Brushed nickel faucets are known for their beautiful appearance. A brushed nickel faucet is matte-looking because of the wire-brush process in the manufacturing. Due to the property of being durable and rust-resistant, many people prefer having them over any other type.
However, excess spilled water can cause spotting on their beautiful surfaces. Thus, to maintain the luxurious texture of the faucets, you can take the following mentioned precautions.
Things You Should Know About Brushed Nickel Faucets
These faucets are manufactured using the same material as steel and non-ferrous alloy. A wire brush or another brushing tool is used to create small consistent groves on the metal to produce the material.
Because of the color of these faucets, they are the ones ideal for use in bathrooms and kitchens. Usually, they have matte-finish, but there are few with a semi-gloss finish. Owing to the uniform groves that resemble a brush, the finish is textured appearing. Such finish is the charming feature of these fixtures.
However, this finish makes their cleaning a bit difficult. Because of the sensitive finish, you need to take precautions while cleaning them. Otherwise, there shall be some spots or dirt that can distort their beauty.
Tips On How To Keep Your Brushed Nickel Faucets From Spotting
You only need to pay attention to correctly cleaning the faucet, and there will be no spots. Here’s what you need to do to keep your facet spotless.
Wipe It Dry After Using
The primary cause of spots is the droplets of water that stay on the surface of the faucet. Especially in the areas where humidity is high, spotting can occur much faster if water is left on the surface. Thus, it becomes necessary to dry it so that the water does not stay on top of it.
The faucet needs to be dried even after every use. It can be done by blowing it or using a soft drying cloth. It will help you keep the faucet safe from accumulating calcium on it because of hard water. As a result, no spot will be there.
Using Warm Water
While cleaning the faucet, you should never use cold water. Coldwater can harden the minerals, causing more spots that can be harder to clean. Thus, instead of cleaning the spots, it will be adding more on top of them.
However, cleaning will warm water will help you dissolve the mineral build-up. And it can be cleaned using a regular sponge. Warm water can also remove the tough stains that cold water cannot. So the next time you are cleaning the faucet, use warm water.
Cleaning It With Mild Soap Solutions
You should clean the faucets with mild soap or dishwashing detergent. In case it has stains with continuous usage of hard water, you should clean it every now and then. Occasionally, it is also suggested to use vinegar mixed with an equal quantity of water.
Such occasional cleaning will help you get rid of the calcium deposit. This depositing of calcium from hard water cause spots if not removed within time.
However, you should not leave any kind of solution on the faucet for too long. It will tarnish the fixtures if left for more than 30 minutes. Thus, always make sure you are rinsing the faucet in time.
Waxing the faucet To Add Extra Shine
If you want to add shine to the surface and give the faucet the extra boost of shine, coat it with wax at least once every month. You would not need to apply it more than once unless you want your faucet to have that extra shine on its surface.
Such a layer of protection ensures that there is no deposit. Likewise, the paste of wax will ensure that there are no stains left behind. You purchase the wax from any place you desire and use a cloth to spread it. Rather than going over in one single layer, go in little circles. After the surface is covered, take a clean cloth and keep on rubbing it to make it shinier.
Clean Two Times In A Week
The nickel fixture needs to be cleaned on time so that there is no build upon it, which can cause spots. Hence, you need to clean the faucet thoroughly at least twice to ensure there is no calcium build-up. Then, take the mild dish soap or diluted vinegar or baking soda to clean all the openings and crevices of the fixture.
After cleaning it properly, you can simply dry it using a chamois cloth or a soft rag. Again you should note any droplet sitting on it for long. If you want to give the fixture a nice shine while drying, you can try using a dryer sheet.
Get Yourself A Water Softener System
If the major cause of spots on the surface is hard water, you need to eliminate its root cause. There are specific areas where only hard water is available. Hence, for the people living in such a place, it is necessary to get a water softener.
Hard water is responsible for the deposit of calcium over the nickel surface. Not only does it damage the appliances and things, but it also dries out the skin and hair of humans. Thus, the need to have water softening is valid.
If the water is soft, you would need to do the polishing often. You will also notice a significant change in the cleansing ability of the water. You can use this water for other tasks as well, like cooking and drinking.
Mistakes You Must Avoid To Not Let Your Faucet Have Spotting
Besides following the tips mentioned above, there are some mistakes that need to be avoided at all costs. You may be doing these unintentionally, but these need to be eliminated to have spotless faucets.
Using Harsh Cleaning Solutions
When choosing the cleaner to use on a brushed nickel surface, it is essential that you be a little more cautious. The harsh chemicals may ruin or severely damage the finish of your faucet, which cannot be treated easily. The stains can be tackled; however, there is not much you can do once the finish is gone.
Chemicals such as ammonia are very harsh and can damage the surface severely. Similarly, if you use vinegar without diluting it, you will have similar results. So instead, you should use diluted vinegar, mild dish soap, or even baking soda to clean the surface of brushed nickel faucets.
Also, keep things like scouring pads or steel wool away from all the faucets.
Using Abrasive Pads On The Faucet
Using abrasive pads on the faucets s something you should never do in any given condition. Such rough pads can leave scratches on the metal surface, making it dull. The worst thing about scratches is that they leave permanent marks. For the brushed nickel faucets, which have a matte finish, this can take a toll on the appearance.
Any metal utensil or tool should be kept away from the brushed nickel faucet. You can use tools like toothbrushes, a dryer sheet, or simply a soft cloth to cleanse the fixture.
Leaving Acidic Substances On The Surface
Acid is known to have corrosive properties. Thus, it should be kept away from the faucets that have metallic surfaces. If you have a brushed nickel fixture installed in your sink, you need to pay attention to the content you are putting in the sink.
Citrus substances corrode the surface greatly, and it becomes irreversible. To prevent this, fruit juices that contain citrus fruits should not go near the faucet to maintain their beauty. Besides the citrus substances, coffee and wine can also be dangerous.
Hence, if there is anything acidic on the faucet, you need to clean it instantly. You should use diluted vinegar or mild dish soap solution. To ensure that nothing is left on the surface, take a toothbrush and gently rub the area.
Try to be as gentle as possible while doing this. After cleaning it thoroughly, rinse the fixture and dry it using a soft cloth.
Forgetting To Pick The Sponge
It may come out as a surprise but leaving sponges near your faucet can cause more harm than one can imagine. When sponges are left in a damp environment, they stink up and get moldy. This characteristic can leave stains on the faucet once they come in contact with it.
Hence, you must pick up the sponge no matter how busy you are. Then dry it thoroughly before storing it. This will help you keep the other places in good condition as well.
Conclusion
Using the brushed nickel faucet can give your sink a bathroom a luxurious look. However, you would need to pay a lot of attention to keep them looking elegant all the time. Once these lose their shiny look, they cannot be back easily. Thus, cleaning them regularly and waxing them once a month will help you maintain their luster. Be as gentle as you can with the brushed nickel faucets. Be it you cleaning or polishing them or using the solutions to clean them. Everything must be gentle. You can easily keep the faucet away from spots by taking these little precautions.
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