If you are living in a hard water area then calcium carbonate or lime scale can quickly build up on your faucets.
Basically, hard water contains a high amount of minerals including calcium and magnesium and these minerals leave a white chalky stain on the faucet and also affect the other plumbing fixtures.
Luckily, removing a calcium buildup from a kitchen faucet is a simple process.
In this article, we explained a few methods to remove calcium buildup from kitchen faucets.
5 Ways To Remove Calcium Buildup From Kitchen Faucet
1. Vinegar
Hard water contains a high amount of calcium in it, due to which calcium accumulates around your kitchen faucet.
You can get rid of it with the help of vinegar because vinegar contains acetic acid which can break down the calcium buildup easily.
First, take a small container and pour vinegar in it.
Soak the towel in the vinegar and wrap it around the faucet. Once you are done with wrapping, pour the remaining vinegar on the wrapped towel. Leave the soaked towel on the faucet for 3 to 4 hours.
After that, remove the wrapped towel and clean the faucet with a soft bristled toothbrush to remove the remaining residue.
The toothbrush will help to clean the tight spaces, like between the handles or at the base of the faucet.
Then, clean the faucet by spraying dishwasher cleaner and water on the surface. Rinse the faucet with clean water so that all the dirt gets removed.
Now wipe the faucet surface with a soft microfiber cloth so that no water gets left behind on the surface or else the buildup will occur again.
If the aerator is clogged with calcium buildup, remove the aerator from the faucet and soak it in vinegar overnight. If you can’t remove the aerator then follow the plastic bag method.
Things you need:-
- Vinegar
- Plastic bag
- Rubber bands
Pour some vinegar into the plastic bag and attach it to the faucet with the help of a rubber band. Prefer to wrap the rubber bands twice to get an extra grip around the faucet.
Leave the plastic bag there for 2-3 hours. If there are still sediments left, leave the bag overnight.
After that, turn on the faucet and let the water run for a few minutes to flush out the remaining residue.
2. Lemon Juice
Lemon juice consists of citric acid, which can easily break down the calcium deposits. The method is both natural and effective, so you won’t have to rely on any harsh chemicals to remove the buildup.
If you have lemons at home then slice them and squeeze their juices into the calcium deposits.
However, if the aerator is clogged then follow the same method mentioned for vinegar above.
3. Muriatic Acid
Muriatic acid is a diluted form of Hydrochloric acid, which makes it the most powerful cleaner on the list.
That’s why don’t treat this product very lightly as it can cause damage to your eyes, skin, or any surface with paint, if not used carefully.
So, you must use protective measures to avoid any accidents with this product.
Before you start the process make sure to cover your eyes with protective glasses and leave all the windows open in your house to maintain proper ventilation.
Now, take a container and fill the water in it. Then, pour Muriatic acid into the water.
Don’t make the mistake of pouring water into the acid because it will cause a reaction inside the acid, which can splatter all over you.
Then, soak a clean soft cloth in the container and wrap it around the faucet, leave the cloth there overnight.
Next morning, rinse the faucet with clean water and scrub it with a soft-bristled toothbrush to remove the residue. Make sure to not scrub harshly.
After that, take a dry cloth and wipe the faucet surface so that any leftover Muriatic acid gets removed.
Once you are finished cleaning the calcium buildup, do not drain away the remaining acid directly.
First, take a big container and fill it with water, then pour the remaining acid into the large container. The goal is to dilute the remaining acid with water in a 50:1 ratio.
Now, you can safely drain the diluted acid, without any worry.
4. CLR
CLR is used for removing calcium, lime, and rust. It can quickly remove calcium buildup from your faucets, showerheads, and other appliances.
It is phosphate-free and septic-safe that’s why CLR is a safe alternative in comparison to other calcium remover chemicals.
Before using the CLR make sure all the windows in your house are open. This will ensure proper ventilation.
To use a CLR you have to first mix it with warm water. The ratio between the water and CLR should be 1:1. Then, with the help of a soft-bristled toothbrush, scrub the faucet and at last rinse it with water.
Don’t forget to wipe the faucet with a clean dry towel so that leftover CLR gets removed.
Although, you can apply CLR directly on your kitchen faucet. But you have to first test it on an area before using it on an entire faucet surface. Also, never leave it on a faucet area for more than two minutes.
Remember one thing; never mix CLR with household cleaners or bleach.
5. Fizzy Soft Drink
Soft drink contains Phosphoric acid which can dissolve calcium deposits easily. You can use Cola soft drinks as they contain enough phosphoric acid to break the calcium deposits.
But remember, you have to do some cleanup once the work is done because the sugar content in the drink sticks to the surface of the faucet.
Simply, take a soft-bristled toothbrush and scrub cola on the surface of the faucet. Do not scrub harshly or else the surface will get scratched.
Then, rinse the faucet with clean water and wipe the faucet with a damp cloth to remove the sticky residue.
How To Prevent Calcium Buildup On Kitchen Faucet
Regular Cleaning
If you want to prevent calcium buildup on your kitchen faucet then you have to take proper care by cleaning your kitchen faucet regularly.
Although it doesn’t have to be deep cleaning every day; just wipe the faucet after every use.
If you don’t clean your kitchen faucet consistently, calcium and grime will build up at the surface making it harder to clean. The buildup will ruin the look of the faucet and corrode the surface.
Cleaning the faucet regularly will save you time as you won’t have to put extra time and effort into the next round when you clean the faucet again.
That’s why, it’s better to clean the faucet regularly by taking less time in comparison to cleaning it inconsistently by taking more time.
Install A Water Softener
Mineral deposits and limescale can build up easily on your kitchen faucets if you are living in a hard water area. The buildup can reduce the lifespan of your kitchen faucet and ruin the look.
So, installing a whole-house water softener is an excellent way to avoid calcium deposits on your faucets permanently. Apart from this, there are several benefits of installing a water softener in your house.
Benefits Of Water Softener
The following are the benefits of installing a water softener:-
1) Protect Your Plumbing Fixtures & Appliances
Hard water passing through your pipes, heater, and dishwasher leaves calcium and forms a limescale deposit. With time, the deposition can cause rust, leaks, and blockages in your faucets and pipes.
Also, it can cause damage to your washing machine, shower heads, sinks, etc.
Limescale buildup not only causes damage but also reduces the life span of your appliances and fixtures.
However, repairing and maintenance can solve the problem in the short term. But hard water is still running in your house.
So, the formation of buildup will happen until hard water is present in your house plumbing system.
A water softener will protect your appliances and plumbing fixtures by softening the hard water.
It will reduce the concentration of calcium and magnesium which will dissolve the lime scale buildup. Thus, no problem will occur in the future.
2) Save Money
If you are living in a hard water area then it will cost you. Because appliances that use hard water require more energy to work. That means your electricity bill will increase.
Cleaning products and detergents don’t dissolve easily with hard water which means more quantity will be used in cleaning. So, you’ve to spend more money on cleaning products throughout the year.
Furthermore, it will cost you pricey repairs and replacement because limescale continues to accumulate inside your plumbing fixture, appliance, and faucets.
Therefore, installing a water softener will save you a lot of money.
So, installing the water softener will save you money in many ways such as:-
- Less amount of money will be spent on detergent and cleaning products due to low concentrations of calcium in water.
- Reduction in electricity bill due to increase in efficiency of appliances.
- Save money on repairs and maintenance by reducing lime scale formation.
3) Cleaner & Spotless Dishes
When you wash dishes with hard water, visible spots, and stains get left behind on dishes. The minerals in hard water interact with soap; as a result, soap scums are formed.
The scum gets left behind on the surface of the dishes due to which spots and stains are visible.
On the other hand washing dishes with soft water makes them look spotless and shiny, as no soap scum and mineral deposit gets left behind after the wash.
Also, the absence of magnesium in soft water increases the sparkle and luster of glassware which makes them look shinier.
Therefore, a water softener can help you maintain cleaner and spotless dishes in your kitchen.
4) Taste Of Water Becomes Better
Due to the presence of calcium and magnesium, the taste of the water feels unpleasant. Since soft water does not have any of these minerals, the taste of water becomes better.
So, installing the water softener will improve the taste of your water.