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 Post subject: help Hard Water Mineral Deposits on Tub/Fixtures
PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 5:25 pm 
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Location: Hi. or Mn.
Hi,

My bathtub & Chrome fixtures need HELP! Very "hard" mineral rich water we have here leaves a horrible residue behind. It is a white hard residue.
I have tried many products & too much elbow grease. Is there a easy way to remove these mineral deposits. CLR, Lime Away, scrubbing bubbles, Oxyclean, have not worked. The tub is acrylic & jetted, the fixtures are heavy chrome plate. I can not use abrasive it will scratch the acrylic or chrome so any non-grit type solution is hoped for.

Thank You for your Help!

John


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 Post subject: Re: help Hard Water Mineral Deposits on Tub/Fixtures
PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 8:11 pm 
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John have you tried The Works? It's a diluted Hydrochloric acid solution and usually can take care of that stuff.

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 Post subject: Re: help Hard Water Mineral Deposits on Tub/Fixtures
PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 9:04 pm 
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And a water softening device to stop it from happening in the future.

Tony,
in Vancouver where we drink melted snow and rain.

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 Post subject: Re: help Hard Water Mineral Deposits on Tub/Fixtures
PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 10:42 pm 
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Have you tried vinegar?

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 Post subject: Re: help Hard Water Mineral Deposits on Tub/Fixtures
PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 12:09 am 
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come on y'all you got to CLR those puppies..you said you used it..dang..figured that stuff would be the best..well if Billy Mays Oxyclean didn't work then don't know what to tell you.."the scratch has met it's match"..oh wait..wrong one..hehehe

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 Post subject: Re: help Hard Water Mineral Deposits on Tub/Fixtures
PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 12:25 am 
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Hello,

Jason,
I will get some "the Works" tomorrow and report if it is the fix.

Tony,
I have a water softener in Mn., add salt works well on Iron rich well water. Will investigate locally for water softener solution. Still have to clean the crust off
fixtures.

empress,
I just tried the vinegar, white variety 5% acid on label. Still lots of scrubbing
and scrapping, little progress. So hoping for a easier solution that is a spray or a gel that eats this mineral buildup away.

Hey amethystguy,
saw your response as I was slow typing! CLR was a waste on this crud, Oxyclean no work either.

If I park the vehicle next to a lawn sprinkler here, same tough white mineral spots will be deposited on paint and glass. I have used polishing compound on the paint and a diamond compound on the windows to remove the spots. But really can not use any abrasive on the acrylic or chrome. Some of the spots with the deposit are tight, (inaccessible to finger/scrubby) and probably be best attacked with a chemical, Which One?

Looking for the magic stuff like on TV (I must have missed that 1 commercial), that sprays on and wipes or rinses away sparkly clean, job done! :D

I am really stuck for a solution :cry:

Mr. Gearloose to the rescue!

Thanks for your ideas,

John


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 Post subject: Re: help Hard Water Mineral Deposits on Tub/Fixtures
PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 1:19 am 
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if I'm not mistaken clr is dilute hcl and it should work if it's a calcium type hard water deposit.....try soaking a papertowel apply to the affected area and wrap with saran wrap to keep it there.then give some time for it to work.Colorado river water, where we get alot of our water is very hard indeed.


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 Post subject: Re: help Hard Water Mineral Deposits on Tub/Fixtures
PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 8:32 am 
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HCl from the hardware store works well. Another option, a little safer and less corrosive for metal fixtures,, is citric acid. it is a powerful chealtor for calcium and magnesium.


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 Post subject: Re: help Hard Water Mineral Deposits on Tub/Fixtures
PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 12:12 pm 
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Quote:
HCl from the hardware store works well.


They call it muriatic acid. I recently learned muriatic acid is HCl. Why don’t they simply call it hydrochloric acid? It is much easier to identify what it is. :smt017

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 Post subject: Re: help Hard Water Mineral Deposits on Tub/Fixtures
PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 12:26 pm 
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mhuynh wrote:
Quote:
HCl from the hardware store works well.


They call it muriatic acid. I recently learned muriatic acid is HCl. Why don’t they simply call it hydrochloric acid? It is much easier to identify what it is. :smt017



mr muriat sued and got the name changed
:mrgreen:


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 Post subject: Re: help Hard Water Mineral Deposits on Tub/Fixtures
PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 1:01 pm 
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Quote:
They call it muriatic acid. I recently learned muriatic acid is HCl. Why don’t they simply call it hydrochloric acid? It is much easier to identify what it is.

It's that accursed Fossil Language. "Oleum", conc. HSO4, "Lunar Caustic", AgNO3, "Niter", KNO3, "Glauber's Salts" Na2SO4·10H2O, etc.

I tease my pharmacist all the time over it, by demanding Three Bromides Elixer, NF, and Acacia Gum and Tincture of Coal Tar. I have a 1940 National Formulary I read for amusement when I'm bored.

I need to donate or discard books.


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 Post subject: Re: help Hard Water Mineral Deposits on Tub/Fixtures
PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 2:01 pm 
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Ok, then how 'bout "liver of sulfer"? I gots a liver, you gots a liver but where does sulfer keep its liver? :mrgreen:

Pete

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 Post subject: Re: help Hard Water Mineral Deposits on Tub/Fixtures
PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 2:47 pm 
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Hi,

Thanks stairman, Mr. G, mhuynh, Roughysdad,

I am off to find the juice.

Will report back on results.

The "spout" fixtures are the worst problem, they are these Kohler(brand) waterfall looking things heavy chrome plate that at the time of purchase looked really cool. However on the daily useful vs. upkeep side are a ****ing nightmare. Only member of the family who enjoys them is my pal kitty, loves to drink from the running waterfall on demand.......MEOW MEOW! Rest of us would have been better of with a "slough".
These fixtures were a bit $ so are a giant disappointment, never thought past how neat they looked. Function before form on this one would have been the way to go.
Reminds me of my comments on shoes.............but that's another........ #-o

John


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 Post subject: Re: help Hard Water Mineral Deposits on Tub/Fixtures
PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 3:24 pm 
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Quote:
The "spout" fixtures are the worst problem, they are these Kohler(brand) waterfall looking things heavy chrome plate that at the time of purchase looked really cool.


Then watch out for strong acids on them. If they are chrome plated Die Cast zinc, you could be in profund doo-doo. Zinc and HCl is a nice fast way of making hydrogen gas and zinc chloride solution. The empty foil-thin layer of chrome plating will be fine though.

Grocery Store, Seasonings, "Sour Salt"...Citric Acid.


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 Post subject: Re: help Hard Water Mineral Deposits on Tub/Fixtures
PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 3:42 pm 
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Quote:
Grocery Store, Seasonings, "Sour Salt"...Citric Acid.

Or freshly squeezed lemon juice.

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Mitch

I am a slave to cutting a stone completely free of chips and very much enjoying it.


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