Tip #8: I love vinegar and baking sodathey in combination or separate can clean about anything. Ive used it in my laundry, and even on my floors. I have the perfect candidate for tough water stains: the bathroom sink in my husbands work shop. This site uses cookies to store information on your computer. By using this site, you agree to our use of cookies. This demonstration on removing hard water stains from bathroom sinks and shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. Follow my cleaning tips board on Pinterest. Sprinkle baking soda or Borax directly on the hard water stain in your sink, then spray on the same vinegar and water solution you used on the bathtub. Ive had them in the sink and toilet for months, and I have struggled since my husband and I were married for a true solution to removing them. Use the sponge to combine the vinegar and Borax to make a type of paste. Looking for more bathtub cleaning tips? I always wonder d what was the best way to remove these stains. Never would have thought of this but I am getting some ASAP! Let's customize mom a Mother's Day mug! It works. After wiping/buffing, I spray more on the old wash cloth & wipe the sink & faucets down after night-time use. Thats what causes the tough-to-remove stains. If the hard water stains are also on the sink faucet, soak a paper towel in a vinegar and water mixture, squeezing out the excess. I didnt know it could be used for anything other than the laundry. When I worked at the school, our urinals would get that odor, and it didnt seem to matter what I did to get rid of the odor, it was all in vain. Remove paper towel and scrub clean. I always thought Borax was for laundry as well! It wont come off with regular toilet brush scrubbing. Sprinkle in a few tablespoons of Borax. Like it or not, most households have hard water. Tip #1: Try a cleaner called The Works. Tip #6: Make a paste out of Tang instant breakfast drink, and water, using a scouring pad scrub the spots in the sink. Find more Borax cleaning inspiration hereand check them out via video here. Your email address will not be published. My bathroom sink has some stubborn hard water stains I just cant seem to get out! Hard water is not harmful, and with the right cleaning techniques, you can remove the stains it leaves behind. That pesky ring marking the water line is caused by hard waterand its extremely hard to remove. Ive heard many DIY remedies from friends and family, but none of them have been successful. Porcelain enamels are durable but they are susceptible to scratches from harsh abrasives. Let the solution sit longer depending on the severity of the stains. Baby oil leaves a residue. Rub the paste onto the hard water marks. Combine two parts baking soda with one part white vinegar to make a paste. We have some beautiful pieces from my husbands family that we rarely use because I dont want them to get stained. You can also get rid of the rust hard water build up in your dishwasher using Tang. I used a similar method to clean the toilet that had a hard water ring on the inside. I use it all the time. Some are essential to make our site work; others help us improve your user experience. Whether your favorite mom is a people [Read More], I'm making sweet potato bisque with apple salsa for the first time. Borax has been a staple in our family since I was a baby. It worked really well. My goodness, its such a chore to keep clean! I have used coke a cola before to remove water stains and it worked great!. Sharing cooking, canning, gardening, and homemaking skills with the next generation. Scrub the stains gently with a lightly moistened sponge. Every editorial product is independently selected, though we may be compensated or receive an affiliate commission if you buy something through our links. Another secret weapon against hard water stains is vinegar. Makes any stainless look almost new. Removing Hard Water Stains on Glass Shower Doors, How to Remove Rust Stains from Porcelain Sinks or Bathtubs. Tip #4: The Works is a great product to use to clean rust and lime deposits. Tip #9: The best thing to get rid of hard water stains is a plain old pumice stone and a little elbow grease. Im going to have to try the Borax on my husbands bathroom sink. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. Taste of Home is America's #1 cooking magazine. The white chalky buildup that sometimes appears on a porcelain sink results from minerals in the water. I definitely need to get some of that and put it in the shower!! This abrasive pumice stone stick scrubs away the hard water ring, without scratching the ceramic bowl. I really need to try this! We live in the country and will have to try this! Sure, it would go away for a day or 2, but had Id known Borax was used for things like removing hard water stains, I might have tried it to see if that fixed the issue. It even takes off iron stains. Borax has a variety of approved uses, including helping to clean in the kitchen and garbage cans. Drives me insane! Nothing cleans my rugs better. I didnt know that Borox could clean fine China. I swear by Borax. All opinions are mine alone. Not the pumice stone you would buy to slough off dead skin, but this pumice stone is usually in the cleaning aisle next to sponges. When she's not writing you'll find her organizing a closet, buying more bins she doesn't need or bingeing her latest TV show obsession. Thanks for sharing your cleaning clips. Tip #7: I used to work for a cleaning service and we used CLR and a toothbrush. Im going to have to try this one. Scrub lightly to remove as much surface dirt as possible. Once you use it, youll never go back! Do not mix ammonia cleaners with those containing bleach. Wow, I knew Borax was great for a lot of things, but I never tried it for removing those hard water stains. To truly appreciate how well Borax and this cleaning method worked, take at look at the before photos of my sink. Then lay the wet paper towel on the faucet and let it sit for 15 minutes. Its pretty cheap and Wal-Mart carries it. Works wellonly problem if you use it too much or let it sit too long then it may take the varnish off around the hole in the sink. With cleaning gloves on, run water from the faucet and use the water and the sponge to clean the mixture from the sink, continuing to scrub as you clean. Good Housekeeping recommends using half a cup of water and half a cup of vinegar in a spray bottle. Warm water and ammonia or an ammonia-based cleaner cuts through soap scum on porcelain. Rinse the paste from the sink with clear water. Rinse the sink with clear water and wipe dry with a soft towel. #BoostWithBorax #CollectiveBias. You know, I have heard that Borax was really good for cleaning water stains, I too need to try this on my toilets and showers. One or two squirts of detergent per quart of water is sufficient. Allow it to stand for five minutes to allow the vinegar and soda to soften the mineral deposits. To prevent them, believe it or not, WD 40 is the thing to use. #client. When hard water dries on a surface, it leaves behind mineral deposits. Even our town water is hard too. They are annoying and make the fixture look like I avoid cleaning it, which is definitely not true. Instead, youll need a secret weapon: a Pumie Scouring Stick. Wipe out the sink with the soapy solution and soft sponge or cleaning rag. Hope this helps! But with Borox we may be able to utilize them and not have the worry about it. See the before and after below. Baking soda provides an abrasive strong enough to cut through hard water marks but is mild enough that it won't scratch the porcelain surface, says the Natural Handyman. In scientific terms, your water is considered hard water if it is high in dissolved minerals, mainly calcium and magnesium. Im demonstrating this inside my sink, but it can also be used inside a toilet. Fill a bowl with hot water and a mild detergent. Heres the best way to remove hard water stains from every bathroom surface! Its a great way to get rid of hard water or rust stains without all the strong chemicals. I use Borax for laundry but also couch refresher. According to the U.S. Geological Survey about 85% of the U.S. has hard water; when you turn on your faucet, its likely hard water coming out. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. To begin, close the drain and put on the cleaning gloves. They make, both a toilet bowl cleaner, and a basin, tub and tile cleaner in a spray bottle. Just fill the detergent compartments with Tang and run it through its cycle. He tends to fill it with water for the cats and then as it evaporates/they drink it, we get that hard water ring. Ill have to give this a try. How to Remove Permanent Marker From Ceramic Sinks, How to Clean Badly Etched Old Bathroom Sinks, How to Keep the Kitchen Sink Bright White, Good Housekeeping: How to Remove Limescale, Natural Handyman: Removing Mineral Deposits from Household Surfaces, How to grow your own herb garden in any indoor or outdoor space, The Natural Way to Clean Kitchen Sinks and Drains. As you scrub, the stick creates a paste buildup that helps to clean and polish. Also using white vinegar in the dishwasher keeps the white residue off dishes. Soap scum & hard water spots on the tub and shower stall? Also, there are no chemicals (it is all natural). I swear, its ruined more of my dishes and silver utensils (not real silver, whatever cheap forks are made of, lol). The good news? The only thing that has worked to this point is convincing my husband to scrape the stains with arm muscle. Until I began researching it more, I didnt realize that Borax is great to help with a variety of cleaning projects around the house, including removing hard water stains from inside toilets and sinks. Required fields are marked *. One trade-off to the peace and quiet are the hard water stains that accompany well water. Continue to rinse until the mixture is gone. Wipe the sink dry with a clean towel, buffing it to a light shine. Soak a sponge in full strength vinegar, wipe, let stand for five minutes then rinse with clean water. Tip #5: Lemi Shine is GREAT for taking off any kind of mineral buildup. Thanks for the great idea. I was amazed at my 43 yr. old sink looking new. Your email address will not be published. Open the sink drain. Homemade Limescale Removers that Really Work! Let the cleaners sit for 15 minutes, then scrub with a soft brush or sponge. We have a well, so I totally understand the struggle of hard water. (Remember to wear gloves when cleaning with Borax.) I purchased Borax at my local Dollar General, but it can be found at most local retailers down the laundry aisle with the additives.. Sure, it doesnt smell that good, but smell goes away quickly. She knows exactly how to tidy a filthy kitchen and straighten out a mixed-up pantry! Removing hard water stains requires cleaners that break down the minerals without scratching or etching the porcelain surface. I agree that this site may use cookies for site performance, Loaded Potato Crackers for an After School Snack, Traveling with Kids: The Carolina Renaissance Festival, Easy DIY Mothers Day Mugs with the Cricut Mug Press, Making Sweet Potato Bisque with Apple Salsa, Make One of These Three DIY Solar System Project Ideas, A cleaning sponge (use the toughest sponge that you are comfortable with using inside your fixture). Yuck! Rub the mixture around the sink, scrubbing as you go. It is like a magic soap. Tip #3: Ive used Bar Keepers friend. Drying the sink after each use prevents further hard water buildup. Read our privacy policy to learn more. Check out our guide. Living in a rural area is awesome. That cloudy shower door, yellow stains in the toilet and white buildup on the shower head are all caused by one thing: hard water. I eye-balled the amount. I had no idea that it also removes water stains. Finally, a solution! Ive used Borax for years on jobs big and small, easy and hard. Lime deposits result from calcium and other minerals in hard water, which leave behind a residue that dries hard and makes an otherwise clean sink look dirty. Tip #2: To get rid of hard water stains in sinks and toilet bowls use straight white vinegar. It is such powerful stuff that can really help clean so many parts of your home. They also suggest rinsing the sink out afterward. 6 Genius Cleaning Hacks That Will Get Any Stain Out of Carpet, How to Remove Hard Water Stains from Glass. Just be sure to buff after. I see that Borax works on fine China, Ill have to give it a try on my dishes and see if it gets rid of those ugly stains! It works so well! I also didnt realize Borax could help clean in so many ways until recently! First, wet the stick, then rub the edge of the stick on the hard water line with back and forth strokes. Erica is a cleaning and home dcor expert. Learn how your comment data is processed. Once the ring is gone, flush to rinse away paste and residue. Grab a spray bottle and mix equal parts water and vinegar (you can also add a teaspoon of Dawn dish soap for more clinging power). I do mine every 3-4 mos. Spray the solution on the bathtub stains, let sit for at least 15 minutes, then wipe clean. Wow! It would also be great for my sunken tub. Ive tried lemon m, baking soda and vinegar and it didnt work as well as I thought. I agree that this site may use cookies for advertising purposes. Q: Does anyone have any ideas for removing hard water stains in sinks? when you subscribe to Taste of Home today! It may have to soak, but works great. Great post! Read the WD 40 can. The spicy [Read More], Are you debating which solar system project idea is best for you child's science [Read More]. Home Home & Living Cleaning & Organizing Cleaning Tips. Over the years, Ive heard of 20 Mule Team Borax, but I always correlated it with laundry. Bring It On Cleaner Hard Water Stain Remover, How to Get the Bacon Smell Out of Your House, 5 Surprising Pumice Stone Uses for Your Home, Do Not Sell My Personal Information CA Residents. Also great for tile shower stalls. The acidity in white vinegar eats away at the mineral deposits; the trick is to let the vinegar sit on the hard water long enough to work its magic. We enjoy a list of country pleasures. I need to try this in our bathroom! Thanks for the how-to! Ratings and prices are accurate and items are in stock as of time of publication. I should definitely try and use this stuff on my trash cans too because my husband likes to throw away trash in a can WITHOUT A LINER ugh! We get awful hard water stains where we live and I never know how to clean them. Keep limescale at bay by spraying the sink with a vinegar/water solution at least once per week. Though commonly used in the laundry room, Boraxis a Multi-Purpose Household Cleaner.