Surely the following situation has happened to you, where you are in the shower and when you turn on the water, it does not come out. Well, the main cause of this is lime.
Lime is an alkaline, caustic and corrosive compound in its purest form.
How is lime formed?
Before seeing how to avoid limescale in the shower, it is necessary to know how it forms and why.
Lime, also known as scale, is formed due to the accumulation of different minerals such as calcium and magnesium dissolved in the purest water. These are deposited on the surfaces that come into contact with water, thus forming the white, solid layer characteristic of this compound.
When water evaporates or heats, the minerals dissolved in this substance become more concentrated and therefore deposit more quickly on surfaces. Hence, it is common to find lime or scale in areas such as the shower, taps, pipes through which water circulates or even in some appliances where water is introduced, such as the coffee maker or iron.
Another important aspect is that the formation of scale or lime can be related to the quality of the water supplied. That is, depending on the region, the water may have a higher or lower concentration of minerals; the higher the concentration, the greater the accumulation of lime will occur.
How to avoid limescale in the shower?
Below I show you some tips on how to avoid limescale in the shower:
- Clean regularly: One way to prevent the appearance of limescale is to clean the shower regularly. You have to pay more attention to the walls and floor of the shower, it is advisable to clean it at least once a week.
- Dry the shower after having used it: As we mentioned before, limescale is formed thanks to the accumulation of different minerals. If we dry the shower after having used it, we reduce the remains of water that may have remained and, therefore, we reduce the probability of limescale forming.
- Use anti-limescale products: These products help prevent lime buildup and can be purchased at any home improvement store.
- Install a filter: One of the most used options and with the greatest results is to install a shower filter like the one we have at Tapp Water. With this system, the amount of minerals in the water and, therefore, the probability of limescale buildup will be considerably reduced.
How to clean limescale from the shower screen?
If you want to find out how to clean limescale from the shower screen, you can follow any of the following methods:- Vinegar: We can apply vinegar directly to the surface where the lime buildup is located, letting it act for about 15-30 minutes, then rinse with plenty of clean water.
- Baking soda and lemon: Another option is to form a paste with baking soda and lemon, then apply it to the surface with lime, wait 10-15 minutes and rinse with plenty of clean water.
- Scraper: If the limescale has been there for a long time, and with the other methods mentioned above, you still cannot remove it, then you can use a scraper to remove it.