Cleaning limescale from shower screen and bathroom tiles

[idea888]

What's the best way to do this? Fed up with my bathroom looking so horrible!

[GreenTulips]

Buy lime scale remover

[Mycarsmellsoflavender]

I find window cleaner works better than those shower sprays. Make sure you use a soft cloth on the shower door. If you use a sponge it will leave scratch marks ( learned from bitter experience).

[SlimDogMillionaire]

My mum uses a Mr Muscle shower spray cleaner. I have a shower curtain so don't use it myself but her screen is always spotless (she might be a bit of a clean freak so that helps )

[QuopQuop]

Shampoo works great!!

Lather it onto a mildly abrasive sponge and circular motion all over then rinse and wipe over with a glass cleaner/lemon juice

[idea888]

Thank you for the suggestions. Probably should have given more detail - it's a very hard water area and a lot of limescale has built up. I've tried 2 different limescale removers and they worked, but seemed to be really harsh and the 2 bottles only cleaned a smallish area of tiles, so would take a huge crate of the stuff to do the whole bathroom. I will give shampoo a try. You can probably tell I am not great at cleaning...

[Notonthestairs]

Same problem here - I've started using Ecover limescale remover and it's done a great job with very little effort on my part

[LaughingLlama]

I use viakal and a toothbrush. Sometimes i start with mould and mildew remover spray. Scrub for ever with old toothbrushes (or buy cheap ones). The mould spray removes any resudue. Rinse well or leave 24 hours the repeat with viakal (or similar) using toothbrush over tiles and grout.
It may take several goes and you may have to leave product to work (trial and error but build up time gradually).
Once you are back to clean use shower spray or a squidgy to wipe away residue water. Ive recently bought a Karcher Vacume that works like a squidgy buy sucks up the water. The hard bit Is getting everyone in the family to stick to the vacuming regime!

[DramaAlpaca]

White vinegar (not the wine sort) works better than anything IME.

[DixieFlatline]

Yep, vinegar.

[idea888]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have some old toothbrushes so will try them with various things and see what works. I think I just need to get on and give it a proper clean and then hopefully keep it limescale free after that.

[ferrier]

I've tried white vinegar and it wasn't as effective on my shower screens as specialist limescale removers. I used to favour Limelite but they had to change the formulation because of EC regulations. Now there's no difference that I can tell between Limelite and Viakal.
I also second keeping it as dry as possible in between showers.

[jaspercat2002]

Someone recommended Ecover limescale remover to me on here a while ago. Worked absolutely brilliantly on my shower screen (very hard water area)

[Gingernaut]

Ecover or distilled white vinegar.

[jaspercat2002]

Sorry -just seen notonthestairs has already suggested ecover.

[4yoniD]

I just did my shower screen :) I did viakal on one screen and on the other, left it 5 minutes then scrubbed with my big bath cleaning thing which is like blue plastic Brillo pad type scrubby stuff. Viakal won, although it stinks. The bathroom cleaner was a close second. I definitely recommend buying a Brillo type cleaning pad rather than just a microfiber cloth.

[evilharpy]

We live in a very hard water area and have found that nothing beats Viakal. We also bought a Karcher window vac and use it after every shower on the screen and tiles which is a ballache but does only take about a minute and saves loads of effort in the long run. Our shower has a glass screen and brightly coloured metro tiles and very quickly gets a horrible white residue all over it if we don't use the window vac but as long as we use it, we rarely have to remove actual limescale.

[idea888]

I am really tempted to get a window vac as we get loads of condensation on the windows too - sounds like it might be really useful.

[Almostthere15]

We have attitude timescale remover (It's an eco brand), around 3 pound but a huge bottle. I think you'll have to have a good scrub and then use something to keep on top of things. For the screen try soaking kitchen paper in white vinegar and 'sticking them on for ten minutes or so before giving a good wipe. The microfibre cloths work well.

We use the Mr muscle on the shower screen and it does seem the best one to keep it clear.

Ventilation (or removing the water) is crucial.

[Etymology23]

I use the non-foam/spray viakal with a white kitchen scourer. Lidl pretend viakal is just the same as branded as far as I can tell and cheaper. It worked with incredibly hard water on a clear glass screen.

[DryHeave]

White vinegar sprayed on and left for 20 mins. Then elbow grease with an abrasive cream cleaner & toothbrush/scrubber. Only thing that works here (v hard water area).

[Mycarsmellsoflavender]

Now that I've delimescaled it, I keep a squeegee in the shower and remove as much water as I can after a shower. Takes a minute or so but keeps it looking clean and the transparent door stays transparent. Also reduces damp in the house.

[Tronkmanton]

Spray a load of Cilit bang on then leave it for 5/10 minutes. Then scrub with an abrasive sponge/scourer. Takes elbow grease but it does work. Viakal in the bottle (rather than spray) works too (smells better than Cilit Bang).

[idea888]

I bought some viakal and it's working, though have managed about 1 square metre of tiles and the shower screen so far, about 90% of the bathroom still to go. Hope to keep on top of it in the future!

[Twoevils]

Once you have knocked it back make sure you keep it away by drying stuff off after showering. I've got a sort of sponge covered in fluffy microfiber. It dries all surfaces without leaving smears or dust. If I use that scrupulously then I have to do far less actual cleaning (lot less product) - bonus!

[EmGee]

Agree with others that, once you have removed the limescale/mould, the only way to keep it at bay is to dry the shower (tiles, grouting, sealant, screen etc) after every use. It doesn't take long - quick squeegee then dry with a chamois or a micro fibre cloth especially corners/sealant). Yes it's a pain and I never want to do it but in reality it takes no more than a minute. Which is better than many minutes/hours trying to get rid of the limescale/mould once it's engrained!