Posting on the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook page, Michelle Davis asked for the “best cleaning product recommendations to attack the shower screen”, which prompted nearly 100 responses. Cleaning expert Anna Crucitti replied: “Hello, I’m a deep clean specialist. I’d spray a strong limescale remover (a citric acid solution is my choice), let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse well. I prefer citric acid to white vinegar as it’s powerful on the glass but not on the chromed areas.”
A fellow group member was quick to concur. Marsha Leach commented: “Citric acid, cut in half with water. Spray the glass. Leave it even overnight if needed. Wet the scrub daddy and use it to clean the glass. Rinse. Game-changer. The screen will be limescale-free and gleaming.”
Sophie, a cleaner behind the blog Sustainable Lazy, has revealed the ideal homemade citric acid spray for tackling limescale and soap scum.
She noted that “citric acid is effective” at eliminating limescale, soap scum, rust and tea and coffee stains, as previously reported by the Express.
Limescale is alkaline in nature, meaning “it can be dissolved by an acid”, such as citric acid. Sophie explained: “If your limescale has built up, it can become stubborn to remove. The easiest solution is to combine citric acid with hot water and leave it to soak. If it’s particularly bad, it may need more than one attempt.”
To create a citric acid spray, the recommended ratio is one tablespoon of citric acid per 250ml of water. You can easily scale this up depending on the size of your spray bottle — for instance, a 750ml bottle would require three tablespoons of citric acid.
On this occasion, Sophie chose to use 470ml of boiling water, into which she dissolved two tablespoons of citric acid. The hot water helps break down the citric acid crystals.
Once the solution has cooled, decant it into an empty spray bottle and apply generously to your shower screen. Allow it to sit for several minutes before wiping the screen clean.
Having successfully tackled the limescale build-up, making regular use of your homemade citric acid spray on shower screens and other surfaces “will prevent the limescale from getting bad again”.