How to clean faucet – options with and without vinegar and baking soda
Faucets – Regular maintenance
An ordinary sponge with a little dish-washing detergent is enough for regular cleaning of faucets. If you by chance have a dishwasher in your home, you can also use part of the dish-washing tablet for cleaning by crushing it in a water spray. This may be a slightly more expensive option, but it is also a great way to clean the glass from the shower cabin and to remove grease from the oven.
If you haven’t cleaned the faucet regularly …
If you haven’t cleaned the taps regularly, it is great possibility that limescale and other stubborn deposits have “caught” on the taps. If this is the case, you can clean the faucet by making a mixture of one tablespoon of baking soda, one tablespoon of citric acid (squeeze lemon juice or buy citric acid from store) and half a tablespoon of liquid dish-washing detergent. Put the gloves on your hands and spread the sponge / cloth on the faucet with this mixture and wait for ten minutes.
Spray over with any vinegar** you have at home (alcoholic, wine, apple), but in order to use it rationally, transfer it to a spray pump. As soon as the foaming is finished (less then 2 minutes!*), wipe the faucet (use an old toothbrush for hard-to-reach parts). Most of it will be removed just by showering the faucet with the water. Do not clean these parts with sharp objects (screwdriver, scalpel and knife).
Cleaning without vinegar. Faucet cleaning with vinegar is faster but if you do not have it or just want to avoid using it, the cleaning will be successful but a little effort should put depending on how dirty the faucet is.
* Even soaking your shower head or faucets for more than 10 minutes puts their chrome finish at risk. Vinegar may be a mild acid, but it’s an acid nonetheless, so take care about it. As long as you don’t leave it on the faucet for more than a few minutes and rinse it well with a water, there is no reason to worry.
** Don’t use abrasive, alcohol-based, acid or solvent-based cleaners on brushed nickel. These cleaners can damage the finish. Instead of vinegar use a mixture of dish-washing detergent and baking soda.
If you haven’t cleaned the faucet at all …
First, apply the tips listed above, but in most cases you would not be able to clean it completely, so in oreder to remove the most stubborn grease stains you will have to use a cleanser against limescale and simply rinse it under running water or use a sponge. Be sure not to use wire and other rough objects that can mechanically damage the faucet.
It is necessary to take care of regular maintenance of faucets in your home, because when your guests arrive first thing they usaually do is going to the bathroom to wash hands. Also, if you clean the faucets from limescale irregularly or incorrectly, the surface layer can deteriorate, corrode and be damaged relatively quickly, and impair the aesthetic appearance. By regularly cleaning and maintaining things in your home, you can preserve practicality and functionality, while avoiding possible costs.