Stains on sink taps can be difficult to remove without scrubbing at them for ages, but there is a simple way to clean them only only one item in your kitchen cupboard.

10:04, Sat, Jan 11, 2025 | UPDATED: 10:07, Sat, Jan 11, 2025

Picture of a stained limescale-ridden tap

Taps become stained and dirty due to limescale (Image: Getty)

Crusty stains are likely to grow over your taps over time and can be tricky to remove as they are made up of an incredibly stubborn substance called limescale. 

Limescale is a flakey white residue that comes from minerals left over when water evaporates and needs to be removed from taps as it can trap bacteria that will make surfaces unhygienic. 

Joseph Clark, a cleaning expert from Kinetico has shared that limescale stains can take a long time to remove unless you use the proper cleaning products. 

He said: “One way of removing the limescale around your chrome tap is by using a home remedy, lemon juice or vinegar. 

“The acids within these chemicals are antibacterial and antiseptic, which means they are a perfect go-to before calling in a professional.”

Picture of lemon being used to clean tap

The best way to remove limescale is with a natural acid such as lemon juice or white vinegar (Image: Getty)

Limescale is mostly made up of the mineral calcium carbonate, which will quickly dissolve when exposed to acidic ingredients like white vinegar or lemon juice. 

White vinegar contains acetic acid while lemon juice contains citric acid, and these natural acids will weaken limescale to soften it and make it easier to wipe away. 

Both vinegar and lemon juice are a natural, cheap and non-toxic way to remove tough limescale stains without having to spend ages scrubbing at your tap. 

How to naturally remove limescale from your sink taps 

All you need to do is first fill a small container with either white vinegar or lemon juice.

Next, take a clean cloth, submerge it in the container, and leave the cloth to soak for at least five minutes. 

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Picture of someone cleaning a tap

Place a soaked cloth on the tap to give the natural acid time to break down the limescale (Image: Getty)

Then take the cloth and place it on the limescale-ridden area of your tap and secure it using an elastic band. 

Leave the cloth secured to the tap for at least one hour. During this time, squeeze the cloth every now and again to release more acid onto the limescale. 

Once the time is up, simply remove the cloth, wipe away the limescale and the stains should easily wipe away. 

Your sink tap should now be sparkling clean without any stains, and in the future make sure your tap is wiped dry after using it as limescale can only begin growing in areas with lots of moisture.