There are secure ( and easier ! ) ways to fight stubborn mineral spot .

Jacob Fox

If your algorithm has landed you on the # CleanTok side of societal media , your provender is likely fill with hack after hack demonstrating how to achieve a squeaky - uninfected distance . There ’s nothing amiss with want to learn a new born cleaning method or estimate out a more efficient path to get your chores done . However , for everygenius viral cleanup ward-heeler , there are just as many that turn out to be ineffective at full anddownright dangerousat worst . The trick is to do your research before attempting anything you watched an influencer demonstrate .

Cleaning faucet head

Credit:Jacob Fox

Thelatest viral cleaning tipis a lifelike solution that supposedly extinguish grueling water stain with a simple innate cleaning solution — but it might not be the magical fix it is likely . Here ’s what to know before try it .

What Are Hard Water Stains?

Depending on where you live , your home may be prone to what is called hard piddle , thanks to its underground rock , soil , and mineral makeup . As water travels through the earthly concern , it naturally picks these thing up along the way . And , if those thing come about to be a high intensity of Ca and magnesium ions , the water that comes out of your plumbing will be considered operose .

Hard piddle builds up and leaves behind seeable mineral deposits ( also cognise as ' scale ' ) on appliances , faucets , bathroom fix , and anywhere else that ’s on a regular basis exposed to your home ’s pee provision . It can ruffle with soap to form soap scum residue and leave behind hard - to - remove grunge . Sure , they ’re unsightly to look at , but the bigger issue is that knockout water canclog pipes , cause gismo to perform poorly , andreduce water pressure .

What Is the Viral Hard Water Stain Hack?

A professional housecleaner first demonstrated the hack onher TikTok accountand , about a week later , another Jehovah be suit by showing it off onher TikTok account , essentially backing up the original card ’s title . presently , the picture have a meld 4.6 million views , and the reactions from commenters are mixed . Each creator shows themselves filling an empty spray bottleful with the following unwashed home factor :

They then shake the bottleful to blend ingredients before liberally spraying the commixture all over shower fixtures and directly wipe them clean with a textile .

Water Spots vs. Hard Water Stains

It ’s worth mention that the arduous water habitus - up is importantly spoiled in one of the video than the other . It appears that theprofessional cleaner(who let on that the shower in the video belongs to her client ) is actually crop to off water spots as opposed to hard water system stain .

So , what ’s the difference between even water spots and factual tough water stains ? gruelling weewee can contribute to stain , but unconstipated water spots are chiefly the termination of gunky remainder exit to accumulate on pixilated surfaces . They ’re also normally easy to cleanse than obstinate hard water supply , and do n’t demand any limited cleansing solution .

Either way , bothshowers go from looking dingy to gleamingin a topic of seconds — so it appear this hack is a shot dunk . Right ? We really do n’t opine so — while it might aid the coming into court of your stains , the homemade cleansing agent is unnecessary .

Should You Try the Hard Water Stain Hack?

Before examine this viral hack , there are a few affair to regard . For one , the ratio used to concoct this DIY cleanser are unclear . Neither creator lists the recipe in their video or subtitle and respond to commenter inquires are undefined . base on the videos , it appears they used one part acetum , one part alcohol , three parts water , and a few cliff of dish soap . These ingredients are take for dependable to apply in continuative with one another , but even so , you should never ruffle cleaners or chemicals without proper ratio .

To add together to the confusion , a third TikToker posteda similar laborious water system remotion videothat has racked up 3.8 M views on its own . Although subtle , the element used in this one are clearly unlike . White acetum issubstituted with clean house vinegar , the dish soap is swap out for a bridge player and dishwashing liquified jazz group , and the water is left out entirely .

Another reason to be wary of this taxicab is that this combination of element is unneeded . There are easier and wide-eyed way to remove hard pee stains .

What to Do Instead

There are prepackaged products on the marketplace that are design specifically to transfer operose H2O stain by targeting lime and Ca . And if you ’d rather stick tonatural cleaning mathematical product , a simple two - element solution of vinegar or hydrogen hydrogen peroxide and piddle will go sufficiently to remove arduous pee filth . It ’s also worth noting that when immix with acetum and water , Dawn dishsoap makes a great meth cleaner — however , it ’s been given a five hundred grade by theEnvironmental Working Groupdue to its toxic ingredients . So if you ’re looking for a natural resolution , it ’s best to skip the viral confection . ( And if you do try it , debar stand in inCastile soap , as it does n’t engage with hard piddle . )

At the end of the sidereal day , trying this cleaning method acting to move out hard water stains wo n’t needfully cause any injury to the fixtures and surfaces in your place . Unless , of course , you ’re work with a specific finish or material , such as matte grim faucet orgranite roofing tile , that requires particular care . Otherwise , lifelike solution are easy , cheap , and you just might find it more effective than your previous go - to cleanup method .