Does anyone know what product/procedure will remove yellow streaks from bath tub and shower stalls due to well water?

Lori W
by Lori W
It was this way when we bought the house 4 years ago and I have tried everything: CLR, vinegar, soda, all kinds of cleaning products. Best result I had was from using a laundry additive called White Bright - soaked tub in it and almost all came off for a while...didn't work as well on shower stall, .but this is a continuing problem and we can't afford water softener system right now.
  12 answers
  • 3po3 3po3 on Apr 24, 2012
    Have you tried Barkeeper's Friend?
    • Sally Fuhr Sally Fuhr on Jan 26, 2015
      @ Barkeeper's Friend lotion, not the powder. I use it for my corian sink.
  • Sandra R Sandra R on Apr 25, 2012
    For my cleaning clients I have found the product "Lime-A-Way" thick gel formula to work very well. It actually is with the toilet bowl cleaners in your grocery store. I put it on the stain or hard water mark, smoosh it in and let it sit for about 20min. Take a scrubby and wash. Make sure to wear gloves as this is a toilet chemical. I have an old steel tub that had hard water stains and buildup, it took care of mine. Good luck!
    • Sally Fuhr Sally Fuhr on Jan 26, 2015
      @Sandra R That stuff is so caustic, also be sure to wear a mask of some sort. If you inhale it, you'll be sorry.
  • Lori W Lori W on Apr 25, 2012
    Thank you - I will definitely try both of these products!! We are putting our house on the market this summer and I need to find a resolution to this!
  • Laurie M Laurie M on Apr 25, 2012
    The works is a perfect product to remove the good ole "well water ring!" I have found nothing that compares....
  • Lori W Lori W on Apr 25, 2012
    I use The Works toilet bowl product and have always loved it - which "Works" product is this you're recommending?
  • If you have a plastic surround and tub system, it may be inpossible to remove the stains in the plastic. You need to be careful with any abrasive type cleaners, as they will scratch the surface of the offended material and cause even more build up as the scratches catch all the stuff in the water.
  • Leslie D Leslie D on Apr 25, 2012
    The Lime Away worked great on my toilets in Vegas. The house we bought had been sitting empty for a long time, and with the extreme hard water, there were rings in the toilets that nothing would touch. The lime away gel worked wonders, with a 3M green scrubbie pad.
  • Laurie M Laurie M on Apr 26, 2012
    The Works Shower Spray. Some Retailers don't carry it in a pray bottle, so I have a reg old spray bottle that I pour it into. It cleans the rust and limescale right out of my shower and tub. Our shower will "turn" within three days if I don't use it.... (and I have tried so many products! Always go back to The Works) Use it in the toilet bowl cleaner for the toilets too.
  • Debi M Debi M on Apr 26, 2012
    There is a product available @ Walmart and some other grocery stores that works absolute WONDERS on these rust stains. The name of the product is WHINK. It comes in a small bronze colored plastic bottle. It doesn't smell very pleasant, but it works fantastic.
  • Laurie W Laurie W on Apr 28, 2012
    whink rust remover
  • Gigi Moore Gigi Moore on Apr 28, 2012
    Whink will for sure do the trick. I even used it on my hair to remove the rust. Just a quick rinse and the orange was gone and my hair was fine other than needing condishing.
    • Sally Fuhr Sally Fuhr on Jan 26, 2015
      @Gigi Moore are you kidding? Most rust and iron removers are extreme alkali based--like lye. If you are cautioned to wear gloves, what would it do to your scalp? Also, never ever mix an alkaline cleaner (toilet bowl cleaner, rust removers, ammonia) with chlorine bleach products. The result is mustard gas.
  • Heidy Prideaux Heidy Prideaux on Apr 20, 2015
    Try equal amounts of vodka and coke a cola in a spray bottle and spray the area and soak overnight, then rinse off in the morning, it may take a ffew applications. This is really great for glass