Have you ever experienced using any kind of plastic material over time and incurring all sorts of stains over it? One of the most challenging things to remove over plastic, particularly on windows are staining from hard or tap water.
It can be quite a challenge to two because of the chemical particles that come with the water droplets itself. Another problem with these particular types of stains is that they are visible on plastic surfaces. This development, in turn, gives the situation a sense of urgency that most homeowners do not know how to deal with effectively.
Fortunately, with this article, you will be able to find the best ways on how to remove hard water stains from plastic without difficulty. You will also be able to learn about the different hard water stain removers out there.
If I were you, I would read on to learn more.
The Main Cause
Before we go any further, let us first discuss the major causes of the formation of stains on the plastic. Various deposits of Calcium and Magnesium that solidify on top of any plastic surface after being doused with tap water usually cause this chemical reaction.
You can easily see stains because they tend to create a cloudy film of particulates that stick to the surface of the material. These are stubborn stains to be sure. However, you should not fret because there are effective removal techniques available.
Just follow these simple steps to do so:
Steps on How to Clean Stained Plastic
1. Get the Materials Needed
Before going any further, you have to gather some simple ingredients and solutions as well as cleaning materials to get things started. These are as follows:
- Spray bottle/s
- A soft cleaning cloth
- Vinegar
- Scrubbing brushes
- Enzyme digesters
- Lemon
After gathering these tools, you can now proceed to remove the stain effectively. Here is a brief explanation of how to do so.
2. The Removal Procedure
2.1 Initial Cleaning
Start everything by cleaning the area as you would normally. You can use running water for this. Use a clean cloth to remove any dirt or dust from the surface in question.
2.2 Straighten the Pieces Out
After this, you can now straighten out the plastic pieces before continuing to clean it out. Make sure to keep the synthetic lining as smooth as possible.
2.3 Combine Vinegar with Water Equally
The next step would be to combine vinegar with water in equal measure. Put it in a spray bottle for easy dispensation. You can also use a small bottle as a container for the solution instead of a spray bottle.
2.4 Proceed to Spray
After this, you can spray the solution on to the stained area and leave it for about 15 minutes. If there are creased parts of the surface, make sure to smooth it out. Do this procedure after dousing a clean cloth with the same solution from the spray bottles. You tie it down for more security. For more efficacy, tie down the fabric on top of the plastic surface.
2.5 Soak It
If this does not work for much more stubborn stains, make sure to leave the stained material soaked in vinegar for a few hours. You can also leave it overnight if you want. The extended period will break down the stains much more effectively. You also have the option to use undiluted vinegar for the stains.
2.6 Scrub It
After leaving it overnight, you can remove the cloth on top of the plastic surface and scrub it gently with the brush. Repeat steps 4 and 5 if necessary to ensure that the process becomes more.
Finding an Effective Water Stains Remover: Some Viable Alternatives
If you don’t have vinegar at your disposal or if you happen to run out while having yet to obliterate stubborn hard water stains, here are some other hard water stain remover options that you can try in terms of solutions.
1. The Enzyme Digesters
Experts have specifically designed these products to “eat out” any kind of protein matter within organic soil or waste. These enzymes are specifically useful for various odors caused by a bacterial buildup within natural waste products in carpets, rugs, or tiles in the bathroom.
If you have grouted flooring, this particular solution can also be an effective way to remove stains and dirt stuck in between the flooring tiles.
Available in the market, it comes with the usage instructions, so you don’t have to worry about not be able to maximize its efficacy as a cleaning solution. You just have to follow the instructions before and after use.
2. Lemon
Here is another way to remove hard water stains without difficulty. Just grab the surface in question with lemon and let the enzymes from this particular cleaning solution work. After using lemon, please do not forget to scrub the affected area with a brush. Rinse out the brush and rugs after use. Lemons are advantageous to use because they leave off a citrus scent that will leave any object it touches fresh-smelling all day.
If you want this for your household, use lemon to clean your stains right now. You will never regret doing so.
3. Baking Soda and Borax
If vinegar doesn’t work, another alternative would be the above combination. Instead of vinegar, you can place half a cup of baking soda and water in a container and use the solution to rinse out your shower curtains.
However, please avoid using baking soda for spot cleaning your shower curtains because baking soda has mildly abrasive qualities. It might inadvertently cause damage to the shower curtain if used regularly.
You can use baking soda to clean out your washing machine as well. Just make sure not to use too much of the solution to prevent causing irreparable damage to the device itself.
More Reminders
If you are going to use a brush to remove hard water stains from household surfaces, make sure that they are soft-bristled. The softness will prevent unnecessary damage to the surface in question. You can also use a soft sponge instead of a soft-bristled brush.
In addition to this, different plastic products require different lengths when it comes to soaking in vinegar. For example, for water jugs, you can soak it for about 10 to 15 or shorter until the stains disappear entirely. The more stubborn the stain, the longer the vinegar soaking procedure.
Vinegar and lemon have the same cleaning power and effect on stubborn stains. However, as mentioned earlier, if you want your space to smell good without using chemical fragrances, apply the latter.
You may also like: How Long It Takes a Water Heater to Heat Up
More Tips on Purchasing and Using Commercial Stain Cleaners
When purchasing commercial cleaners for your hard water stains, there are specific considerations that you need to make. These considerations are as follows:
1. Get Sequestrants
Purchase cleaners that have sequestrants for your shower curtains. These will bind the acidic solutions with water and effectively deactivate them. Some examples are as follows:
- Hydroxy-Acetic Acids
- Hydrochloric and Phosphoric Acids
2. Know Your Chemical Solutions
Secondly, there are also different chemical solutions available for different hard water stains. These are listed below:
- For soap scum, equal parts baking soda and undiluted vinegar will help.
- Black and brown stains need a combination of hydrogen peroxide and tartar for removal.
- For green or blue-green stains, it would be best to use Ammonia. However, you should try to avoid this on shower curtains. In addition to this, you should use soap along with Ammonia as well.
- Tartar paste and water can work for red or brown stains.
With these notes, you will easily be able to clean out stains because you already know the proper chemical combinations for them.
Learning the Importance of Vinegar
As you can see above, vinegar is one of the most popular choices when it comes to organic cleaning solutions. You should invest in a large bottle of vinegar every month. It will help you save a lot of money from chemical cleaning agents in the long run.
By using vinegar, you will also not end up hurting the environment even more than you already have. Go ahead and give it a shot. I am sure that solutions would work without additional problems down the line.
Aside from vinegar, it would also be best for you to watch out any machine-washable fabric that was stained inadvertently. Just make sure to follow the instructions on the product labels so as not to incur any damage while washing them.
The Final Words
By trying out the tips above, you will get rid of hard water stains and effectively reap the rewards for doing so sooner rather than later if. We hope that these suggestions can help you become better owners of your various furnishings and clothing in the future.
Also, do not be afraid to make suggestions to your other friends regarding stain removal. Just make sure to test out your tips before doling out advice yourself.