I am trying to get years of limescale off of bathroom fixtures - bronze and brushed nickel. I am using Lime Away and it does work, but is there a better product? My mom always swore by Sanivac but I haven't tried it. I am also trying to get scale off of vertical surfaces, which is tough because the remover can't soak in. I wondered if anyone had any luck with a gel or other thick product that could sit on it awhile. I've found a ton of stuff for sale online, but wanted to see what personal experience had been.

I know I won't be able to clean off years of buildup with one swipe of a sponge, but I do want to make sure I'm using the most effective product I can.

clr

Hi Jenn,
this is DD '96. I second the CLR. It's good stuff. Just wear gloves and try to have some ventilation.

Sanivac. It's MUCH stronger than CLR.

we had a bottle of CLR that leaked and completely bleached out the grout between kitchen tiles so be careful when using these products.

We use Extra-Strength Vinegar in a cheap spray bottle. Works like a charm. We usually dillute it with 1/2 water. You can also ad a little basic soap to the mix for cleaning. We used this to clean our shower door after about 2 years of build-up.

For scale on fixtures, we soak a rag in vinegar and wrap it around the fixture for a little while.

I would add that you should be careful on the bronze fixtures. You can take the "finish" off those & you will end up w/gold fixtures!

Thanks guys! And yes, I'm pretty careful with the bronze. Lime Away is okay for them - I've used it several times and no issue with the finish, although I'm careful not to scrub too hard. I have a glass shower with years of scale built up on the walls - will try Sanivac for that. Hopefully I won't asphyxiate myself.

I appreciate the responses.

I have never heard of Sanivac. Where do you get that? I have a glass shower & even though I cleaned it regularly eventually you get a scale build up. I tried everything & could not get rid of it. I finally called a glass person & found out that glass is porous & over time your glass will get a "cloudy haze" that will not come off. I ended up replacing the glass surround w/new glass a few years ago. I am thinking about a bath remodel & a way to reduce the amount of glass I have.

Mom, my inlaws moved to their new retirement home in 1992 and have a glass shower stall...after 20 there isn't a bit of cloudiness or scaling in that shower! She bought a small squeegee and a peel and stick plastic hook for it...she and my fil squeegeed the water off after every shower and she Windexed the glass then wiped the entire stall with baby oil once a week! Not enough oil to make it unsafe but enough to shed water build up.

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I have never heard of Sanivac. Where do you get that? I have a glass shower & even though I cleaned it regularly eventually you get a scale build up. I tried everything & could not get rid of it. I finally called a glass person & found out that glass is porous & over time your glass will get a "cloudy haze" that will not come off. I ended up replacing the glass surround w/new glass a few years ago. I am thinking about a bath remodel & a way to reduce the amount of glass I have.

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I grew up in the hill country and we got it at HEB. I could swear I saw it at Lowes when we lived in SA. It was the only thing we had that could deal with the scale water from the Edwards leaves behind.

Also the squeegee thing works great. Spots on our frameless shower made it look terrible if I didn't wipe the glass down every day.

Yeah, we have been lazy-ass about wiping down our frameless shower. We spent a fortune on it but mornings are just so insane! But once I get the scale cleaned off I plan to be a lot more vigilant.