Short answer: limescale is a mineral, so you dissolve it with a mild acid. But on a few surfaces you must not do that, and that is where it usually goes wrong.
Short answer
Limescale comes off with a mild acid and patience, not with scrubbing.
Limescale is the mineral your tap water leaves behind. A mild acid such as white vinegar or citric acid loosens it, as long as you give it time to work. Scrubbing does not help and it damages your glass and chrome. And on natural stone you must not use acid at all.
What is limescale, exactly?
It is lime that stays behind when water dries. The harder your tap water, the faster you see it.
Tap water contains dissolved minerals, mainly calcium and magnesium. As long as the water is there, you see nothing of them. Once the water evaporates, those minerals stay behind as a white, dull layer.
That is why you always see it in the same places: the shower screen, the taps, the rim of your basin and the inside of your kettle. Exactly where water sits and dries.
What works against limescale?
A mild acid, and enough time for it to work. Do not scrub harder, just leave it on longer.
White vinegar and citric acid both work. The acid reacts with the limescale and loosens it. The mistake most people make is rushing it: apply, scrub straight away, and then conclude that it does not work.
Give it 10 to 20 minutes. With a thick layer, repeat it a second time rather than reaching for a scouring pad. Scouring pads leave micro-scratches in glass and chrome, and limescale then clings to those scratches even faster.
Two things you really must not do
No acid on natural stone. Marble, limestone and travertine are attacked by vinegar and citric acid. You end up with dull patches that never come out again. Use only water and a soft cloth there.
Never mix acid with bleach. That releases chlorine gas, which is dangerous in a small space such as a bathroom. Use one product at a time and rinse well afterwards.
Removing limescale surface by surface
| Where | What works | Watch out |
|---|---|---|
| Shower screen and glass | White vinegar or citric acid, leave it to work for 10 to 20 minutes, then wipe off and rinse | Do not scrub, that leaves scratches for limescale to cling to |
| Taps and chrome | Wrap a cloth soaked in white vinegar around them and leave it to work | Not on coated or gold-plated taps |
| Tiles and grout | Mild acid, then rinse well | Grout can be damaged if you do this too often |
| Natural stone | Only water and a soft cloth | Acid damages the stone permanently |
| Kettle | Water with citric acid, bring to the boil, leave to stand, rinse out | Then boil two kettles of fresh water and pour them away |
And now the part nobody tells you
Removing limescale is work. Preventing limescale costs you 30 seconds a day.
Once your bathroom is clean again, you never have to descale if you take the water away before it dries. No water means no limescale. That is not a trick, that is simply how it works.
One thorough clean, and after that never another Saturday morning with a bottle of limescale remover in your hand.
How to keep it limescale-free
- 1
Clean thoroughly first
Take off the build-up you have now with a mild acid, and give it enough time to work. This is the only time you have to do this.
- 2
Wipe down after your shower
With a drying cloth that you use dry. The iZi-Dry Towel M takes up to 800 ml, enough for an average shower enclosure in one go.
- 3
Hang a small cloth within reach
The iZi-Dry Towel S is handy for the tap and the basin. What hangs within reach is what you actually use.
You can read more about which size suits your bathroom in our article on the best drying cloth for the bathroom.
Straight to the drying cloths
Choose the size that suits your bathroom.
- iZi-Dry Towel M, 60 x 40 cm · for shower enclosure and tiled wall
- iZi-Dry Towel S, 30 x 40 cm · for taps, basin and mirror
- See all cloths
Frequently asked questions
How do you remove limescale on glass?
With white vinegar or citric acid that you leave to work for 10 to 20 minutes, then wipe off and rinse. Do not scrub: that leaves micro-scratches that limescale clings to even better.
Can you use vinegar on natural stone?
No. Marble, limestone and travertine are attacked by acid. You end up with dull patches that never come out again. Use only water and a soft cloth there.
How do you get limescale off a shower screen?
Apply a mild acid, leave it for 10 to 20 minutes and then wipe it off. With a thick layer, repeat it rather than reaching for a scouring pad. After that you keep on top of it by wiping the screen down with a drying cloth after your shower.
Can you use vinegar and bleach together?
No, never. Mixing acid with bleach releases chlorine gas, which is dangerous in a small space such as a bathroom. Use one product at a time and rinse well afterwards.
How do you prevent limescale in the bathroom?
By taking the water away before it dries. No water means no limescale. After your shower, wipe the screen and the tap down with a drying cloth; that takes about 30 seconds.
Does scrubbing work against limescale?
No, it works against you. Scouring pads leave micro-scratches in glass and chrome, and limescale then clings to those scratches faster. Time works better than force.
How do you descale a kettle?
Fill it with water and citric acid, bring it to the boil and leave it to stand for a while. Then rinse it out and boil two kettles of fresh water, and pour those away.
Never descale again
30 seconds after your shower, and limescale never gets a chance. More than 300,000 households already do it this way.
See the drying cloths14 days to change your mind. Questions? We are easy to get hold of.
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