AusBonsai

I have a few pots that I have bought from people having sales. A lot of them have the lime scale from water and build up from ferts. I have always used Vinegar, with limited success. Some times it would fix a light build up, but a couple of them it did not.

I was browsiing on Stymies wee trees site. There was a guy there had the same problem, so he used cheap Lemonade. First he scrubbed, it did some, but also left some.

So then he soaked them over night, and whala, clean pots. So tomorrow off to woolies and get some cheap lemonade or coca cola, Then let you know how it worked for me.

Cheers Pup

Coca cola acts like a mild acid so it may well work.

good luck,

grant

I use my "Crean Mate"- works a treat!

interesting you brought this up pup! i have a few pots with the same prob. i got the pressure sprayer out and aimed VERY carefully, it got off 90% of the scale, there is still a bit on them that i need to get off though, so i will be interested to see how this goes so i can get my pots more presentable!

how much are these creanmates leigh?


jamie

Leigh Taafe wrote:I use my "Crean Mate"- works a treat!

I have tried that it does work with mild contamination, but not with heavy crust. Normaly would not buy pots that badly affected, but when it is one you have been looking for, well even that does not put you off.

Cheers Pup

The best way is to spray the pots with WD40 works great

Fifteen bucks Jamie!

baking soda and a cheap electric toothbrush

How did the lemonade go Pup?

Lime scale is usually calcium carbonate, and should dissolve in a morderately strongish acid like lemon juice. Use a nylon scrubbing brush like a nail brush also.

Glenda

Watto wrote:How did the lemonade go Pup?

It was a limited success. On any that were not heavily affected. On the more heavily affected I used what Glenda has just ( I have just read the post ) Lemons my friend dropped some off yesterday. So they got the treatment at this stage, waiting let you know tomorrow.

Cheers Pup

If you want full-blown effectiveness, use a dilute mixture of vinegar and bleach. Vinegar greatly enchances the efficiency of bleach BUT is quite dangerous, so mask up and don't come into contact with it. Chlorine is produced and can be life-threatening.
Search it on g00gle and it should have some instructions on safe use of vinegar + bleach..
This method can even be used to kill Anthrax spores.
Hope that is helpful

How did your scale go Pup? If the lemon juice fails, have you thought of using CLR, a commercial product specifically for removing calcium, lime and rust?

Glenda

So how are people going with their lime scale on their pots?
Its a bit of a balancing act getting the scale off without removing the patina. I am giving some coke (a-cola) a go on one of my small carved pots to see if it has any effect. It will soak for a day and we will see how it works out. It is soaking now so hopefully i will have some results good or bad tomorrow.

I like that pot Jow
is it an orchid pot or something?

btw I just use elbow grease and an old kitchen scrubber on mine
but my good pots get dressed with vegetable oil before I use them
it seems to help keep the scale away