Hard water is a real nuisance, and it can quickly make the tiles in your bathroom look grubby, unhygienic and uncared for.
Water is made hard due to a high concentration of calcium and magnesium, and when water in your bathroom evaporates, it leaves a very fine coat on the surface of the tiles. Over time, this coat that’s made up of calcium and magnesium will begin to mix with dirt particles and fresh mineral crystals, and leave you with an ugly brown layer of hard water deposits and dirt.
Thankfully, there are a few simple steps you can take to tackle the problem of hard water stains, and here are 3 of the most effective:
- Use a bathroom water softener
This solution will eliminate the problem of hard water stains altogether, and is a device that can be attached to the water source in your home, to soften the water. Using an ion exchange process to replace excess calcium and magnesium with the ions of sodium or potassium, you get soft water and can say goodbye to hard water stains, for good.
Whether you choose a device that softens the water for your entire water supply, or just one that works for a certain water supply in your home, a water softener device is a worthy investment if hard water is wreaking havoc in your home.
- Try white vinegar
This store cupboard essential is cheap and remarkably effective for so many things in the home, and has long been used for getting rid of hard water stains on tiles. Mildly acidic, white vinegar is also effective for preventing mold, mildew and germ growth in bathrooms, and with a solution of equal parts vinegar to water, you can simply spray it onto the tiles, leave it for an hour or two, and then scrub it off with a brush or sponge. For more stubborn stains, try adding some baking soda to the mixture.
- Try salt
This is another store cupboard essential that’s a cost effective and extremely useful ingredient for eliminating hard water stains and killing germs. While this is perhaps most effective when used on tiled floors (because the salt crystals will stick better), it can be safely used for any tiled surface. Make sure the surface is wet before sprinkling salt onto the tiles; leave it for a minimum of thirty minutes. Then, simply scrub the salt off with a brush or sponge, and watch as the hard water stains disappear!
Like these tips but think they sound like too much hard work? Hire a cleaning service, and when they arrive, show them the affected tiles and sit back and watch (or go about your day) as they get them sparkling clean and smelling fresh, in next to no time.
