Descaling taps

[blackrose]

For those in hardwater areas, how do you remove the build up of limescale on the end of your taps? Also I haven't lived in a house for many years but I never remember it being an issue. Perhaps that's because when I did live in houses and flats I was just renting so I didn't care, I'm not sure.

 

Anyway, I bought this rubber tap scrotum from ebay for a couple of quid. You just attach it to the tap and fill it with vinegar. Seems to work quite well.

 

 

 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

18 minutes ago, blackrose said:

rubber tap scrotum

A clever product, but I am not typing that in to any sort of search engine. 😱

[bizzard]

You could pickle an egg or onions in that scrotum at the same time.

[booke23]

A very good idea that product.

 

I use food grade powered citric acid....it's much stronger than vinegar and can be bought off amazon in 1kg bags. Just put a teaspoon of it in that receptacle and fill with warm water...stir it a bit and put it on the tap and leave it for an hour or two and it'll be as good as new. You can use the citric acid in kettles, shower heads etc with no ill effects. 

[David Mack]

I have improvised by wrapping a poultice of toilet paper soaked in vinegar around taps, but that scrotum looks to be much easier.

(Did they advertise it as a 'tap scrotum' or did you just make the name up?)

[Chris Lowe]

2 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

A clever product, but I am not typing that in to any sort of search engine. 😱

Here you go Jen save you searching on that word.

 

https://www.lakeland.co.uk/23435/limey-standard-tap-head-cleaner?src=gfeed&gclid=CjwKCAjw682TBhATEiwA9crl32biJeDFKKyiucmwtNXdzX8qzYwBPooX6RSwljSuM-xmLJLii58BJhoCl_IQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Similar one from Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Limey-Descaling-Gadget-Scale-Removal/dp/B007D2A4UO

Edited May 5, 2022 by buccaneer66

[blackrose]

2 hours ago, David Mack said:

I have improvised by wrapping a poultice of toilet paper soaked in vinegar around taps, but that scrotum looks to be much easier.

(Did they advertise it as a 'tap scrotum' or did you just make the name up?)

 

I came up with that name. I think it was just called a tap descaler.

4 hours ago, booke23 said:

A very good idea that product.

 

I use food grade powered citric acid....it's much stronger than vinegar and can be bought off amazon in 1kg bags. Just put a teaspoon of it in that receptacle and fill with warm water...stir it a bit and put it on the tap and leave it for an hour or two and it'll be as good as new. You can use the citric acid in kettles, shower heads etc with no ill effects. 

 

Thanks, I'll have a look at citric acid if it's stronger than acetic acid (vinegar).

[jonathanA]

Tap scrotum.... brilliant..

I'm just imagining the dragons den pitch..

 

And Debra's face....

 

😂😂

 

 

[Jon57]

6 hours ago, blackrose said:

For those in hardwater areas, how do you remove the build up of limescale on the end of your taps? Also I haven't lived in a house for many years but I never remember it being an issue. Perhaps that's because when I did live in houses and flats I was just renting so I didn't care, I'm not sure.

 

Anyway, I bought this rubber tap scrotum from ebay for a couple of quid. You just attach it to the tap and fill it with vinegar. Seems to work quite well.

 

 

 

Just use a durex. Much cheaper. New of course 😁😁👍

[Chris Lowe]

5 minutes ago, Jon57 said:

Just use a durex. Much cheaper. New of course 😁😁👍

I use cleaning vinegar it's much stronger

[booke23]

2 hours ago, blackrose said:

I'll have a look at citric acid if it's stronger than acetic acid (vinegar).

There isn't much difference in strength, but vinegar is 95% water whereas you can make a stronger solution with citric acid powder. But more importantly, citric acid is a tribasic acid which means the chemical reaction is faster and limescale disappears faster, whereas acetic acid is a monobasic acid so the chemical reaction is slower.  

[BlueStringPudding]

Rubber tap scrotum is my new favourite phrase. I hope to be able to use it in everyday conversation   😃

[Chris Lowe]

Now we just need some wag with a double sink and mixer taps to descale both taps

[ditchcrawler]

Marigolds, do 5 at once

[Tacet]

On 05/05/2022 at 12:38, booke23 said:

A very good idea that product.

 

I use food grade powered citric acid....it's much stronger than vinegar and can be bought off amazon in 1kg bags.

Your friendly, local dealer should be able to provide it too, I believe

[Cyryl]

Most areas of WA have this hardwater issue, especially in the case of groundwater supplies. Thank God I don't have to suffer much. Otherwise, I have seen others using hardwater filters.

[blackrose]

7 minutes ago, Cyryl said:

Most areas of WA have this hardwater issue, especially in the case of groundwater supplies. Thank God I don't have to suffer much. Otherwise, I have seen others using hardwater filters.

 

The magnets and cheap electronic units that claim to reduce limescale don't work. I've tried them for years. Total rubbish. Not sure about the more expensive devices that add stuff to the water.

[Cyryl]

6 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

The magnets and cheap electronic units that claim to reduce limescale don't work. I've tried them for years. Total rubbish. Not sure about the more expensive devices that add stuff to the water.

I am not a regular user but I have heard that certain companies make pretty effective shower filters. Also, the faucet filter purifiers do some cleanup if not 100%.  I don't think any electronics can do the total job, but to some extent, products work. And of course, the quality of the product technology varies. Everything is just a word-of-mouth experience.

[tree monkey]

On 05/05/2022 at 18:56, buccaneer66 said:

I use cleaning vinegar it's much stronger

Doesn't that burn?

 

[Murflynn]

doesn't the tap have a screw-on nozzle?

 

when I moved into my flat in Abingdon Marina that had been unoccupied for years I found all the taps were gunged up with scale but I managed to remove the bits at the spout end and soak them in vinegar overnight.  Job's a good'un.

[Chris Lowe]

27 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

Doesn't that burn?

 

No but the fumes are choking you need a mask on

[Ex Brummie]

Cut a lemon in half, use half to serve your gin and tonic. force the other half on the end of the tap and leave overnight. If you have two taps, you'll have to forego the gin and tonic.

[booke23]

9 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

The magnets and cheap electronic units that claim to reduce limescale don't work. I've tried them for years. Total rubbish. Not sure about the more expensive devices that add stuff to the water.

 

9 hours ago, Cyryl said:

I am not a regular user but I have heard that certain companies make pretty effective shower filters. Also, the faucet filter purifiers do some cleanup if not 100%.  I don't think any electronics can do the total job, but to some extent, products work. And of course, the quality of the product technology varies. Everything is just a word-of-mouth experience.

 

I know someone with one of those Ion exchange water softeners in their house. It works very well, but they are a bit pricey, quite large and require frequent topping up with dishwasher salt. Also it is not advised that you drink the water from the softener as it contains a small amount of sodium from the softening process. 

[blackrose]

8 hours ago, Murflynn said:

doesn't the tap have a screw-on nozzle?

 

when I moved into my flat in Abingdon Marina that had been unoccupied for years I found all the taps were gunged up with scale but I managed to remove the bits at the spout end and soak them in vinegar overnight.  Job's a good'un.

 

Only the kitchen one and it's a pain to get it off.

[ditchcrawler]

I have one of these at home but didn't pay that sort of price for it