removing ingrained tough limescale

[mamacoffee]

hi there

cleaning out my washing machine drawer, it doesn't get done very often so theres quite a lot of limescale which has built up. ive tried soaking it overnight in viacal, the same with lemon, and then vinegar. nothing is making it budge. what else can i try?

thanks :)

[oldraver]

I've noticed since washing machine manufacturers switched to cold fill thsi has been a problem. I've done the same as you and still have some stubborn stuff on there

[FlankerMum]

Try Harpic 100% limescale remover - think it's supposed to be for toilets but I use it for all sorts. Apply neat, leave for 5 minutes then scrub gently with an old toothbrush. Honestly it works brilliantly!

[BellaTheGymnast]

Sorry to hijack, but does that work in a toilet Flanker? My limescale is a source of much annoyance!

[mamacoffee]

thanks flankermum ill try that

[PigletJohn]

pull it out and put it in a plastic bowl with descaler. You can use a nylon brush to scrub it over the scale.

Otherwise save up for a water softener.

[FreshWest]

Hi BellaTheGymnast,
When our toilet was suffering I bought Parazone limescale remover tablets that you leave overnight and they worked a treat. I'd tried bleach and the Hapric stuff and coke but nothing worked. Saw these in Home Bargains and thought I'd give them a try.

[ripsishere]

What can I use on a sink? it's made of ceramic and has a delightful orange streak due to a leak from the flat above. There are stalactites if I look through the hole in the ceiling.
Please bear in mind, I am in Malaysia so none of your fancy pants gear is available.
Anyone know of a natural method? DD has been chipping away at it with her toothbrush handle which is not only ineffective, it's a bit unsavory.

[PigletJohn]

if it really is limescale, try vinegar. You can attach an absorbent pad of kitchen roll or cotton, wetted with the vinegar, to prevent it rubbing off.

You can use a green nylon pan scourer, with vinegar, to rub the limescale away.

It is possible that it has penetrated the glaze and you will be unable to remove the mark.

[TiredofZombies]

Try taking the drawer out and putting it through the dishwasher if you have one. It might not get limescale off but it Will save you a lot of work.

[DilysPrice]

Yes, OP are you trying to clean it in situ or have you removed it? Removing it is normally possible and then much easier as you can soak overnight in vinegar bath or Limelite gel or Harpic tabs or whatever.

[kiwigirl42]

We have very hard water. The harpic in black bottle toilet cleaner is the best lime scale remover I have ever tried

[tigerdriverII]

Well all I can say in all the years I have owned washing machines it has never occurred to me to clean out the drawer!!

[TheoriginalMrsDarcy]

I used a power steam cleaner on mine. Then used paper towels to wipe out the tray and ten used a toothbrush to get in between the nooks n crannies. It came out looking brand new.

[BellaTheGymnast]

Thanks! Will try those tablets.

I've cleaned the drawer before by boiling it in a pan with washing powder. Not sure whether it would do much for limescale though.

[PigletJohn]

interestingly (perhaps) I moved a washer from a house with hard water to one with a water softener about two weeks ago, and the hard crust in the soap drawer has mostly washed away just from the soft water squirting through it.

It was very hard and white, and I had thought it was the surface of the plastic that had got damaged as I could not scrape it off.

[sparkle12mar08]

Can I third and fourth the Harpic suggestion? The 100% limescale remover gel in all variants truly is the dogs balloons - I've managed to get toilets that haven't been cleaned in two years (don't ask, it still gives me nightmares to this day) pristine with that stuff - it's magical!

[GrandPoohBah]

Fifth vote for the Harpic - it's amazing stuff.

[Shauren]

We live in a really hard water area and I find Harpic Power Plus great for around taps and basins. It is a fairly thin gel so it works in crevices etc. However I have found the best for toilet bowls is Domestos Zero Limescale. It is really thick and half a bottle turned our toilet bowls from really quite gross to "brand new". Maybe you need less than half a bottle but now our bowls are fine, I no longer need to give them the shock and awe treatment. What also works is Mr Muscle Drain Unblocker (Gel). The trouble is that is a lot more expensive than Domestos even when you can buy it for half price at Costco. It's great though for unblocking loos (i.e. when the kids flush an entire loo roll's worth down the pan). In theory, Mr Muscle shouldn't work as it is alkaline and so is limescale. But it does. Probably something to do with the sodium ions replacing the calcium ones, I expect. Any toilet chemists care to explain?