GETTING rid of limescale isn’t always easy, especially from tricky areas like taps in your kitchen and bathroom.
But did you know you don’t need to fork out on pricey products to get the job done?
In fact, the solution you’ve been searching for is likely already in your kitchen cupboards.
Because of minerals like calcium and magnesium in hard water, limescale can form when the water evaporates and and the minerals are left behind.
You can’t use any old products to banish limescale though, as the wrong stuff can damage your taps, depending on what they’re made from.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, cleaning expert Manish Jain, founder of professional cleaning services Ministry of Cleaning, revealed how you can use ketchup to keep your home limescale-free.
“Limescale is not only unsightly but difficult to clean and often requires a whole lot of time as well as expensive cleaning products,” he said.
“That is until now as few realise there are some household ingredients that make removing limescale from certain appliances and items quick and easy.”
According to the pro, ketchup works as a great alternative to harsh cleaning products because of it’s acidic nature.
It turns out the acid in ketchup is perfect for breaking down grime and limescale on your taps – who knew?
So, how should you use ketchup for the best results?
Start with a clean cloth and dip it into the sauce, then simply rub it into your tabs, the pro explained.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Cleaning fans race to B&M after spotting two new Fabulosa scents that they ‘need'” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6367839728112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]Let it sit to work it’s magic for a few minutes before rinsing it off.
The best part is that if you don’t already have some ketchup at home, this hack will cost you as little as 20p, since you can buy a bottle of the red stuff for just £1 in Asda.
And if you don’t fancy that, you can also make use of any lemons you’ve got lying around.
It turns out the citric acid in lemons can also break down mineral deposits, so they’re perfect for cleaning.
Just cut a lemon in half and rub it straight onto your taps before rinsing of minutes later.
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One clever cleaning fan took to the popular Mrs Hinch Army Cleaning Tip group on Facebook to share her personal favourite hack for keeping limescale at bay – and it’s only cost you 18p.
“So many people ask about cleaning cloudy stained shower screens,” she wrote.
“I’m a cleaner and never stop learning methods. I had the opportunity to do a before and after this week at work.”
According to the keen cleaner, a magic sponge is all you need to banish the white build-up on your shower screen.
“I do this method and the stains vanish every time,” the Facebook user said.
“I use a wet magic sponge (my holy grail!), wipe down with a wet microfibre cloth and buff to a shine with a glass cloth.
“Takes less than a minute. Hope it helps you all.”
The best part is you can snap up a multipack of magic sponges for just a couple of quid, making this hack a budget-friendly one.
pack of 10 will set you back just £1.78 from Viking Direct, which works out at just 18p each – not too shabby at all.
Similar products are also available in most supermarkets, like the Flash Ultra Power Magic Eraser, which will set you back £3 for a pack of two.