Descaling the faucet

Fresh, clear water gushes out of every tap in Germany — a luxury that we are not aware of often enough. It is therefore all the more important to keep our water supply as clean and hygienic as possible. Factors that can thwart our plans include calcium deposits on the fittings, but also inside the faucet. We will tell you how you can best remove calcifications and prevent them from forming again in the long term.

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What problems does a calcified faucet cause?

Especially if you live in an area with hard, i.e. very calcareous water, it can happen that your tap calcifies and you have to clean it. From hard water Do you speak of water hardness of 14 °dH (German hardness level). Whether water is hard or not depends primarily on the soil through which drinking water flows. The more calcareous the soil, the more likely it is that lime particles — more precisely calcium and magnesium molecules — will be released from it, be carried along in the water and finally end up in your drinking water system. Does he sit lime If stuck in the tap, this can ensure that less and less water comes out of the pipe and that it no longer flows straight down, but splashes in all directions. In addition, calcium deposits promote the growth of microorganisms, which can lead to health problems in the long term. If you have the impression that your faucet is calcified, it is therefore important to eliminate the problem as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

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Approach the right way to descale the faucet

As easy as it is to remove water from the tap — if you take a closer look at the faucets, you will see that they have a relatively complex structure. You should keep this in mind when cleaning to get a clean and long-lasting end result. However, when cleaning your faucet, always follow the manufacturer's instructions and recommendations. This prevents materials and therefore your faucet from being damaged.

Remove lime from sinks and faucets

It is still relatively easy to descale faucets externally. If you want to remove limescale from taps, special bathroom cleaners are suitable, which use acidic liquids such as vinegar or citric acid to combat the lime. Accordingly, you can also use these home remedies directly. In the case of severe calcifications, only strong rubbing often helps. Instead, try softening the lime with vinegar, vinegar cleaner, or citric acid. Apply the product to a cotton pad or cloth, fix it on the affected area and let it work for a while — overnight if possible. The chalk should then be relatively easy to wipe off with a damp cloth. With stubborn deposits and calcium residues in areas that are difficult to reach, a toothbrush helps, with which you can target the areas.

Descaling the aerator

The aerator is a nozzle that is located at the bottom of the faucet. It regulates the water jet that emerges from the tap and is therefore also known as a jet regulator or mixing nozzle. An aerator usually consists of a mouthpiece, an inner part (sieve) and a seal. If you live in a household with calcareous water, it is also necessary to descale the aerator and thus the faucet strainer. To do this, you can use the method described above. However, it is easier to unscrew the aerator from the tap and thus clean it. Unscrewing can be done by hand or with tap pliers. A pipe wrench is also suitable, but you should place a cloth between the pliers and the aerator to avoid scratches.

Once the aerator has been unscrewed, you can disassemble it into its three parts and insert them directly into the descaler until the lime is easy to remove. But be careful: You should never pickle the sealing ring, as it is usually made of rubber and could become porous. After cleaning, rinse the individual parts of the aerator with water, put them back together and turn on the tap. If your aerator is very calcified and is a bit older, it may be useful to change the faucet aerator. Perlators are available at specialist SHK retailers or hardware stores.

Descaling the inside of the faucet

Have you removed lime from your faucets and aerator, but the water is still flowing sparsely from the tap? It may be necessary to descale the inside of your faucet. To do this, you have to dismantle your faucet. To do this, first turn off the water at the main tap and check whether there is really no more water coming out of the tap you want to clean. Then you can unscrew the fitting and place it in a descaler or diluted vinegar. If you want to descale with vinegar, play it safe and dilute the acid relatively strongly (5:1 mixing ratio). This prevents the vinegar from corroding the chrome of the faucet. Once the faucet has been dismantled, it makes sense to invest in new sealing rings and install them with the cleaned faucet.