Your kitchen faucet is what you most likely use to clean your dishes, fill cups with drinking water and use for water when cooking or cleaning. How many times have you thought to look at the underside of your kitchen faucet though? Is it a spot that you remember to clean often? If not, it definitely should be.
Guidelines and Limitations: Safely Cleaning Your Faucets
Faucets are an integral part of our homes, providing us with access to clean water for various tasks, from cooking to cleaning. However, over time, they can accumulate grime, limescale, and even rust. While it's essential to keep them clean, it's equally crucial to understand the restrictions and guidelines associated with cleaning faucets to ensure their longevity and maintain their finish. Here are some key considerations:
- Avoid Abrasive Scrubbers: While it might be tempting to use steel wool or other abrasive scrubbers to remove tough stains, these can scratch the surface of your faucet, leading to permanent damage. Instead, opt for soft cloths or sponges.
- Steer Clear of Harsh Chemicals: Many commercial cleaners contain chemicals that can corrode or tarnish the finish of your faucet. Always check the label and avoid products with acids or other potentially harmful ingredients. Instead, consider using natural cleaners like vinegar or baking soda.
- Water Temperature Matters: When cleaning, avoid using extremely hot water as it can affect the finish of some faucets, especially those with special coatings.
- Be Mindful of Plated Finishes: Faucets with plated finishes, such as gold or nickel, require extra care. Avoid any acidic cleaners and always dry the faucet after cleaning to prevent water spots.
- Regular Maintenance: While deep cleaning is essential, regular maintenance can prevent the buildup of grime and limescale. Wiping your faucet with a damp cloth daily can keep it looking new and reduce the need for intensive cleaning.
- Check Manufacturer's Instructions: Always refer to the cleaning instructions provided by the faucet's manufacturer. They often provide specific guidelines tailored to the material and finish of the product.
- Avoid Bleach: Chlorine bleach can be particularly harsh on faucets, leading to discoloration and corrosion. If you need a disinfectant, consider alternatives or ensure that any bleach is thoroughly rinsed off.
Kitchen faucets are a breeding ground for mold, mildew and lime buildup, and should be cleaned at least once every couple of weeks. I'm going to show you a super easy way to clean a kitchen faucet so you can feel good about the water you are using on a daily basis.
To clean your kitchen faucet, all you need is distilled white vinegar, a baggie and a rubber band or elastic hair tie.
Start by filling your baggie half way full with distilled white vinegar.
Any white vinegar will do. Vinegar is an amazing disinfectant and will help kill any germs and bacteria.
Pull the baggie of vinegar up over your kitchen faucet and secure it with your rubber band or hair tie and let sit for 20-30 minutes.
Remove the baggie and discard. Use a dish brush to remove any bits that are left on the faucet head and rinse with warm water.
All of your faucet's jets should now be clear of any mold, mildew, lime build up and food particles, soyou can use it without fear of spreading those things to other areas of your kitchen!
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FAQs
Remove limestone stains with WD-40!
Spray the product directly on the faucet, showerhead, or sink and then wipe it with a cloth or an old toothbrush. It tackles the most stubborn limescale deposits quickly.
What is the best cleaner for faucets? ›
To remove hard water stains, use a solution of 50/50 white vinegar and water. Lime and calcium buildup on a faucet can be hard to remove, especially if left to accumulate. Enter Touch-Clean Spray Holes, an innovation that makes cleaning mineral buildup super easy and chemical cleaners unnecessary.
What is the best solution to clean a kitchen sink? ›
Mix dish soap with water and start scrubbing
I typically clean my sink using a mixture of water with the same Dawn Original Dishwashing Liquid that I use to hand wash my dishes. Using this soapy solution with a scrub brush or sponge, you should be able to get any gross food residue off the sink.
What dissolves calcium deposits on faucets? ›
White Vinegar, Baking Soda & Lemon
It's also helpful when addressing hard water stains or calcium buildup. Use a spray bottle or cloth damp with vinegar to wet the area. An old toothbrush can also be used to scrub in the hard-to-reach places for a better, cleaner faucet.
What dissolves calcium the fastest? ›
White Vinegar
This ingredient you likely have sitting in your cabinet in your kitchen. Not only is it great for salads, but white vinegar is great at getting out hardened water stains. You'll want to utilize the rags and place it over the fixtures to break down calcium buildups.
Will vinegar damage finish on faucet? ›
"For example, vinegar can damage chrome finishes by eating the finish right off if left on the surface for too long." Vinegar should not be left on chrome for more than two hours, and this ingredient should not be left on nickel, gold, or brass for over 30 minutes, Parnell explains.
Does hydrogen peroxide clean faucets? ›
Next, Spray hydrogen peroxide all over to saturate. You'll begin to see little bubbles where the dirty parts are. This is what you want because it's working it's magic 🙂 Let it sit for about 3-5 minutes… Grab your toothbrush and start to scrub.
Can I use CLR to clean my faucet? ›
CLR can quickly remove calcium buildup on your showerheads, faucets, and other appliances. It is a safe alternative to other traditional calcium removal chemicals.
How do I get calcium deposits off my kitchen faucet? ›
You can put vinegar in a spray bottle and use it like you would an all-purpose cleaner, or simply soak a cleaning cloth in vinegar, wrap around your faucet, and allow it to penetrate for several hours before wiping clean. When regular cleaning isn't doing the trick, try soaking your faucets or showerheads overnight.
Is CLR better than vinegar? ›
CLR might do a better job. Vinegar is a mild acid, and that is what will disolve minerals. CLR is stronger, and dishwasher demineralizer is about 25% phosphoric acid. Howver, stronger products may harm finishes on your shower head.
A baking soda, salt, and vinegar solution can help remove hard water stains if left to sit in a sink for thirty minutes to an hour. When you remove the drain plug, the foamy stuff will also unclog the sink pipes on its way down!
What is a natural cleaner for kitchen sink? ›
If any tough stains linger, sprinkle the sink with baking soda again. This time, add a few drops of hydrogen peroxide or lemon juice to your sponge before scrubbing. Another option is to slightly dampen the baking soda sprinkled around the sink to form a paste. Then, pour a little vinegar onto the paste.
Is baking soda and vinegar good for kitchen sink? ›
If your sink has a minor clog, there are two products that will keep you from calling the plumber: baking soda and vinegar. The common household products can easily break down mineral deposits that build up in drains and cause clogs.
Does WD-40 remove hard water deposits? ›
Did you know WD-40 ® is a great toilet cleaner for hard water stains?
How do you remove hardened calcium deposits? ›
White vinegar is a natural solution that can be utilized to dissolve calcium buildup. Sitting overnight, you will be able to remove lime buildup from the drain while avoiding the harsh chemicals in traditional drain cleaners.
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