Things You'll Need
Lemons or white vinegar
Baking soda
Dishwashing detergent
Soft cloth
Bowl
Water
Sunlight
Water stains in ceramic pots can be some of the toughest stains to tackle. Minerals in the water can imbed themselves within the ceramic surface. There are efficient and inexpensive ways to remove water stains. Depending upon the condition and age of the stain, as well as the age of the ceramic pot, more than one try may be necessary. Most of these ingredients you may already have in your kitchen. These suggestions have been tried and tested to work.
Step 1
Use natural ingredients that use citric acid to remove hard water deposits clinging to the ceramic base. These include lemons or white vinegar.
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Step 2
Soak the pot with full-strength vinegar. The vinegar's acidic liquid will soften the lime and calcium buildup in the water. Rinse the pot with cool water. Cool water will help prepare the surface for cleansing. Cleanse the pot with cool water and a mild environmentally friendly dish cleanser. Scrub with a soft cloth or a toothbrush thoroughly. Rinse.
Step 3
Pour baking soda into a bowl. In this step, choose between lemons or white vinegar. If using lemons, slice a few, depending upon the size of the stain. (You may have to slice more and add more to more baking soda as you go along.) Squeeze lemon juice into the baking soda and mix it until it is mixed into a paste. If using white vinegar, mix the vinegar into the baking soda until it is mixed into a paste. Spread the paste onto the stain. Let the paste dry and soak for an hour or two before rinsing thoroughly.
Step 4
Allow the pot to air dry with the lid off in the sunshine. Drying it in the sunshine gives the water molecules less chance of being trapped and therefore a weaker ability to begin a new stain. If the pot is white, the sunshine will help the citric acid in the lemon, which is a natural whitener.
Step 5
Repeat these steps, if necessary, to weaken the stain into submission.
Tip
If you have a truly stubborn hard water stain that just won't let go and you have tried the vinegar and lemon treatment suggested above to no avail, try soaking about two teaspoons of a environmentally friendly powdered dishwashing detergent in the ceramic pot in warm water overnight. Let the pot air dry in the sun. Some have had results with tablets that are used for bleaching dentures, also.
Warning
Avoid hard abrasive cleaners which can scrape, dull or scratch the ceramic surface.
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