Is this limescale If not what is it and how do I get rid of it?

Question

The pictures are faint but you should be able to make out stripes of greyish staining on my bath.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i187/h...

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i187/h...

how do i get rid of it simply scrubbing it or even using bleach doesn't seem to have shifted it.

Ta

Answer 1

Okay-don't laugh.  Spray it with white vinegar, then take a razor blade (the painter/wallpaper kind that only has 1 side--they come 100 to a box) and scrape off the limescale.  This has worked better for me than any Limeaway kind of product.  I do this on my glass shower doors, shower walls, and don't have one spot.  Even squeegees don't get everything, you know, and you can't always get family members - and you know who they are - to use them.  It's safe to use and it doesn't make you lose IQ points like a lot of those cleaners.  And I don't want those going down the drain to the water supply, you know?  

Good luck--that stuff is frustrating, isn't it?  

Answer 2

If CLR doesn't work, make a paste out of Comet with Bleach, and scrub with a scrub brush.  Leave it on there for a while, overnight if you can.  Then add water and scrub off with the same brush.

Answer 3

I tried the picture links but they said the pictures were removed. It could be limescale or some type of mineral buildup. You can try white vinegar. The acidity of the vinegar neutralizes and breaks down the buildup (which is alkaline). Warm up the vinegar in a pot or in the microwave. Then spray it on the affected areas. Let it sit for a bit and then scrub.

Answer 4

From your pictures it looks like the bath has not been cleaned frequently enough and a  soap scum has built up and then become mildewed (I think this is on your tiles aswell), then someone has poured neat liquid cleaning detergent or bleach on this and has caused the run marks.

Do you use bars of soap? If so ban them and buy shower gel and bubble bath they will leave less of a residue on the bath to build up.

If your bath is enamel you will need to use a scouring powder like Ajax powder or Vim (yes it is back out) and using a damp cloth scourer this scum off rinsing well. From now on maintain it with cleaning it using a cream cleaner like Cif (used to be called Jif) atleast once a week.

The problem is the run marks caused by neat detergent or bleach could well have damaged the enamel and become a permanent feature. The parents of a friend of mine had a house built in the 60's with a pink bathroom suite, unfortunately in the 70's they had a cleaner who poured bleach round the bath and left it. The run marks were still there in the 90's when I saw it!

If it is a plastic bath don't use a scouring powder (and defintely never a scouring pad) as it will scratch. Use a cream cleaner initially to remove the build up and thereafter use a spray on bathroom cleaner - Cif do a good one, spray on wait a minute wipe and rinse. Don't leave any detergent on for more than 15mins or it will start to damage the bath.

Answer 5

Sorry I cant see the picture. Probably is tho. Buy CLR at Home Depot it should work easily for you.