How To Clean Kitchen And Bathroom Taps
Taps are very important contributors to the overall hygiene state of any washroom or kitchen. Therefore, it is important to clean them on a regular basis to maintain its shiny appearance and keep them at a high standard of cleanliness.
All taps suffer from 3 common problems:
- Limescale build-up – Limescale is caused by the water’s hardness level. Limescale is not harmful but can be unpleasant to look at.
- Soap and dirt buildup on the screw knob – Generally caused in areas such as factories where users have been working around some form of dirt.
- Grime buildup at tap joint with the sink.
The lurking of dirt on the taps connecting joint can be easily overlooked. However, it is a great indication of the true state of cleanliness of the washroom/bathroom or kitchen. Below is a typical tap, with heavy grime at the joint; This means the dirt had washed its way to the joint from the top of the knob after each use. If not cleaned regularly, this grime will continue to build up and lower the appearance of your sink.
Here we see the state of these two taps from a toilet we recently cleaned. It is important to make sure all taps are cleaned on a regular basis, especially in kitchens as a more severe level of dirt is left on the taps due to the high level of usage they get.
Step by Step on cleaning your taps
In 3 easy steps, you can restore your taps to its original shine and improve the appearance of your sink!
- Spray the whole tap with a non-toxic washroom or bathroom cleaner, making sure to cover the tap neck and handle.
- Find yourself a cheap or an unused toothbrush rated “firm”. Begin brushing around the neck of the tap all around every surface to remove built-up grime and limescale.
- Rinse off the tap using clean water with either a microfiber cloth or a sponge to remove dirt that has been lifted.
- Repeat until all dirt is removed
- Wipe down all stainless steel surfaces such as the neck, handles and spout neck removing any hard water stains.
- Take a dry microfiber cloth/ sponge/ towel and dry the tap until all water has been removed and tap is looking shiny and clean!
- Use a sponge to also any built-up water around the top of the sink from rinsing the tap.
- A toothbrush is a great tool to help clean a kitchen or washroom tap as it can reach the deep crevices of the tap sink joint which would have been hard to reach with a normal sponge. Although there are alternative brushes specifically for cleaning, a used or cheap toothbrush usually does the job to the same standard. Also, it benefits the environment as you are reusing!
- After the joint is properly brushed, focus on using the scouring sponge to remove all dirt on the actual tap. Also, focus on the knob on the tap and ensure you give it an all-rounded scrub. You will notice (just like in the picture below) that stubborn limescale stains can remain after this stage, this is when you would need to use a limescale remover.
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After applying the limescale remover you will need to leave it for some time (depending on the instruction written by the manufacturer). Once this stage is complete, give the taps a thorough wash down and use a clean microfiber cloth to give the shiny surface a well-deserved polish.
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There are many benefits to regularly cleaning your taps. Any tap that has been cleaned properly will be:
- Grime free at the joints.
- Hygienically cleaned from top to bottom.
- Shiny – not only is it eye-catching and gives a good impression, but it is also then obvious the tap and surrounding areas were properly cleaned.
- Limescale build-up will be removed.
Hopefully, with our information you will be able to successfully clean your taps within the kitchen and bathroom with Eco- Friendly and sustainable products that you can get from The Cleaning Cabinet.