Lemon Juice and Water
Squeeze fresh lemons into a spray bottle then spray all the orange stains in your bathtub, being sure to fully coat the area. Allow the solution to sit for 10 minutes before scrubbing and rinsing. Repeat as necessary.
Orange stains in your shower are likely hard water stains caused by excess minerals like magnesium and iron in your water. Even if your water appears clear, the minerals will oxidize with air and stick to soap scum in the shower. They are not harmful to your health but can be unsightly.
One of the main causes of orange stains in showers is iron in the water. If your water supply contains high levels of iron, it can react with the oxygen in the air and create orange rust stains. This is especially common in older homes with outdated plumbing systems.
Soap scum is commonly a whitish color, but can also appear as an orange, yellow, or gray film in your shower area. This waxy film will continue to build up over time, and can harbor mold and mildew, so removing soap scum regularly will make it easier to manage and prevent additional issues.
Orange mold also has a tendency to develop in a bathroom or a shower of a home with highly acidic or hard water with a high amount of dissolved mineral content.
Use Distilled White Vinegar
For weekly cleaning of sinks, tubs, and shower walls, spray the vinegar on the rust stains. Use a scrub brush to clean the area and then rinse well. For weekly cleaning of rusty toilet bowls, add one to two cups of vinegar to the bowl and scrub with a toilet brush.
Orange/Red Water Stains
If you are on city water and experiencing orange staining, this may be due to the presence of iron in your municipal aquifer. Cleaning: If applied quickly, lemon juice or white vinegar work well to remove iron stains before they set in.
If you're wondering if rusty-colored water is safe to bathe in, the answer is usually yes. A slight discoloration in water does not indicate a health risk.
The pink residue often found on your shower floor, covering your grout, near the toilet water line and hanging on the bottom of the shower curtain is actually a type of airborne bacteria called Serratia marcescens.
Hard water stains are known by many names – limescale, mineral deposits, mineral buildup, hard water deposits – but the meaning is the same. Hard water stains appear as chalky white residue that results from buildup of excess minerals present in hard water.
Iron is one of the most common contaminants in tap water, second only to hard water minerals and chlorine. It's not always immediately obvious, as water containing iron can appear clear until introduced to the air, where it oxidizes and changes to a reddish-brown or rusty orange color.
If the “stains” are orange or look like rust, then they probably are from iron in the water. These will need to be treated with a commercial rust remover. However, if the stains are from hard water, then just plain old white or apple-cider vinegar should work.
Usually it's because of iron and manganese deposits. These are naturally-occurring minerals which settle in the water mains over time. This is nothing to worry about. It's just sediment that normally settles to the bottom of the water pipes and doesn't get into your home.
Limescale is not a hazardous substance, but it can look unsightly. It can also interfere with the performance of your taps, pipes and showerheads, leading to blockages and reduced water pressure over time.
Rust-colored hot water can be caused by bacteria growth, pipe corrosion, tank water heater corrosion, or mineral deposits in the water supply. If the cause is due to aging plumbing, replacing those pipes or appliances could fix the issue.
The orange slime is a product of iron-oxidizing microbes, which "feed" on iron molecules that come from the soil. As a result, an orange-colored iron plaque forms on sediment below the water and has the appearance of a toxic, orange "goo".
A Rusty Water Heater or Heater Parts
Replacing them should clear up your water supply. The tank itself may have rusted, or the dip tube that injects cold water into the hot tank may be damaged — causing it to mix water with mineral deposits already there.
Vinegar is a safe, all-natural household cleaner with the amazing ability to combat hard water stains. Pour some in a spray bottle and squirt any surface where you find hard water stains. Let it sit for five to 15 minutes to give the vinegar time to break down the minerals in the chalky, white stain.
How do I clean hard water deposits from my drinking glasses? We recommend using a 50/50 solution (equal parts of CLR Calcium, Lime and Rust Remover and warm water) into a glass or porcelain bowl. Apply solution to the affected stained areas of the glasses using a damp cloth or sponge.
To tackle items with significant corrosion, submerge your rusty tools or knives in a bowl of white vinegar and let them sit overnight or as long as 24 hours.
White Vinegar and Baking Soda
SLOWLY add drops of white vinegar to baking soda to prevent it from exploding in your face. Combine the two until you have a paste. Let this sit on the rust stains for up to 25 minutes (or until the rust looks like it's ready to come off). You might have to repeat the process.
While most orange mould species are harmless, others like Acremonium are classified as a 'toxic mould' and may be a hazard to your health. Inhaling the mycotoxin spores of toxic mould is particularly dangerous for those with weak immune systems.