How To Clean Hard Water Stains in Rice Lake, Wisconsin

Many sections of Wisconsin have hard water. Rice Lake and surrounding areas are included in this hard water group.

High mineral content is responsible for hard water.

Most people recognize if they have hard water because they start to see staining in their bathroom and kitchen fixtures. Even homes that have hard water treatment systems can suffer from these pink to orange stains.

Thankfully, we do live in a time when water can be treated. There are some great tools and services that can take water from the source in your home, remove the minerals that cause staining, and protect your fixtures.

But these tools need refreshing every once in a while. When you're towards the end of a refresh cycle it's possible for the stains to come back.

So a question we often get is, how do you clean hard water stains in Rice Lake and surrounding areas?

Here are a few things to try:

Bathroom cleaner + microfiber towel
Bathroom cleaner + nylon bristle brush
Bar Keepers Friend
Magic Eraser
Pumice Stone

Let's go into more detail on these steps.

Bathroom Cleaner + Microfiber Towel

Use your normal bathroom cleaner, such as Comet in a spray bottle. This is what you would typically use to clean your toilet. It provides disinfectant and sanitizer.

Spray the area and let it sit for a few minutes.

Come back and wipe with a microfiber towel.

You will likely need to use some elbow grease on the stained area. The towel will provide some friction and it might be enough to take care of your stain.

NOTE: You want to start with the lightest possible form of cleaning and abrasion first. Then work your way up. The less harm you do to your fixtures the better.

Bathroom Cleaner + Nylon Bristle Brush

The next step up is to use the same bathroom cleaner and a nylon brush. This provides a little more abrasion for those tougher hard water stains.

You can use a toothbrush in some cases. There are other brushes that are similar to a tooth brush, but with stiffer bristles that allow you to get into small areas.

And they make larger handheld brushes for broader spaces.

Bar Keepers Friend

The name says it all.

Bar Keepers Friend was created for cleaning up greasy, nasty barrooms.

But it's also great on hard water stains.

Wet the stained area. Sprinkle some of the powder. Then begin working on the stain with your microfiber towel. If that isn't working then move up to your bristle brush.

Repeat if necessary until the stain is removed.

This is a pretty good way to handle most hard water in Wisconsin especially if you maintain regular cleaning maintenance.

Magic Eraser

One further step is to use a Magic Eraser. These are great for getting tough stains off surfaces, but there is a catch...

The Magic Eraser is fine sandpaper.

That's why it works so well.

It's a good solution for stains that have been sitting for awhile. And that's fine. When you're busy it's difficult to keep up with the cleaning. That goes for cleaning hard water stains. It's one more thing for the to-do list.

Pumice Stone

The final step in the hard water fight is the pumice stone.

It's a GREAT solution for working on really stubborn hard water stains.

Start by wetting the stone. Then rub the stained area gently.

Be VERY careful with the type of surface you're cleaning with a pumice stone. Porcelain is ok. Fiberglass can be very sensitive to cleaning. That's why you always want to be gentle when starting.

It's also why we recommend starting with the first method on this list and working your way to the more aggressive methods.

For many, the pumice stone is a revelation. It has saved a number of tubs, showers, toilets and stoves in the Rice Lake area.

Final Thoughts

Wisconsin is wonderful for so many reasons. Rice Lake is beautiful. But there are a few downsides such as the hard water and the stains that can come with it. Treating the water in your home is a great start.

But you still may need to clean up existing stains and the stains that will still show through. Use the tips here and you should keep your home looking as sharp and presentable as ever.

Do you need help cleaning your home? Visit the MaidPro Rice Lake website and get a custom quote to have us come out and make your home in Rice Lake sparkle.