fan or open window,
and keep little ones away from the sink while you’re doing this. I am thrilled with the results,
and keep going back to peek at how nice it looks now!
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Mel says
Awesome! We have well water and the house was not kept up so the mineral deposits are horrific. I’m embarrassed for folks to see my bathtub etc. I’m going to give this a shot. I LOVE that it’s a natural product too. Thanks for sharing!
Blessings,
Mel
Please feel free to stop by: Trailing After God
Shannah @ Just Us Four says
This is a really great tip! As someone who grew up on well water, I know how ridiculous the mineral deposits can be and how hard they are to get off.
I would love it if you would come link it up at my Pinworthy Projects Link Party.
A Bee In My Bonnet - Leslie Anne says
Ha! I needed this today – thank you for the tip!
labbie1 says
Nice! I just used a solution I found on the internet in my shower. 1/2 c white vinegar–hot (not so hot you can’t handle it without oven mitts though!) and 1/2 c original Dawn. Spray on and leave for 1/2 hour and wipe off. Did a miracle on my glass shower door! I can actually see through it now! 🙂
Rona Gregory says
Ha! As I started to read your post/plight I thought “Oooh must e-mail and tell her about vinegar” and then I scrolled down hahaha! Well you found it! In the UK we always use vinegar for this, and shower heads…every so often we add some with water to the kettle and boil, gets rid of all the limescale/calcium etc. around the element (just remember to boil it with plain water a few times before you make tea!) Brew Stations too, same thing!
I always use vinegar in the water to wash the windows too, then polish them up with kitchen towel or a lint free cloth. In the old days our grannies would use newspaper but now the newsprint is different, and so is the paper, and it doesn’t work. But kitchen towel does the job and you’ll get lovely streak free windows!
Ginny @ OrganizingHomelife.com says
Thanks for the great tip, Margo! I was popping over to your site to feature your post on cleaning the shower door with the dryer sheet, and I happened to see that you had just posted this. So, I featured you twice! 🙂 http://www.organizinghomelife.com/archives/2581 I can’t wait to try this – I have super hard water and always have a terrible time getting those deposits off.
Rhonda says
that is great tip and I am going to try it.
Our plumber told us our city water has a lot of lime in it (whatever that is) and he also said it is what the EPA requires. All i know is leaves a mess both inside and outside where water is.
thanks for the tip
SweetPepperRose says
Margo, wonderful tip! It seems there is nothing white vinegar can’t help with. Deep well here, too, so the problem is non stop. Giving this a shot.
JoAnn
Ticia says
Awesome, I have the same problem, so I’ll give it a try.
Lauren @ My Wonderfully Made says
Thanks for this great info — white vinegar seems to be the cure-all for just about everything!
Seaweed and Raine says
THANK YOU! I have the same problem and have tried lots of different things on them – with mixed success… I’ll have to give this a go! (And it’s so simple to remember!) 🙂
Lauren says
Awesome tip! Thank you so much for sharing! I would love it if you would come share it at my Link Party!
Kristin@gratefulbelly.com says
I just wanted to tell you I love your blog. I’m a new follower and would love to have you stop by my brand new blog and follow too:)
Chatty Chics says
Hey Margo! Missed you at my place on Wednesday! Love this idea! Would love for you to link this up tomorrow? Hope you’re doing well!
Melody
✿ⒹⒺⒺ✿@ A Lapin Life says
Great tip thanks!
Dee
Jennifer Young says
Wow! Vinegar seems to be the ‘new’ cure for every housekeeping woe… here is, yet again, another example! Thanks for the tip!
I found you on ABFoL link party. Thanks for sharing!
-Jennie
Barbara Jean says
nice! thanks for passing that along.
blessings
barbara jean
Audra Marie says
I’ll have to try this tip. Thank you. 🙂
Kristi says
I was just scrubbing my faucet yesterday…wondering how to get it clean. Thank you for the tip. Can’t wait to try it tomorrow!
Thank you,
Kristi
Deanna says
Nice tip! I’ll try it this weekend.
Shiloh says
We have the exact same problem! I’ll definitely try this. WE don’t keep paper towels. It would probably work with a rag soaked in vinegar, right? Thank you!
Shiloh
everydaygameplan.net
Jenny@daysofchalkandchocolate says
Oh thank you a million times for posting this. We bought a fixer upper and I can’t get that stuff off around my faucet. I’m doing this! Thanks! Would you link it up to my party too?
http://daysofchalkandchocolate.blogspot.com/2012/03/features-and-latest-and-greatest-24.html
Kristel says
I’m trying this tomorrow!! I am a clean freak, and not being able to get rid of those ugly scaly things drive me nuts. Thanks for the tip, I love using vinegar as a window and glass cleaner, I recently read (and tried it) that you can use it on your hair to remove build up as well, leaves your hair much shinier too!
A. Osterhout says
Thanks for sharing this, going to try it the next time I clean the bathroom!
Amy @ http://yellowhouseon3rd.blogspot.com
Kristen says
Wow! Can’t wait to try it. Thanks! ~Kristen, Celebrate Every Day With Me
Bonnie and Trish @ Uncommon says
This is such a fabulous tip! Thanks so much for sharing with us! We hope that you will join us next week!
Take care,
Trish
Michelle says
Just in time for Spring Cleaning….Thanks for linking up at DIY Thrifty Thursday….you’ve been featured! Drop by and grab an “I was featured” button and hope to see you again this week!
Michelle @ http://www.thrifty101.blogspot.com
Chatty Chics says
Just featured on Facebook! Thanks so much for linking up at my place! 🙂
Melody
One Chatty Chic
Rebeca Trevino says
great tip! Thanks
Claire says
We don’t have well water so I can’t use that excuse but I’m still glad to learn this tip. Will definitely be trying it the next time I’m cleaning the bathroom.
Brandi says
This is a wonderful tip! Thank you for sharing!
Beth @ Free Stylin' says
What a great tip!! Thank you so much! 🙂
Melinda says
Great tip! Thanks for sharing. And I found you from House of Hepworths!
Meredith says
Oh this is wonderful! I have the same problem in my showers so I’ll have to try this. Saw you on HOH. Thanks for the great tip!
hillary says
Hello there, My friend pinned your tip on Pinterest and I wanted to give you my tip that might help even more. If you use clean toilet paper instead of paper towels around the faucet, you can get more vinegar into the cracks of gunk. Thanks for your blog and tips. I’ll be following you from now on.
Marz says
I am absolutely going to try this, thanks for sharing!! I may share this on my blog, of course I will link back to you. I’m always looking for non toxic household ideas, this is perfect. http://goincrunchy.blogspot.com/
emptynestegg says
Defiantly trying this
Krikit says
This comment has been removed by the author.
Krikit says
Here’s a couple other ideas:
As a professional “Domestic Goddess” (my company name) for more than 40 years, cleaning windows, shower doors, chrome, and mirrors is best and quickest done, DRY. Use 4-aught 0000 steel wool. It’s fine enough not to scratch, and the “dust” can simply be wiped or vacuumed up afterward. No chemicals, no scrubbing, no odors. I haven’t used a WET method of cleaning glass and a HOST of other surfaces in YEARS! I’ll never go back to wet!
You’ll also find that if you use the white vinegar AND add baking soda to it, to the mineral deposit areas around sinks, tubs, etc, it will work faster. Those deposits can also be removed by (carefully) using a razor blade. I’ve had many years to get good at this method, so I can avoid any scratching of the surfaces.
Happy Cleaning! ~:0)
scrapbookluvr says
Do you know of a treatment to prevent the lime buildup? I wonder if something like marine wax would help…
nkh says
Really is there anything vinegar can’t do? I’m going to try this around my kitchen faucet.
Angie says
It worked for me!
Bonita says
If you wax the area after you clean it and dry it you will find that it will be easier to clean in the future. That goes for the sides of your bathtubs and shower stalls as well. Just use plain old Turtle Wax…… I know it seems crazy but it works. make sure not to get it on the bottom of your tub or shower stall because it will make it slippery, just wax the sides. The shower doors can be wiped down with lemon oil to prevent lime and soap scum build up. If you do these things after you get them clean you won’t have to struggle to keep them clean. Just remember to reapply every few months.
tealady3 says
I have the same problem so I went out and bought Lime A Way.I haven’t tried it yet,I’m afraid of what it could do to my faucets,glad I found this I will try this first.
Funny about Money says
I used this old tried-and-true method on my expensive kitchen faucet, which was getting a mineral build-up around the opening where the water flows out.
Wrapping it with paper towels soaked in vinegar caused the vinegar to eat the finish off. It wrecked the nice brushed-pewter look (was supposed to be stainless) and of course, after I was laid off my job I never was able to replace the fixture. So now I get to live with it.
Recommend using Lime-Away. And follow the instructions.
Kris says
Thank u I am relieved that u helped confirm that what I have is not mold around the fixture–will try vinegar 🙂
Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage says
I’m going to try it today!