Polished nickel is a popular finish and it could be a great option for every homeowner. Therefore, you might be thinking of installing a polished nickel faucet.
So if you want to make your kitchen or bathroom more beautiful and shiny then installing a polished nickel faucet could be a great choice. But there could be a query in your mind.
Do polished nickel faucets tarnish?
While polished nickel faucets are good in terms of quality and durability. But if you do not take proper care then it can tarnish over time.
However, with proper cleaning and maintenance, you can keep your polished nickel faucets from tarnishing for as long as possible.
Here we have explained how you can prevent your polished nickel faucet from tarnishing.
How To Prevent Polished Nickel Faucets From Tarnishing?
Clean Your Faucet Weekly
If you want your polished nickel faucet to last longer then take proper care of it. Clean it once a week to prevent calcium buildup.
If you do not clean your faucet consistently then Limestone and grime will buildup on the surface of the faucet. Due to this, the cleaning process will be harder.
Also, the buildup will ruin the look of the faucet by corroding its surface.
That’s why cleaning the faucet weekly will save a lot of time and effort as you won’t have to put extra time and effort into the next round of cleaning.
So, it’s always better to clean your polished nickel faucet once a week by taking less time in comparison to cleaning it inconsistently by taking more time.
Always Use Mild Cleansing Agent
Always use mild cleaning agents for cleaning your polished nickel faucets. This means the product you use for cleaning the faucet should not contain any harsh chemicals.
You should always check the concentration of the chemicals before using them on the faucet.
Also, make sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions printed on the product; if there is no mention of the product being safe, do not use it.
Clean With Water And Dish Soap
If you don’t want to use a mild cleansing agent or in case you can’t find a good product in the market. Then, you can use the dish soap solution to clean your polished nickel faucet.
Dish soap solution is the best remedy for regular cleaning. It can be easily made at home and will not damage your polished nickel faucet.
But never make the mistake of using the soap directly on the faucet. First, you have to make the solution.
To make the solution, take a container and pour some warm water into it. Then, add ½ tablespoon dishwasher liquid and mix it properly.
Take a dry microfiber cloth, dip it in the solution, and squeeze the cloth softly to remove the excess water. Now, use this wet cloth to clean the surface of the faucet. Do not apply any pressure while cleaning it.
After that, rinse the faucet with clean water and then wipe the surface with a dry and clean cloth.
Make sure to not use any scrubbing tools while cleaning the faucet and if you’re wearing a ring on your finger then remove it because it can scratch the faucet surface.
Keep The Surface Dry And Clean
While working in the kitchen, you use your faucet regularly for washing hands. Also, when you clean the dishes you touch the faucet with dirty hands.
Due to this the water droplet sits on the faucet surface and leaves water stains on it. Therefore, the faucet surface looks dull due to the water stains present on it. Plus, it increases the chances of corrosion.
To avoid the issue, wipe the faucet surface with dry towels after every use. This will help to keep the surface clean and shiny.
So, prefer to keep the stacks of dry and clean towels in the kitchen area for wiping.
Use White Vinegar Solution (for lime scale and dirt)
Use white vinegar solution if your faucet’s surface is covered with lime scale or gunk. But don’t use white vinegar directly on the faucet.
First, you have to dilute it by mixing water in it. The ratio between the white vinegar and water must be 1:3. For e.g. in 1 cup of white vinegar 3 cups of water should be mixed.
Then, take a cloth and dip it in the vinegar solution. Put the cloth to soak on the faucet’s surface for 10-15 minutes. Then, rinse the faucet with clean water to get rid of the remaining residue.
At last, wipe the faucet’s surface with a clean and dry cloth.
While cleaning the faucet make sure to not use any scrubbing tools to avoid scratches.
If the limescale or gunk is still there, then repeat the process. After the second or third rounds of cleaning, the faucet will look shiny and bright as new.
Avoid Using Harsh Chemicals
Polished nickel faucets must be cleaned with great care, that’s why you should not use any harsh chemicals for cleaning.
Using harsh chemicals on the faucet will lead to corrosion. Also, the surface of the faucet will react negatively to the harsh chemicals.
So, it’s better to avoid using any harsh chemicals.
Also, never use any bathroom cleaner or bleach to clean the faucet. Especially ammonia because it can damage the surface permanently, which is not a good sign.
Install Water Softener
If you are living in a hard water area then mineral deposits and limescale will easily build up around your faucet, plumbing fixtures, and appliances.
This buildup will tarnish your polished nickel faucet over time. Due to this, the life span of the faucet will also decrease.
That’s why; installing a whole-house water softener is the best choice because it can completely eliminate hard water from your house.
Also, there are other benefits of water softener which has been mentioned below.
Benefits Of Water Softener
These are the six benefits of installing a whole-house water softener in your house.
1) Protect Your Plumbing Fixtures & Appliances
Hard water contains magnesium and calcium in high concentration. The water passing through your pipes, dishwasher, and heater leaves limescale deposits.
With time, the deposition of limescale can cause rust, leaks, and blockages in your pipes & faucets. It will also cause damage to your shower heads, sinks, washing machine, etc.
The buildup will also reduce the life span of your fixtures and appliances. However, repairing and maintenance can solve the problem in the short term. But there is still hard water running in your house.
So, the buildup will again reoccur in the future.
Therefore, a water softener will protect your appliances and plumbing fixtures by softening the hard water.
It will reduce the concentration of magnesium and calcium. Due to this, the buildup will dissolve and no problem will occur in the future.
2) Save Money
If you are living in an area where hard water is present then it will cost you. Because home appliances that use hard water consume more energy to operate efficiently. That means your electricity bill will go higher.
Cleaning products and detergents don’t dissolve easily in hard water which means more detergents will be used for cleaning. As a result, you will end up spending more money on cleaning products.
Furthermore, if the limescale continues to accumulate on your plumbing fixtures, appliances, and faucets, it will cost you a lot of money on repairs and replacements.
That’s why, the cost of installing a water softener is less than spending money on pricey repairs and high electricity bills.
Overall, installing a water softener can save money in the following ways:
- Reduces lime scale buildups due to which less money is spent on detergents and cleaning products.
- Increases the efficiency of appliances which reduces the electricity bills.
- Save money on maintenance and repairs by reducing lime scale buildup.
3) Healthier Skin and Shiny Hair
If your water is hard then you have to use enormous amounts of soap and cleaning products while taking a bath. This can lead to dry skin and other skin problems.
Also, washing hair with hard water tangles the hair because limescale deposits get left behind. That’s why your hair feels rough after taking a bath.
A water softener will soften the hard water. As a result, your skin will feel healthier after taking the bath and your hair will be shiny as there won’t be any mineral in the soft water.
4) Softer Clothes
Clothes look faded and discolored when washed with hard water. After the wash, the bright color of the clothes turns dull because the limescale deposit leaves a white color behind.
On the other hand, if clothes are washed with soft water then they look brighter and feel soft. Due to this, the durability of your clothes improves.
The clothes look fresh and new when washed in soft water because the cleaning agent dissolves easily in soft water.
5) Cleaner & Spotless Dishes
Hard water contains a high amount of minerals. When these minerals mix with soap, soap scums are formed. The soap scum remains on the surface of dishes due to which spots and stains are visible.
On the other hand, washing dishes with soft water makes them look cleaner and spotless because no scum and mineral deposits get left behind after the wash.
Furthermore, the absence of magnesium in soft water increases the luster and sparkles of glassware which makes them look shiny.
Therefore, water softeners can help you maintain cleaner and spotless dishes in your kitchen.
6) Taste of Water Becomes Better
The taste of hard water feels unpleasant and different due to the presence of calcium and magnesium. But soft water does not contain any of these minerals which are there in hard water.
Therefore, installing a water softener will enhance the taste of your water.