Keeping your chrome faucet clean and shiny is a great investment. Not only can it help your bathroom appear well-maintained, but it can also help reduce permanent damage to the surface of the metal. Like many other metals, chrome can become dull from hard water, soap residue, and everyday usage. In this post, we will discuss the steps to keeping your cool chrome fixtures clean and sparkly.
Here are the steps to clean your chrome bathroom fixtures:
1. Create a cleaning solution. 2. Dip a microfiber cloth into the cleaning solution. 3. Remove water stains. 4. Rinse off the fixtures. 5. Buff the fixtures dry.
Read on to learn more about each step. We’ll also discuss some of the best cleaning agents to shine chrome fixtures -you’ll be surprised to find that you have most on hand in the pantry.
How To Clean Chrome Bathroom Fixtures
Chrome is actually fairly easy to clean, and a weekly cleaning schedule would be ideal to ensure that it is kept sparkling and free of calcified water or lime stains. Here is one of the easiest ways to keep your chrome fixtures clean.
A few things that you’ll need:
- Dish soap
- Vinegar
- 2 microfiber cloths
- A disposable toothbrush
1. Create a cleaning solution
Pour a few drops of dish soap into a small bowl of warm water. Or, if you have your own homemade solution, spray onto the fixtures liberally after mixing it together.
2. Dip a microfiber cloth into the cleaning solution
Use a microfiber cloth to wipe around the faucet spout and both handles, and pay special attention to the area beneath the mouth of the spout, which is a common area for water to settle and hard water stains to accumulate. Also, be sure to wipe the area between the handles and their base, where water will often pool when it’s splashed onto the sink.
If needed, use a toothbrush to get in between the handles and the faucet, making sure to rinse it frequently as you break up the dirt (toothbrushes work wonderfully at getting in between cracks and crevices in bathroom areas that may be otherwise hard to reach).
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3. Remove water stains
To remove those stubborn hard water stains from your chrome fixtures, combine one part vinegar with one part water in a spray water bottle and apply it to the fixtures. Allow the solution to sit on the fixtures for a minute or two, and then use your toothbrush to tackle those hard water stains and any grime that the soap did not get rid of.
4. Rinse off the fixtures
Next, rinse off your cleaning cloth or sponge (and toothbrush) and wipe down the fixtures with warm water, making sure to remove all of the cleaning solution as well as the vinegar (if left on the fixtures, the vinegar could eat away at the metal, causing it to corrode quickly).
5. Buff the fixtures dry
Use a dry microfiber cloth to buff the fixtures and remove any water spots before they have the chance to dry.
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Quick Cleaning Tips
- It’s important to know that chrome is considered a soft metal, so while briefly using vinegar to clean it, it’s not recommended that you allow it to sit on its surface for an extended period of time.
- If you are using a commercial cleaner, be sure that it is specifically recommended for chrome metal.
- You should never use any sort of wool materials or scouring pads to remove stains and grime from your chrome fixtures, as they will most certainly create permanent scratches on the surface.
Will vinegar damage chrome fixtures?
Vinegar is a mild acid, and if left on a chrome surface for an extended amount of time, it can damage the metal. However, it can be used in a limited capacity to help remove limescale, calcium, and other stains from chrome fixtures.
Can you use Windex on chrome?
Yes, Windex is a safe product to use on chrome, as it contains no harsh abrasives (such as ammonia) that will damage the surface of chrome-based materials.
How do I get my bathroom fixtures to shine?
There are actually a few ways to restore shine to your bathroom fixtures. Here are a few popular ways to do so.
Use Club Soda
Club soda has long been one of the easiest ways to help restore the shine back to metal fixtures. To use it, pour about 1/4 of a cup onto a soft rag or microfiber cloth. Next, wipe down your metal fixtures with the cloth and pay special attention to any areas where rust has formed (you may need to use a toothbrush to help lift calcium or limescale stains). Afterward, rinse off the rag with warm water and try the fixture with a soft dry cloth.
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Make a Baking Soda Paste
Baking soda is one of the cheapest metal cleaners that you can purchase, and it may be a good idea to keep a few boxes in the house just for cleaning alone. The good thing about baking soda is that it’s abrasive enough to get rid of dirt, grime, and hard water stains on metal surfaces, but it’s gentle enough to where it won’t scratch its surface.
To make the baking soda cleaning paste, combine three parts of baking soda with one quart of water into a bowl and wait a few seconds for it to stop fizzling. Once it does, take a toothbrush and use it to apply the paste to your metal fixtures. Allow the paste to sit on the fixtures anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes. Next, use a damp sponge or cloth to remove toothpaste and then buff it dry with a dry cloth.
Use Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner
The Weiman stainless steel cleaner works great on several types of metal surfaces and can quickly restore your fixtures to their previous shine. To use it, simply spray it onto a lint-free cloth and wipe down your bathroom fixtures, making sure to pay special attention to the areas where water may settle around the fixtures. Afterward, buff the fixtures clean with a dry, non-abrasive cloth until they return to their previous luster.
Wrapping Things Up
We hope that this post has introduced you to a few ways to effectively and quickly clean your chrome bathroom fixtures. Remember, regular cleaning can help to keep your fixtures from becoming dull and rusted.