Comments on: Hard water stains

Question: Hard water stains

hardbop — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 13:27:57 -0800

How do you clean hard water rust stains from plastic and rubber? The fridge front door where you get water and ice has nasty brown stains on the rubber levers and plastic drip tray.

By: zippy

zippy — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 14:16:55 -0800

I'd dry a paste of baking soda and water, or maybe baking soda and a little hydrogen peroxide.

By: zippy

zippy — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 14:17:24 -0800

Note, this paste is abrasive, so be gentle.

By: acro

acro — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 14:23:44 -0800

Magic Eraser - aka generic white melamine scrubbing pads (and water).

By: jamaro

jamaro — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 15:18:20 -0800

2nding Magic Erasers.

By: patnok

patnok — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:28:28 -0800

hull cleaner (as in boat) it is a mild acid brand name on & off i think.......

By: Robert Angelo

Robert Angelo — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:41:38 -0800

On mine, the drip tray has an insert that pops out. I take it out and soak it in a vinegar/water solution to remove white lime/hard-water stains. I don't know if that would work on your brown stains, but it's worth a try.

By: jay.eye.elle.elle.

jay.eye.elle.elle. — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 20:09:59 -0800

I don't know if that's rust. I don't think plastic rusts...

It might be some sort of mold attracted to moist and bacteria filled surfaces. Try a cleaner that has alcohol or some other disinfectant in it. And Magic Erasers are really magic; they're the only thing that gets my MacBook really clean.

By: misanthropicsarah

misanthropicsarah — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 08:06:17 -0800

no, plastic doesn't rust, but hard water does (white/light) turn plastic and caulk stuff a weird pink/brown color. i hate it SO much, and have not found a great way to clean it. though the baking soda + hydrogen peroxide combo sounds a treat.

By: misanthropicsarah

misanthropicsarah — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 08:07:13 -0800

should read:

does turn (white/light)

comment editing can't come soon enough.

By: dellsolace

dellsolace — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 10:25:25 -0800

Kinda late to this question, but you want some good old CLR. Our water has so much mineral crap in it that a magic eraser just won't cut it, but a bit of CLR and a soft scrub bruch (or old toothbrush) will take that stuff off. I just make sure to rinse with clean water afterwards, since CLR is a bit on the nasty chemical side of things, but it should do the trick!