How to remove hard water stains from porcelain sink

how to remove hard water stains from porcelain sink

Porcelain sinks tend to stain very easily and, as we know, hard water is notorious for doing that. Hard water contains minerals like copper and magnesium which, overtime, cause brown stains.

Today we will show you how to remove hard water stains from your porcelain sinks and make them a thing of the past.

To remove hard water stains from your porcelain sink, you can use the following household products:

  • Distilled white vinegar
  • Baking soda
  • Lemon juice
  • Cream of Tartar
  • Barkeepers friend
  • Liquid dishwashing soap

Vinegar, baking soda, and liquid dishwashing soap

When combined, these three ingredients work like charm on many stains, including hard water on your sink. Remember, porcelain is sensitive and can easily be scratched, so do not use steel wool or a metal scrubber on your sink.

You’ll need:

  • 1/2 cup of white vinegar
  • 1 cup of baking soda
  • 3 spoons of liquid dishwashing soap
  • A non-abrasive sponge

Follow this procedure:

  1. Mix the vinegar, baking soda, and dish soap to form a thick runny paste.
  2. Smear the paste on the sink and lightly scrub then let it sit for a roughly two hours.
  3. After the two-hour mark, wet the solution a bit using more vinegar instead of water then scrub some more using a non-abrasive sponge. Scrub until satisfied are stains are gone.
  4. Rinse to examine your porcelain sink
  5. If all the stains will not have come off, repeat the process
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Enjoy your new sparkling sink!

Bar Keepers Friend

Barkeeper’s friend has become very popular because of its super abilities at erasing hard water and rust stains. It does not matter how bad the stain is or how old the stain is, Barkeepers friend will do the magic.

You’ll need:

  • Bar Keepers Friend
  • A non-abrasive kitchen scourer

Follow these steps:

  1. Wet the porcelain sink first by running water through first by running water.
  2. Sprinkle the barkeeper’s friend all over the sink. Pour a generous amount to cover the stains well.
  3. Leave the barkeepers for about two hours.
  4. Once satisfied it has had enough time to work on the stain, take a soft brush or kitchen scourer, sprinkle a little water to form a paste then begin to scrub. Don’t use anything abrasive to scrub, or it could damage the porcelain.
  5. You don’t need to use any force when scrubbing because Bar Keepers Friend removes the stains like magic.
  6. Rinse your porcelain sink.

Enjoy your newly shiny sink!!

An important note: Wear gloves when using Bar Keepers friend to avoid skin irritation.

Cream of Tartar paste

If you are not yet familiar with Cream of Tartar, then you need to familiarize yourself with it, especially if you live in an area that is famous for hard water. Professional cleaners recently discovered that this natural product is excellent for getting rid of rust and hard water stains because of its highly acidic nature.

You’ll need:

  • 1 cup Cream of Tartar
  • A non-abrasive kitchen scourer

Follow this procedure:

  1. Run water through the sink to wet it.
  2. Sprinkle cream of Tartar all over the sink with more concentration on the stained parts.
  3. The cream of Tartar is usually in powder form. Sprinkle some water to form a runny paste.
  4. Take your kitchen scourer and begin to work on the stains, then leave the paste to set in for some time.
  5. Come again and repeat the scrubbing process.
  6. Open the tap water and rinse the paste away.
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Enjoy your stain-free sink.

Lemon and salt

Lemon and salt work very well on hard water stains and it’s another natural and very easy process.

You’ll need:

  • 1 Lemon
  • 2 tablespoons of salt
  • A non-abrasive kitchen scourer

Follow the procedure:

  1. Squeeze the lemon to make lemon juice
  2. Mix the lemon juice and salt to form a paste
  3. Pour the paste on the porcelain sink then take your kitchen scourer and rub the paste gently against the stains
  4. Once done scrubbing, leave the paste to set in well for a few mins or hours
  5. Come back, scrub again then rise well

The result will be a sparkling, shiny, stain-free sink.

How to prevent stains and maintain a clean shiny porcelain sink every day:

  1. Every morning as you clean the house, clean the sink with baking soda and your house cleaning soap of choice.
  2. Once a week, clean with lemon juice or distilled white vinegar and baking soda.

Frequently asked questions

What causes the hard water stains on the porcelain sink?

The minerals in hard water are what are responsible for stains on a porcelain sink. Some tend to get nasty over time so it is better to clean as soon as you notice them forming and make a regular cleaning habit of removing the stains. Hard water contains minerals such as copper and magnesium.

How does one remove hard water stains from a porcelain sink?

To remove rust stains from plastic bathtubs, focus on products that contain natural acids. Vinegar contains acetic acid, cream of tartar contains tartaric acid, and lemon juice is rich in citric acid.

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Bar Keepers Friend is another good choice because it’s a product that contains oxalic acid. Instead of going for bleach, these products will solve your hard water stain problem.

Is bleach suitable for removing hard water stains from porcelain sink?

No, bleach will not remove the hard water or rust stains on your porcelain sink. Bleach will also eat away at the material on your sink and over time, lower the quality. Bleach can be very toxic, especially when mixed with other ingredients. So why insist on bleach when simple natural products can get the job done?

Wrapping up

Your sink is to your bathroom/ kitchen what your bed is to your bedroom, meaning if your whole bathroom/kitchen is clean, but the porcelain sink is dirty, it will still look gross.

Sometimes there is no way to completely avoid hard water stains so they can be a regular nuisance, but with the right ingredients, you can remove the stains, prevent them, and maintain regular shininess.

Try the methods and let us know which one worked best for you.

Happy cleaning!

how to remove hard water stains from porcelain sink

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