blackrose Posted May 5, 2022 Report Share Posted May 5, 2022 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. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen-in-Wellies Posted May 5, 2022 Report Share Posted May 5, 2022 18 minutes ago, blackrose said: rubber tap scrotum A clever product, but I am not typing that in to any sort of search engine. 😱 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bizzard Posted May 5, 2022 Report Share Posted May 5, 2022 You could pickle an egg or onions in that scrotum at the same time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
booke23 Posted May 5, 2022 Report Share Posted May 5, 2022 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mack Posted May 5, 2022 Report Share Posted May 5, 2022 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?) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Lowe Posted May 5, 2022 Report Share Posted May 5, 2022 (edited) 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackrose Posted May 5, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2022 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). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathanA Posted May 5, 2022 Report Share Posted May 5, 2022 Tap scrotum.... brilliant.. I'm just imagining the dragons den pitch.. And Debra's face.... 😂😂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon57 Posted May 5, 2022 Report Share Posted May 5, 2022 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 😁😁👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Lowe Posted May 5, 2022 Report Share Posted May 5, 2022 5 minutes ago, Jon57 said: Just use a durex. Much cheaper. New of course 😁😁👍 I use cleaning vinegar it's much stronger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
booke23 Posted May 5, 2022 Report Share Posted May 5, 2022 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueStringPudding Posted May 5, 2022 Report Share Posted May 5, 2022 Rubber tap scrotum is my new favourite phrase. I hope to be able to use it in everyday conversation 😃 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Lowe Posted May 5, 2022 Report Share Posted May 5, 2022 Now we just need some wag with a double sink and mixer taps to descale both taps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted May 5, 2022 Report Share Posted May 5, 2022 Marigolds, do 5 at once 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tacet Posted May 6, 2022 Report Share Posted May 6, 2022 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyryl Posted May 7, 2022 Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackrose Posted May 7, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyryl Posted May 7, 2022 Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tree monkey Posted May 7, 2022 Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 On 05/05/2022 at 18:56, buccaneer66 said: I use cleaning vinegar it's much stronger Doesn't that burn? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murflynn Posted May 7, 2022 Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Lowe Posted May 7, 2022 Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 27 minutes ago, tree monkey said: Doesn't that burn? No but the fumes are choking you need a mask on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex Brummie Posted May 7, 2022 Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 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. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
booke23 Posted May 7, 2022 Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackrose Posted May 7, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted May 7, 2022 Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 I have one of these at home but didn't pay that sort of price for it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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