How to remove limescale + soap scum buildup

playlister82

I live in a hard water area and noticed recently a significant build up of hard yellow gunk under the plug hole in my kitchen sink. Quick google search told me it's a build up of limescale and soap scum. It's quite hard to get to as the drain hole covers most of it and can't be removed or taken out. I am not sure what to do, I would like to get rid of the build up as I imagine eventually it could block the drain. Does anyone have any ideas?

MysteryMe

I am also in a hard water area and tried several limescale removers, including the usual suspects, and found HG Limescale Remover Concentrate to be very good.

20122013

I use bicarb, vinegar and very hot water and (NOT boiling water) 

Sprinkle some bircarb (as close to the edge as possible if not pour it on the edge of the plug hole and then vingar and allow it to drip to the sides and let site and when it foams then hot water

make need to repeat a few times

once unclog -  use the above to maintain

Rusty190

Another vote for bicarb and vinegar. 
Then, when it stops fizzing, wrap a wet wipe round an old chopstick (or small bottle brush if you have one) and wipe as best you can down the plughole aiming for the sides.
Don't do it when you have visitors though - they'll never visit again! (and may report you to environmental health). 

RipleyG

Despite being all over the Internet, mixing bicarbonate of soda with  doesn't help much with cleaning - the impressive fizzing you see is just carbon dioxide bubbling up as its created when the two combine. Any positive effect is simply because one of the substances 'ran out' first, and the remnant of what's left started to work. That's why you have to keep doing it to get any positive cleaning effect. 

Bicarb can help remove grease, vinegar (acid) can help break down the mineral build up. The difficulty is getting vinegar, a thin liquid, to stay where you want it rather than dribbling down the drain. 

Suggest you take a look at Nancy Birtwhistle on Instagram - she has a simple recipe combining citric acid (an alternative to the vinegar) with xantham gum to make something that works. She calls it 'pure magic' gel. As well as working effectively, it's reasonably kind to the environment too.

Also take a look at your plughole - most kitchen sinks have a screw in the middle. Unscrew that and you can remove the plughole cover making it easier to clean underneath. 

CliveOfIndia

RipleyG said:

vinegar (acid) can help break down the mineral build up. The difficulty is getting vinegar, a thin liquid, to stay where you want it rather than dribbling down the drain. 

Suggest you take a look at Nancy Birtwhistle on Instagram - she has a simple recipe combining citric acid (an alternative to the vinegar) with glycerine to make something that works.

That's good advice.

To dissolve the limescale, anything acidic will work.  Vinegar, lemon juice, citric acid, or any of the multitude of commercial limescale products should do the trick.  The advantage of the first 3 options, should it be of concern to you, is that they are completely harmless to the environment - edible, in fact.

You may well find that, once you've got rid of the limescale, the soap scum will naturally dissipate anyway - very often, the problem is simply that the limescale gives the soap scum a nice rough surface to cling to.

Beeblebr0x

Another vote for citric acid

kimwp

Vinegar is ace for getting rid of timescale, but it does need to sit for a bit, that gel sounds promising.

Alternatively, maybe wrap a chopstick in a vinegar soaked cloth to hold the vinegar against the side?

More effective would be to take the plughole up or trap/ubend off the bottom to gain better access. Taking the plug hole up will disconnect the plughole from the pipes below, so you may need to reapply sealant when reassembling it (and also remember not to run the tap). Either way, have a basin/bucket and lots of towels handy.

Emmia

I descale and clean the taps, basins etc in the bathroom with a mix of white vinegar and washing up liquid in one of those dishwashing sponge scrubbers with a handle you fill up. My mix is roughly 50/50 vinegar to washing up liquid - pour into the handle, pop the lid back on and shake vigorously to mix, before using with the attached scrubber.

Grenage

I use citric acid in kettles and washing machines etc.  For taps, showers, etc, Viakal is pretty good.

playlister82

Thanks for the tips and advice all - this has been really helpful! Following the comment about being able to unscrew the plughole, I have done that and discovered it isn't actually a limescale buildup but simply the plastic parts of the pipe underneath sticking out into the middle, I just couldn't see them properly before.
What I did find though from unscrewing the plughole is a nasty buildup of mould in there, which I've now been able to take care of.

Thanks again for all the help.