If you live in Surrey, Sussex or South London, you’ll know the white, chalky crust that builds up on taps, showerheads and glass screens. That’s limescale, and in this part of the country it comes back quickly.
Why it happens
Much of the South East has hard water — water that contains high levels of dissolved minerals, mainly calcium and magnesium. When hard water evaporates, those minerals are left behind as limescale. Every shower, every splash, adds another thin layer.
Where it builds up most
- Shower screens and doors
- Showerheads (which can clog and lose pressure)
- Taps and around their bases
- Tiles and grout lines
- Toilets, below the waterline
- Kettles and around kitchen sinks
Why everyday cleaning doesn’t shift it
Once limescale has built up in layers, a quick wipe won’t remove it. It needs the right descaling products, enough contact time to break it down, and careful work so surfaces like chrome and glass aren’t scratched.
How we deal with it
As part of every deep clean and end of tenancy clean, we fully descale bathrooms — screens, tiles, taps and showerheads — and polish glass and chrome.
Keeping it under control
- Squeegee shower screens after use
- Wipe taps dry when you can
- Descale little and often, rather than waiting for a thick build-up