Florida Hard Water - How To Get Rid Of And Prevent Limescale And Soap Scum Buildup.

Have you ever noticed that pesky ring in your toilet that builds up over time and nothing seems to be a good solution? Have your glass shower doors been stained with water spots and they seem to be getting cloudier by the day? This is so frustrating! But here in Florida this is all too common. Why is that? And what can you do to get rid of it, and prevent it from returning?

At Suzie Q Cleaning, we have the solution!

Much of our land here in Florida is rich in mineral deposits, specifically Limestone. When it rains, the water filters down into the land and dissolves this limestone, creating the hard water that you're all too familiar with. When this limescale meets the soap in your tub and shower, soap scum is created. This is the rough, cloudy layer that you may start to notice on shower walls and glass doors. In addition to cloudy glass shower doors, rings in the toilet, and built up grime around sink faucets, this hard water can also be bad for your hair, skin, clothes, lawn, and so on.

In toilets, urine can also combine with the limescale and cause a chemical reaction that results in something called "urine scale" as seen below:

So what can you do about it? The most obvious and costly answer is to install a top quality water softener in your home (or an alternative system). Water softeners use salt to break down the limestone and other minerals that are in your water before it reaches your home. Other, less costly yet less effective options to help control the effects of the Limescale in your shower are to install a mini water softener that attaches to your shower head, and to use a squeegee to dry off glass doors and tile walls after each shower.

Already got the build up? Lime-Away is a great product for dissolving and scrubbing away limescale and soap scum. Just be sure to read the product instructions carefully, make sure the room is well ventilated, wear your gloves and other safety items, and check that it is safe to use on whatever surface you are experiencing this build up. There are several other at-home remedies using less harsh chemicals - try using vinegar to break down the build-up, or even a can of Coke combined with some baking soda! More intense build-ups in toilets will need a more aggressive approach. For this, we recommend a pumice stone. Yes, just like the one you'd use on your feet! Once the pumice stone is wet you will use it to grind away the stone. Don't worry, pumice stones will not scratch porcelain! Once you have gotten rid of the ring, use the Toilet Bowl Lime Away once or twice a week to help keep the limescale build up at bay.

Limescale and soap scum build up are annoying, but they're two things that we have to deal with in order to call Florida our beautiful home. ☀️