How to Clean a Kitchen Faucet | Steps by Steps Guideline

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Faucets get many uses and the water that flows through them can lead to a buildup of corrosives. But how many times do you look at the underneath of your kitchen faucet? Is it really a point that you remember to wash often? Well, if not, certainly you are going wrong!

Actually, learning how to clean a kitchen faucet is the ultimate beginning of keeping cleanliness in your kitchen. As a matter of fact, kitchen faucets are the known breeding place for mildew, mold and lime buildup. In this article, we shall learn how to clean your kitchen faucet in order to avoid health hazards.

Step By Step Guideline

Carrying out basic maintenance

1) Wash soft smudges with water

Ordinarily, you should remove smudges without any cleansing solution. Normally, wiping the faucet down using a wet rag is enough to eliminate most soft smudges. Most significantly, be sure to blot your faucet dry just after getting wet.

2) Apply a soft cleaner to remove tougher blemishes

Sometimes, the blemishes can be tougher for water to simply clean them. In that case, you should use a gentle cleaner or wet rag to wipe down your faucet. Also, all-purpose cleaners or Vinegar should be effective.

✔️ If you prefer a natural cleaner, just mix water and equal portions of white vinegar then apply it to your faucet. Strictly, avoid using vinegar on iron. In fact, you rather avoid vinegar if you are uncertain about your mixture’s composition.

✔️ Satisfactory store-bought detergents comprise Formula 409, Fantastik and Windex.

3) Apply bleach or vinegar to disinfect

If your faucet has come in touch with bacteria and germs, you can apply either vinegar or bleach to sanitize. Most importantly, never use a sponge when applying the solution. Ideally, sponges accumulate germs and bacteria quickly.

4) Wipe up excess water

Habitually, wipe down your faucet after use using a dry and clean rag. Carefully, sponge the water off lightly. Remember, failing to blot off the water causes minerals to accumulate. Eventually, it will form a build-up that can be tough to clean.

Eliminate Buildup

1) Use lemon juice to clean reddish brown or red deposits

Indeed, iron and rust need to be washed with acid cleaning rubs. Try to mix borax and lemon juice to form a paste. Afterwards, use a rag to scrub off the build-up using the paste created. Alternatively, you can mix 1 part oxalic to 10 parts water.

2) Use ammonia to clean green sediments

Normally, green or bluish green sediments can be eliminated with a mixture of equal parts ammonia and water. Appropriately, use a rag and gloves to apply your mixture. Subsequently, clean the part well and flush out the pipes using water in order to eliminate excess ammonia.

3) Clean brown and black build-up using cream of tartar

To effectively clean darker build-up, mix hydrogen peroxide with the cream of tartar to form a paste. Using a rag, brush it onto your faucet and eliminate buildup.

4) Wash soap scum using white vinegar

Assuredly, white vinegar will completely pick up bad water checks. Justly, mix it with some baking soda to form a paste. Next, apply it and give it time to dry. Finally, flush and dry it.

Enhance water flow

After all the above procedures, it is paramount to improve the water flow in your system. Luckily, enhancing water flow is quite easy and can be achieved through the following steps:

a) Bind a towel about the filter and utilize a wrench to untwist it.

b) Dismantle the filter.

c)  Brush the filter using a toothbrush.

d) Boil your filter in the vinegar to eliminate calcium.

e) Lastly, reinstall the filter

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How can I clean the kitchen faucet nozzle?

Use a soft cloth to wipe the nozzle’s holes. It will remove the loose dirt and water. For tough stains, you will use an old toothbrush with detergent. Do not use rough material to scrub the faucet because it will scratch off the top covering.

In some cases, the stains are very hard for the brush and the cloth. To remove it, you should let it sit in a bowl of vinegar for about half an hour. If the dirt persists, then leave it to settle throughout the night in the solution.

How do I clean the kitchen sink aerator?

You will need an old toothbrush to scrub off the debris. Make sure that the holes in the screen are clear. You may need to soak the aerator parts overnight in the white vinegar will help to remove calcium build-up and lime-scale.

These elements usually come from hard water. When you finish cleaning, reassemble it and screw it back to the faucet.

When scrubbing the various parts, do it gently to preserve its newness and freshness.

Can vinegar damage the faucet when you clean with it?

Yes, vinegar can damage the faucet. It is strong and acidic as well. If you leave the faucet for a prolonged period in the solution, then it may damage it. It will do this by eating up the finishes on the fixtures.

If you soak it for the recommended amount of time, then it will not harm your faucet.

White vinegar is friendly to your appliances, unlike other types that may damage it even at the slightest exposure.

What can make the kitchen faucet to run slow?

Several factors can cause this phenomenon. Among them are:

• • Frequent clogging in the faucet. As it continues to discharge hard water, debris ends up settling on the walls of the pipe. In the long run, it may end up blocking the system and reducing the flow.
  • Low water pressure can also lead to this problem.
  • Routine repairs to the faucet.
  • Leakages in the system. In this case, the pressure will reduce, and hence the faucet will run slow.
  • New aerators and cartridges. When these two components are new, they always put out less water by design. That is because they save on water usage. As you continue to use it, the efficiency reduces, and it begins to put out large volumes of water.

How do I keep kitchen faucets shiny?

Regular cleaning will help maintain your faucet shiny at all times. If you let dirty water to settle on it, then it will make permanent on the covering of the faucet. Over time, it will cause it to rust and hence making not unable to shine again.

Some of the practical ways to make it shiny include:

• • Soaking it in a solution with equal parts of vinegar and water.
  • Scrubbing it with an old but a soft toothbrush.
  • Rinse it with clean water.
  • Wipe it dry with a clean, dry cloth.
  • Make a regular cleaning of the faucet your habit.

If you observe all these procedures, your faucet will remain shiny for the longest time possible!

Conclusion

Indeed, learning clean a kitchen faucet is as simple as ABC! Furthermore, it is cost-effective. Therefore, there is absolutely no excuse why you should leave your faucet to get clogged by dirt. Regularly carry out this process to avoid too much accumulation of germs and bacteria.

Also read: Best Touchless Kitchen Faucet