Limescale

[banjo]

Does anyone know how to remove limescale from around the base of taps without damaging the surface underneath? Cheers.

[woofgang]

depends how heavy it is and how patient you are. If its really heavy then I have given it smart taps with the kind of light hammer that you use for hanging pictures, this can chip off the limescale without denting the metal, but keep in mind that there might already be damage to the metal under the limescale. vinegar or lemon juice are gentle scale dissolvers. I tend to use the thick gel type on my sink which is stainless steel, it doesn't seem to damage the steel if you wipe it away quickly and try and get it only on the scale, not the sink. Please ignore all this if you have gold plated or other non standards taps or sink and get info from the manufacturer.

[banjo]

I have the problem on my kitchen sink (seems like some sort of hardened plastic but not entirely sure), and bathroom sink (is made out of the usual material for bathroom stuff).

I've tried vinegar but that only seemed to create a very smelly area around the taps!

[banjo]

And thanks for the advice - i should have specified the material in my original question!

[Chillum]

it should be white vinegar, not malt.

[Lec]

Try fine grain wet / dry sandpaper (the black one).  Run it under the tap first - it works really well getting limescale off my baisin & bath and also the limescale splash marks that dry on my glass shower door. Not sure if it works on plastic though.

  

[shelley2]

Just soak a cloth in white vinegar and wrap the cloth around the area, leave it for about an hour or two and it should easily scrape off..!!