Kitchen Faucet and Bath Faucet Care and Cleaning

Whether you have newer faucets or are trying to preserve your homes original fixtures, proper care and maintenance of your kitchen and bathroom faucets will ensure a long and useful life.

Faucet Cleaning

Faucet finishes vary from gold and bronze to oil rubbed and cast iron looks.  But regardless of the type of finish on your faucet, hot water and a soft cloth are usually all that is needed to keep your faucets looking like new.

Over time, calcium, soap or iron deposits may  build up around the handles or the aerator.  Using a mile household soap with hot water should remove these deposits easily.  Harder water will require more frequent cleanings.  (Installing a water filtration system and/or water softener system will not only add life to your fixtures but also save you money.)  Allowing these mineral deposits to build-up will require more aggressive cleaning techniques.  Abrasive and chemical cleaners may be required but all these types of cleaners affect faucet finishes differently and may cause discoloration.  These types of cleaners should be avoided if at all possible.

Faucet Maintenance

Sediment build up on your faucets aerator can cause low water pressure.  This problem can be easily remedied by removing and cleaning the aerator.  The aerator can be twisted off, rinsed and cleaned, then replaced usually by hand.  If the aerator does not come off easily, it can be removed with a set of small pliers.  To protect your faucet from being scratched, remember to wrap the teeth of the pliers with tape before using the pliers to remove the aerator. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, call Michael’s Plumbing Service for an appointment with one of our plumbing professionals.

If this does not solve the problem, low pressure could be caused by a faulty shut-off valve on the supply line to the faucet or even the faucet itself.   

Low pressure throughout the house may be a different problem entirely.  Uniform low pressure may be a sign of mineral deposit build-up inside the waterlines throughout the home, especially if your water lines are made of older galvanized steel piping, a faulty PRV or even a failing main shut-off valve.