How to Remove Limescale

Co-authored by Alicia Sokolowski

Last Updated: October 5, 2024 References

Limescale is a calcium carbonate deposit left when water evaporates from a surface. Over time, this mineral builds up, causing white crystals to form. Limescale often forms on household appliances as well as on surfaces like taps and shower heads. Luckily, using basic white vinegar and some elbow grease, you can easily remove limescale to reveal the sparkling surface underneath!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Removing Limescale From Appliances

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1
Pour vinegar in the appliance.^{[1]
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Alicia Sokolowski
Green Cleaning Specialist

Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.} White vinegar (acetic acid) is a great cleaner that can remove even the toughest deposits and stains without affecting the surface below. Acetic acid is a biocompatible and relatively gentle chemical, making it an effective alternative to commercial cleaning products for use in appliances.
- To clean a kettle or coffeemaker, fill it with equal parts water and vinegar.^{[2]
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- For washing machines or dishwashers, pour vinegar into the dispensing drawer of the machine.^{[3]
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- Lemon juice is also a good substitute for vinegar if you don't have any in your home.
If you are cleaning out a coffee maker or kettle, let the vinegar sit for an hour.^{[4]
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Alicia Sokolowski
Green Cleaning Specialist

Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.} This allows the vinegar to sink into the water compartment, which is usually the part of the machine that suffers from limescale.^{[5]
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If you are cleaning a washing machine or a dishwasher, you don't need to let the vinegar soak.

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Run a cycle of the appliance you are cleaning. The acid of the vinegar along with the heat will work to infiltrate the limescale and remove it from the inside of the appliance.^{[6]
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After you have done a vinegar cycle, do a regular cycle. For coffeemakers and kettles, fill with water and boil. For washing machines and dishwashers, put the machine through a cycle without any soap or cleaner. This will wash out any remnants of the vinegar to leave your appliance vinegar and limescale free!

If you are cleaning a coffeemaker or kettle you may want to do several cycles so you don't taste the vinegar the next time you use it.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Removing Limescale From Taps

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Alicia Sokolowski
Green Cleaning Specialist

Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.} Take an absorbent rag or towel and soak it in white vinegar. Make sure that the entire towel has absorbed the vinegar, not just a section of it. Wring it out if it is excessively dripping, but make it as wet as possible.^{[8]
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Alicia Sokolowski
Green Cleaning Specialist

Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.} Take the rag and wrap it around the tap. Use rubber bands to hold the rag in place. Make sure that the entire surface of the metal is touching the rag. Leave the rag wrapped around the tap for an hour. After an hour, remove the rag.^{[10]
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Leaving the rag around the faucet helps the vinegar break apart and remove stubborn limescale.
You should notice that your faucet looks much better! Use a clean cloth to remove the last remnants of limescale and vinegar. Use a Q-tip to get at hard to reach nooks.^{[11]
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4
Submerge the head of the faucet. Sometimes the head of the faucet needs special attention because it is the place that tends to accumulate the most limescale. If you notice that the rest of the tap looks great but the head still has some limescale, take a small cup of vinegar and submerge the head of the faucet in it.^{[12]
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- Wrap a towel around the whole head a the faucet, including the cup, and rubber band it in place.
- Make sure that the towel is tight around the faucet so that the head of the tap stays submerged.
After an hour, remove the towel and the cup from the head of the tap. Use a clean cloth to wipe away any remaining vinegar and limescale. If you're cleaning your sink faucet, turn it on and run it for a few seconds so you don't taste vinegar the next time you use it!^{[13]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Removing Limescale From Toilets

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To adjust the level, flush the toilet and while it is flushing, turn the screw of the adjustment level counterclockwise. Do this until the bowl of the toilet is empty or almost empty.^{[14]
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Mix two to three cups of white vinegar with equal parts borax. Pour it directly into your toilet bowl, making sure the areas affected by limescale are under the liquid. Leave it for two hours to allow the borax and vinegar to dissolve the limescale.^{[15]
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After you have let the limescale soak, return to the toilet and scrub vigorously with a scrub brush with the vinegar and borax mixture still in the toilet bowl.^{[16]
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4
Flush the toilet. After scrubbing, flush the toilet to let the vinegar borax mixture go down the drains. The water should wash away any remnants of limescale. If you still see limescale, do another scrub of the toilet and flush it again. Repeat until all the limescale is gone.^{[17]
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- Don't forget to readjust the level on your toilet.

Expert Q&A

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What will dissolve limescale?

Alicia Sokolowski
Green Cleaning Specialist
Alicia Sokolowski is a Green Cleaning Specialist and the President and co-CEO of AspenClean, a green cleaning company in Vancouver, British Columbia. With over 2 decades of experience, Alicia specializes in creating a healthier, green alternative to chemical-based cleaning products and services. AspenClean develops and manufactures its own line of 100% Natural, EcoCert® certified, and EWG verified™ cleaning products. AspenClean’s glass cleaner was voted Parent’s Green Pick 2020 by readers of the Parents’ magazine. Alicia holds a CPA designation and a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Finance from the University of Toronto.

Alicia Sokolowski

Green Cleaning Specialist

Expert Answer

White vinegar is great at dissolving limescale. Just spray it on the surface and let it sit for an hour before wiping it off.

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I have 1/8 inch thick of limescale on the outer top rim of my bathtub. What is the easiest way to remove it, with no damage to the tub?

Community Answer

Use a toothbrush and limescale spray. It is gentle on your bathtub, but also effectively cleans.

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How do I remove limescale from around my faucet taps?

Community Answer

Use acetic acid or white vinegar. For heavy build-up or extra stubborn limescale buildup soak a rag in the acid or vinegar and wrap it around the faucet taps. Let the soaked rag sit an hour or two around the taps and the limescale should come right off.

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Tips

To remove limescale from flat surfaces, spray the surfaces with vinegar and wipe or scrub away the limescale.^{[18]
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Alicia Sokolowski
Green Cleaning Specialist

Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.}

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Get in the habit or wiping down or cleaning the surfaces in your home that are affected by limescale to prevent limescale from accumulating in the future.

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