Reporter Eve Wagstaff tested out five DIY cleaning hacks to banish limescale from her shower screen (Image: Getty)
Cleaning hacks, tips and tricks for banishing limescale are everywhere, with various experts and DIY cleaners sharing their top choices for clearing away hard limescale.
Limescale is caused by calcium and magnesium build-up being left behind when hard water evaporates.
There are many store-bought and DIY cleaning solutions people have tried to banish limescale from shower screens, all with a range of success.
Reporter Eve Wagstaff tested out five different cleaning methods she’d seen on media, which have been sworn by people on the internet, including store cupboard staple concoctions to viral cleaning products tipped by Mrs Hinch fans.
However, Eve was left surprised by the outright winner, but said she probably wouldn’t use the hack every day.
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Limescale is caused when hard water evaporates and leaves calcium and magnesium deposits behind (Image: Getty)
“I quite enjoy cleaning these days. It’s not something I thought I would ever say but here we are, approaching 40 and I find I can happily lose many hours watching someone use those electric scourers to clean their oven screen on TikTok,” reported MirrorOnline.
“There’s something very therapeutic about going from room to room wiping, bleaching and vacuuming until it looks perfect.
“I’m a firm believer in working smarter, not harder and if there’s a product or a service I can buy to make my life easier and cleaning quicker, I’m happy to try.
“I feel like over the years I’ve mastered most areas that need cleaning and rely on tried and tested methods to get rid of stubborn stains and issues. However, one area I can never seem to get completely clean is the glass shower screen.
“I always spray with cleaner and squeegee after a shower, but does my boyfriend? No. Am I going to go in and do it for him every time he uses the shower? Also no.
A vinegar and washing up liquid solution came out on top (Image: Getty)
“Living in London the water in our area is particularly hard, which means residue can be pretty tricky to remove from things like sinks, basins, baths and glass. I’ve tried a number of products to try and nothing seems to work as well as I’d like.
“Seeing so many cleaning hacks mentioned on social media I decided to try out the five most popular tricks to see for myself which one works the best.”
She continued: “In the mix are white vinegar and dish soap, white vinegar and baking soda, citric acid, baking soda and water, fabric softener and water, and Mrs Hinch fave Pink Stuff Window & Glass Cleaner with Rose Vinegar Spray.
“In order to keep it fair, I applied each one, left it on for five minutes and then scrubbed off with a trusty Scrub Daddy sponge.”
Before vinegar and washing up liquid (Image: Supplied)
And after vinegar and washing up liquid (Image: Supplied)
Vinegar and washing up liquid
“I bought a huge five litre container of vinegar from Amazon for £5.95 for cleaning after hearing it has multiple uses including descaling kettles and irons.
“I mixed equal parts of the two liquids together into a spray bottle, gave it a shake and then sprayed over a section of the glass screen. It went on really nicely and felt quite thick.
“When removing it, the substance gave away easily with the sponge and squeegee.
The results were actually very impressive and the limescale had completely gone. Downside? The vinegar smell got right up my nose and I smelled like a chip shop.”
4/5
Despite this tried and tested DIY concoction clearly working, a cleaning expert has said it’s completely “pointless”.
Kacie Stephens, a Melbourne-based cleaner and founder of The Big Clean Co, claimed that the DIY solution of mixing washing up liquid and vinegar is one massive con, reported Kidspot.
The reason is due to the two ingredients cancelling each other out, claiming the cleaning concoction is rendered “pointless” when mixed together.
Kacie explained in an Instagram post: “Vinegar is a good cleaner because it’s acidic, but when you add dishwashing liquid/dish soap to it (which is a base or neutral) – you neutralise the vinegar. You take away the very thing that makes it work well.
“The dishwashing liquid works that well on its own. Adding the vinegar is a pointless step. Use one or the other – not both.”
Vinegar and baking soda
Eve continued: “I felt a bit like Breaking Bad mixing this together as the immediate chemical reaction caused a very satisfying fizz.
“However, once the bubbles subsided there was a paste of baking soda that I applied to the glass with a cloth so that it completely covered the area.
“After leaving on for five minutes and removing it with warm water and the Scrub Daddy, I didn’t feel like there was much difference. Any limescale that was removed was mainly from the action of me scrubbing.”
2/5
Before citric acid, baking soda and water (Image: Supplied)
And after… (Image: Supplied)
Citric acid, baking soda and water
“I had high hopes for this as there are so many hacks that use citric acid to clean.
“I found a large bag for £6.48 from Amazon and mixed it along with baking soda with warm water to make a paste and applied it with a cloth over the section.
“Again, after washing off with warm water and the scrubber there was still a lot of residue and the water marks were still there.”
2/5
Fabric softener and water
“I applied the fabric softener directly to the glass and left it on for five minutes and although it smelled lovely, it didn’t do anything when I washed it off with warm water and the Scrub Daddy.
“I did read a few reviews afterwards that said the liquid needs to be left on for an hour or two but who has the time for that?
“I think five minutes should be enough to apply, leave while other parts of the bathroom are cleaned and then return to rinse.”
2/5
Mrs Hinch’s favourite The Pink Stuff before… (Image: Supplied)
The result (Image: Suppliec)
Pink Stuff Window & Glass Cleaner with Rose Vinegar Spray, £1.19 from The Range
“Along with the rest of the country’s cleaning fans, I am obsessed with The Pink Stuff range.
“I have the paste, the anti bac spray and the cream. If in doubt, I like to smother something dirty in it and let it work its magic.
“In addition to smelling lovely, as all the products do, the glass cleaner went on nicely and covered a large area with only a few sprays. I again left it for five minutes and rinsed off with the Scrub Daddy.
“The results were not what I was expecting. Unfortunately they weren’t as amazing as the distilled vinegar and washing up liquid, however a very close second.”
3/5
“Final thoughts… Although the results from the distilled vinegar and washing up liquid were the best, the bathroom did smell like a chip shop afterwards.
“I would probably be more inclined to use the Pink Stuff daily after a shower on the screen and then squeegee off, with maybe use the other cleaner if the limescale built up for a deep clean.”
