Limescale can be tackled for as little as £1 using three budget-friendly DIY methods, according to home improvement expert Brian Toward, CEO of bathroom retailer Wholesale Domestic.
Roughly 60% of people in the UK live in hard water areas, where elevated levels of dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium make bathroom cleaning more essential. Households in hard water areas spend an estimated 29 hours and 54 minutes cleaning their bathrooms each year due to limescale - nearly four hours more than those in very soft water areas, according to research from Wholesale Domestic.
Around 1,300 average UK monthly Google searches for 'how to remove limescale' highlight the concern for homeowners and tenants. If left untreated, limescale can become a breeding ground for bacteria and lead to costly plumbing issues.
Lemon juice and salt
Toward recommends cutting a lemon in half and dipping it in salt to create a natural scrubbing solution. "The citric acid in lemon juice breaks down limescale, while the salt helps lift it off surfaces," he said. Lemons can be bought for as little as 37p at major UK supermarkets including Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury's, while table salt retails for 65p at Aldi for a 750g bottle.
Vinegar and baking soda
Another effective remedy is mixing equal parts white vinegar and baking soda into a paste. "Apply the paste to limescale-affected areas such as taps, showerheads, and tiles and let it sit for a few hours before scrubbing with a brush and rinsing thoroughly," Toward explained. A 568ml bottle of white distilled vinegar costs 35p at Tesco, while 200g of bicarbonate of soda costs 65p at Aldi, Tesco, and Asda.
Coca-Cola as a remover
Coca-Cola can also dissolve limescale because it contains phosphoric acid, which reacts with calcium carbonate. "Pour Coca-Cola onto the affected areas and let it sit for several hours or overnight. Then, scrub the area with a brush and rinse," Toward said. A 330ml can of diet coke is priced at £1.34 at Asda.
These methods use everyday household items to help prevent limescale build-up and avoid costly repairs down the line.
