Cleaning brushed nickel fixtures in bathroom
 

We have a lot of minerals I guess in our water so I'm having trouble getting the sink fixtures looking like new again. Has anyone found anything good to use to clean them? I believe the fixtures are Moen brushed nickel. Thank you.

This may sound odd - but Polident (for dentures) works very well for cleaning shower heads, etc. that are plugged. Just mix with water and soak fixture to remove buildup to unclog? Perhaps using that mixture in a spray bottle on the fixtures would help?

I don't have brushed nickel but use vinegar on my fixtures.

LemiShine is AMAZING for cleaning up mineral buildup. I buy it in granule form at Walmart. Dissolves the minerals almost as you watch.

I'm putting LemiShine on my shopping list. We have the same issue. My only recommendation is DO NOT use CLR full strength! It will destroy the finish on your countertop. Ask me how I know.

I use kitchen and bath cleaner by CLR. Our water is so hard we have to chip it with an ice pick!:D

Try a google search for 'cleaning brushed nickel hard water stains'. I got several hits. They all emphasized being gentle - no harsh cleaners.

I'd love to try that, we're on a well and I do wear dentures! How much polident would you need?

OK, found on Google!
http://www.ehow.com/info_8064795_uses-polident.html

The LemiShine I got from Walmart came in a baggie-like container. Here's a link to the same stuff in a regular container; read the reviews:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Lemi-Shine...12-oz/15724190

I just dissolve some in water and place it around the base of the faucets and use a sponge to apply to the faucets themselves. If you run it through your dishwasher, just make sure you don't have any expensive enamel casserole dishes in there; this stuff eats enamel! My kitchen countertops are quartz and it's no problem for quartz.

we have the same Moen, but the granite is hard to clean the hard water off

I actually was looking for how to clean soap scum out of my shower today. The recommended product was the liquid Bartender's friend. The results were good for both scum and hard water according the google search.

Susan

L

Bartender's Friend is a very mild abrasive and works wonders. I also have brushed nickel and very hard water. What I find really helps, is (after cleaning) to use a bit of chrome polish (made for cars) on the faucet. Even wiping it with a bit of oil, will help keep it nice longer.

I use Lime away or straight CLR. I clean the minerals build up in the toilet with it also. I put it on a rag and just keep rubbing until they are gone. It doesn't take long. I use toilet cleaner and it colors the minerals but doesn't remove them. We have very hard water.

We live across from a limestone pit...I've found a used dryer sheet moistened with water is mildly abrasive,but whatever is in the dryer sheet cuts all the crud at the base of the sink fixtures. :thumbup: We also use it for pots with burned on foods. Just put the dryer sheet in the pan (after it has cooled, of course), add water, let sit overnight...use the dryer sheet the next day as a scrubby, and viola'! Burn junk is gone! Dryer sheets do a lot of things...we store the used ones in an empty tissue box. :thumbup:

I have used regular run of the mill hydrogen peroxide. Takes the mineral marks off easily.

[QUOTE=coopah;7125745]We live across from a limestone pit...I've found a used dryer sheet moistened with water is mildly abrasive,but whatever is in the dryer sheet cuts all the crud at the base of the sink fixtures. :thumbup: We also use it for pots with burned on foods. Just put the dryer sheet in the pan (after it has cooled, of course), add water, let sit overnight...use the dryer sheet the next day as a scrubby, and viola'! Burn junk is gone! Dryer sheets do a lot of things...we store the used ones in an empty tissue box. :thumbup:[/QUOTE

I think it may have been here I learned of the dryer sheet for stubborn baked foods on pans or baking dishes like after scalloped potatoes! All I can say is WOW it has made clean up a wonder, I find I don't have to leave it soak overnight, just a short time and it loosens baked on food.

I too use dryer sheets for cleaning my brushed nickel fixtures. I also use dryer sheets for cleaning adhesives from my iron sole plate. I just take a used dryer sheet or two and run a hot iron back and forth over the dryer sheet, no more of the expensive tube of chemical iron sole plate cleaner for me. Again a tip learned on this board, I'm sure.

I will be trying it to clean the base of fixtures per your suggestion! PLUS like the tip of using a used tissue box for storage.

I wouldn't use polident or any abrasive. Try several sprays of vinegar, or a cloth soaked in vinegar. Place around faucet, It could take several applications. My Mom thought her new sink/cabinet in the bathroom was defective....at least the porcelain bowl part of it. There was a discoloration only where the water must have dripped....the line went down to the hole in the sink.....I brushed my finger over it and thought, this isn't a flaw...went to her kitchen got a rag, soaked it with vinegar and placed it over the stain.....after only five minutes, I rubbed it off. It was mineral build up. I use vinegar at my house now, all the time for cleaning around faucets.

We just intslled brushed nickel and our directions say to wash with warm soapy water and the DRY with a soft cloth.
It specifically mentioned lime and said do not use any commercial product or you void the warranty. In our former home I used a few drops of mineral oil on a soft cloth and that brightened them up.

Polident sure did work on my shower head! CLR, Lime-a-way, etc have not really done anything but I soaked over night and actually got wet this morning! Thanks Cactus Stitchin

You are right, use Windex, but buy a gallon of distilled water and use that every once in a while to help it shine. We quit using bar soap long ago, so no soap scum problems here, so I have no idea how to deal with that.

If at all possible, get a water softener and a water filter of some kind. We have never been sorry we got ours.

Try WD 40 spray. Just spray it on let sit or a few minutes and most of the spots will wipe off. Go on line and type in what WD40 c
an do! It works .

Suzy

I am adding this to my shopping list too. I don't have a bad problem, but the shower heads do need a cleaning. I thought I had tried everything out there, but I had never heard of this product. Is it available in the grocery area, or the hardware at WM?

LemiShine is in the dishwashing area of WalMart.

I think it may have been here I learned of the dryer sheet for stubborn baked foods on pans or baking dishes like after scalloped potatoes! All I can say is WOW it has made clean up a wonder, I find I don't have to leave it soak overnight, just a short time and it loosens baked on food.

I too use dryer sheets for cleaning my brushed nickel fixtures. I also use dryer sheets for cleaning adhesives from my iron sole plate. I just take a used dryer sheet or two and run a hot iron back and forth over the dryer sheet, no more of the expensive tube of chemical iron sole plate cleaner for me. Again a tip learned on this board, I'm sure.

I will be trying it to clean the base of fixtures per your suggestion! PLUS like the tip of using a used tissue box for storage.[/QUOTE]

I hope the dryer sheets work for you! Thanks for the reminder about the iron sole plate cleaning. My new iron has a Teflon coated sole plate and is icky. Nothing has cleaned it...thanks for the reminder!

The used dryer sheets also work at cleaning fiberglass showers.

I use vinegar on mine but I don't have brushed nickel. I think it should be fine though. I soak paper towel in the vinegar & lay the paper towel & vinegar on the spot I want to clean. Leave it about 1/2 hour & it looks like new again

I made note of all the suggestions and have tried the vinegar first. That seemed to work very well for me. I appreciate all who took the time to respond. Thank you to everyone.