Hard water is a common problem in America. According to a report, almost 85% of American homes have hard water. Hard water is nothing but water containing magnesium, calcium, and other minerals in more amounts than normal or soft water. The more of these minerals, the hard the water will be.
This hard water can be bad for your bathroom, kitchen, and accessories like showers, taps, and pipes. Hard water can cause severe problems like blockage and water damage. It is also bad for tile and grout the hard water stains are very hard to remove if you ignore them for a long time.
Unfortunately, we can not stop using the water. But you can keep your tile and grout clean. So if you have these stains on the tile and grout of your home, here are some easy steps to remove hard water stains from tile and grout.
Steps for removing hard water stains
As a first step, clean the tile and grout thoroughly using a mixture of water and detergent powder. It will remove all the dirt, oil, grime, and other dust particles present on the tile and grout. For better results, you can wipe the tile and grout area.
After cleaning, remove the excess water but let the tile and grout area wet. Sprinkle salt over the tile and grout stains and wait for some time. Scrub the tile and grout gently using a brush. Salt breaks down the hard water stains and helps get rid of them.
Salt is very effective on hard stains. But in case it does not remove the stains that well, you can use another homemade cleaning solution. To make the solution, add an equal amount of vinegar and warm water and mix it properly.
Spray this solution on the stains and allow the solution to break down the stains for some time. Start scrubbing using a brush or scrubber. You can also sprinkle some baking soda on stains before spraying the solution.
Continue the spaying and scrubbing till you are satisfied with the stain removal. And once done, rinse the tile and grout with warm water. Let clean the tile and grout using a clean cloth.
There are several water softeners available on the market which can be beneficial in preventing further damage. These water softeners are fitted to the source of the water supply and reduce the amount of magnesium and calcium using the ion-exchange process.
Do’s and Don’ts
- Use soft brushes and scrubbers for scrubbing.
- Don’t use harsh chemicals like bleach.
- Be gentle while cleaning the tile and grout.
- Do not use too hot water.
- Use gloves while applying soda and vinegar.
- Avoid using vinegar if you are not sure about tile material.
In the end
Removing hard water stains from tile and grout is a difficult task. You can use homemade cleaning solutions and techniques to get rid of them. It depends on the hardness of the water. You can connect with professionals for better stain removal without any damage risk.
