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Living with hard water

38 replies

hexsnidgett · 03/04/2023 13:59

I've just moved to an area with hard water, what do I need know?
Any tips appreciated.

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OP posts:
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burgledinParis · 03/04/2023 22:21

Hi OP,

For the washing machine, just put the vinegar in the fabric softener bit - it also works as a softner and won't harm clothes in the least. I put about half a mugful in with each wash - I have very very hard water. Then about once a month I put a full bottle in.

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Pearlessence · 03/04/2023 22:34

Kettle - second the advice about descaling using anything acidic. Also never buy an expensive kettle - £6 basic models from supermarkets are the best.

Appreciate you’re renting so water softener isn’t practical.

In terms of cleaning, a bit of loo cleaner (not bleach) in with whatever cleaning solution you are using for whatever room (not anything bleach based as you’ll gas yourself) is the way to go. I mix a bit of washing up liquid, loo cleaner, water and smidge or zoflora and pretty much do the whole house with it - including glass and mirrors. Streak free, no watermarks etc. As you have no septic tank you can use any strength of cleaner and don’t need
to worry about upsetting the biome, though you may choose to use less chemicals for other reasons.

You will use more detergent (laundry cleaner, shampoo etc) than if you lived in lovely Scotland (for example), but I’ve had good results with laundry balls (available from Lakeland for about £7) in an effort to reduce laundry detergent used.

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swishyrumbuckle · 03/04/2023 22:38

I descale our kettle with vinegar fairly often. As others have said, giant bottle of vinegar for this and I also do our washing machine too.

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swishyrumbuckle · 03/04/2023 22:41

Oh we also regularly descale our coffee machine but that's in the instructions of the machine itself so we follow them and have to buy the necessary products. 9 years and counting it's still going strong though!

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Lmber · 03/04/2023 22:45

A water softener and occasional use of harpic black. Regular replacement of kettles unfortunately. It's your skin and hair that suffer. Though not your blood vessels apparently.

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swishyrumbuckle · 04/04/2023 01:00

I must be a minority as regular cleaning of my dualit kettle with vinegar and it's all running very nicely. Looks super clean too. @Lmber what happens to one's skin and hair?!

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hexsnidgett · 04/04/2023 16:43

Thanks again for all the advice.
Can I blame my brittle finger nails on the hard water too? They just seem to be crumbling since we moved in.Sad

OP posts:
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HecticHedgehog · 04/04/2023 16:49

Citric acid brings my kettle up a treat.

I use Nancy's (birtwhistle) toilet spray in the toilets daily

White vinegar on some toilet paper wracked around tacos for a few hours to get rid of any limiescake buildup.

Washing soda and white vinegar (the latter as conditioner) in with my washing

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HecticHedgehog · 04/04/2023 16:51

Wracked around tacos should be wrapped around taps lol

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MumofSpud · 04/04/2023 16:59

I live in a v hard water area - and have become obsessed with putting limes ale remover in the toilets - if I don't do it for : days it will start staining again

And now (and this is pathetic) I don't use my en suite shower as I finally have got rid of the streaks and am probaly putting the house up for sale later on the year!

The marks on the dark brown kitchen worktop by the sink are still horrible though!

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pottydimley · 04/04/2023 21:38

hexsnidgett · 04/04/2023 16:43

Thanks again for all the advice.
Can I blame my brittle finger nails on the hard water too? They just seem to be crumbling since we moved in.Sad

I hadn't connected my awful nails with our hard water. That's interesting.

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TribeD · 05/04/2023 19:17

Hard Water here too...

I use white vinegar as rinse aid, in the washing machine and to spray the shower door.

(and in the kettle, on the sink, the windows etc etc)

As soon as its evaporated the smell disappears, but it is a godsend at getting rid of limescale.

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