blue copper stains in shower

[oilpsi2high]

Does anyone know the easiest way to remove these blue copper stains that show up on my shower's tile/porcelain tub/shower curtain after a couple of uses? I also notice this staining on my porcelain bathroom sinks. I heard it's acidic water eating the copper pipes. I've been using toilet bowl cleaner which works OK, but it still requires lots of elbow grease.

Any ideas?

 

[bioburner]

Change your piping to PEX. Copper sulphate will be and is a pain to remove. Your toilet cleaner is basically a form of bleach. Copper sulphate is what those color crystals are that one can get to add to a fire for some pretty blue green flames. Also a good fungicide for flowers and growing some healthy evergreen trees.

 

[SZR48207]

If it's really copper then take some advice from the guys who shoot guns. Use ammonia which will dissolve the copper without harming the porcelain.

Or you could try a product like Lime Away.

 

[oilpsi2high]

I tried CLR which does seem to work, but it does require a lot of scrubbing.

I'll give ammonia a try next time.

I do have PEX piping, but I believe the pipes downstairs from the water heater to the PEX are what's left of the copper. House was re-done before I moved in.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[topbliss]

magic eraser will work

 

[bioburner]

They have made the use of PEX super easy with simple push in to lock connectors. I did my own home and was very easy and with plumbers being so high priced the extra cost of the connectors was written off in one hour. One can often get just 10 foot pieces of 3/4 and 1 inch tubing if your needing to replace your manifold system. Utility knife easily cuts the tubing and a simple twist of sand paper to break the sharp edge before inserting into couplers.

 

[SHOZ]

Toilet bowl cleaner is usually Hydrochloric acid.

Do you know the pH of your water?

 

[oilpsi2high]

No idea on the pH. Previous owner had it tested in 2012, I think I have the report in my drawer somewhere. Tastes great!

 

[bugeye]

The acidic water is eating the copper and other metallic piping. Suggest having the water tested and corrected before the metal piping starts to develop pinholes. The water will eat the metallic fixtures in sinks, toilets, outside hose connections, water heaters.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: bugeye
The acidic water is eating the copper and other metallic piping. Suggest having the water tested and corrected before the metal piping starts to develop pinholes. The water will eat the metallic fixtures in sinks, toilets, outside hose connections, water heaters.

Yup

 

[bioburner]

And if the cleaner you have is using hydrochloric-muriatic acid it will attack your plated fittings etc

 

[oilpsi2high]

http://www.cleanwaterstore.com/resource/how-to-guides/how-to-treat-acid-well-water/

Seems easier to just replace the pipes when they leak.