Mineral Deposits on Humidifier

[tinaq]

Hi All~

I was cleaning out our humidifier a bit ago & noticed hard mineral deposits (grayish-white in color) on metal parts exposed to water. How do I get these off? They're hard & stuck to the metal parts. I can't immerse this part of the humidifier in water. Suggestions greatly appreciated!

TIA,
Tina

[tnrsmom]

just a bump for you. :)

[tinaq]

Thank you, Stephanie :)

[Rebecca]

I wish I knew of a natural solution that works. You can buy a humidifier cleaning product that dissolves the lime, but it's terribly poisonous (phosphoric acid, I believe). I soaked mine in vinegar for a day and nothing happened. Vinegar that we buy is quite diluted.

(FTR, that poisonous stuff did work. I used it when the kids weren't around, with gloves and glasses just to be safe).

[tinaq]

thanks, rebecca. i wonder what the effects of leaving it on there would be?

tina

[weebitty2]

i wonder if calgon and water scrubbed on witha toothbrush would work? or a paste of hydrogen peroxide and cream of tartar?

[Rebecca]

well, you rinse the stuff off pretty thoroughly, but it's still a corrosive acid and I'm not so sure that's great for my septic tank and pipes, but we use little and only at the end of humidifier season. I wonder if CLR or some other 'cleaner' or lime-dissolving product would work, but they're all pretty nasty chemicals. I just don't think lemon juice would be a strong enough acid, kwim?