Topic: Removing limescale.

[Anne Tique]

I'm sure you've all come across it ... the white layer of scale inside a vase, that whatever you do or whatever product you use, won't go and stays visible once the item is dry again. In the past I've even refused to buy some fantastic pieces, just because of that.

I have noticed, that, overtime, this deposit gets encrusted, especially in crystal, and any household products, denture tablets (not that I need them for their original purpose  ) or rice mixed with salt won't be enough anymore to do the job, and you need to bring out the heavy armour.

Perhaps some of you have got your own ways of getting rid of the limescale, but I wanted to share with you my way of dealing with it.


The vase in question, a Val St Lambert vase 'Evian', manufactured 1920-1925, and as you can see, the vase is so damaged with limescale, that you can't even see through it.

I came across a polishing kit on Ebay (Ian's polishing kit), have been using it now for several years and you use these with a Dremel. You can also get cerium oxide, but personally I have never given this a try, as I'm happy with the polishing kit from Ebay. There's a description how you need to use it, but I myself prefer to do otherwise.  Dremel offer an extension that can be attached, but the end bit is sometimes too large for narrower vases, and by coincidence I came across a different brand, that does the job perfectly. Also, it comes with a stand, that you can attach to the table, work top or sink, so you've got both hands free to work.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Powerplus-Multitool-Combitool-Purpose-Compatible/dp/B00H7ZCYMI

The powders come in different grades and you work in stages, to remove the layer without causing any damage.

Here are some tips.
- Have everything ready and handy before you start.
- Mark the item on the outside with a sticker so you know where you began, and where you can stop. I also do this if I want to take a break.
- Don't use the tool at full speed and avoid the item getting too hot, as it can crack, just take a break and let it cool down.
- The description for the powders are enclosed, how to use them etc.... personally I mix the powder into a 'yogurt thick' paste, and work from there.
- Be patient, it takes a while, but usually after 30 minutes it's done. Pressed glass takes a little longer, and to avoid stressing myself out, I do these in sessions over a couple of days.
- I always do this in the kitchen sink, as it can get a little messy at times, but you need to layer the edges of the sink, with a couple of towels, to avoid damage if you knock it against the sink.
- Once I'm done, I keep the paste in a recipient, to be used for another time and rinse and dry the item. A little squirt of vinyl spray, like Armorall dashboard spray (also handy for your car) and you'll find that the original sparkle is back, all the scale and deposit is gone and the item is as new.

I'll post a few images of the result in a next post.

[Anne Tique]

Here some images of the result ....good luck!

[Anne Tique]

Perhaps it's silly to say... but people in general have done sillier things in the past... ... guilty myself 

The process, as I mentioned, can get messy and you'll find that the tool gets covered with the paste.

Do not rinse it off unless you want to RIP!!! .... this might sound logic to a lot, but to some it might not ... as soon as you're done, disconnect it from the power socket and let the tool dry. You can brush the powder off with a brush, once it's dry.....

[vidrioguapo]

Thanks for your time posting this .  It is very helpful

[Lustrousstone]

Good to hear from someone who's actually done it

[chopin-liszt]

Incredibly helpful! 
But is it actually limescale? or is it water-marking - they're not the same thing.
Limescale would dissolve in acid - vinegar is enough to do the job normally. It's a deposit on the glass.
Water-marking is different, it's a reaction with the surface of the glass, and you need to go to all this trouble with cerium oxide and polishers to remove this damaged top surface layer of glass.

[Anne Tique]

Ah .. well, as I mentioned in another post .. trying to explain yourself in English ...

If is the type, that gets encrusted in the actual surface, leaving an opaque veil, that doesn't feel as smooth...
If it is called water marking then that's it, I thought it was lime scale, but obviously not.
Thank you for correcting me.

[Ivo]

It is the first stage of glass sickness. Moisture has attacked the glass surface and leaked the glass components, making it dull and opaque. The second stage is flaking, the third is crizzling - after which the article returns to sand.

Surfaced damaged glass can be made clear by tumbling, i.e. fill with a mixture of soapy water, cerium oxide and copper balls. Then close it carefully, pack inside a plastic tube and roll on a machine for 3 days or so.

the alternative with magic balls, solvents, abrasives etc is not so effective. Solvents do not work, manual mechanic intervention requires a lot of patience, and the result may be not as expected.

The flexible shaft on a dremel seems to work too but is said to be very slow.

A quick solution for display only is silicon oil. It closes up the pores and makes the glass clear again. But NEVER sell any glass thus treated. NEVER. You heard me.

[Pinkspoons]

A good quality fine grade diamond paste - of the type generally used in tool restoration - will work much quicker than cerium, but is far more expensive.

[chopin-liszt]

Anne, I am very, very impressed with your complete fluency in English - it's far, far better than that of many native speakers and your explanation was very clear indeed.

I was just not exactly sure about what sort of cloudiness we were discussing - I suspected it was glass sickness or water-staining - the process Ivo described, rather than a "true" limescale deposit from the calcium salts deposited when water evapourates.