Descaler
A product category rather than a chemical: an acid chosen to dissolve carbonate scale. Which acid decides which surfaces the bottle will ruin.
What not to do
Descaler is prohibited by the manufacturer for Steam iron
Unsafe
Do not do this. The risk is established, and it is described below.
Evidence
Strongly supported
Sources
What type of water can I use in my Philips Steam Iron or Steamer?
Philips · Manufacturer documentation
Relied on for: That descaling agents are named among the things that must not be used in the appliance because they may cause water spitting, brown staining or damage. (states this directly)
Precautions
- Never mix with other cleaning products
- Check the manufacturer's instructions
- Rinse thoroughly afterwards
- Test on an inconspicuous area first
- Keep away from children and pets
In detail
A descaler is an acid, and the only interesting question about a particular bottle is which one. Commercial products are built most often on citric acid, sometimes on lactic, sulphamic or phosphoric acid, and at the harsh end on hydrochloric acid; a household remedy uses acetic acid as vinegar. All of them work the same way, by converting insoluble calcium carbonate into a soluble calcium salt, and all of them therefore share one limitation absolutely. An acid cannot distinguish scale from any other carbonate, so a descaler on marble, limestone, travertine or cement-based grout attacks the surface rather than the deposit, and the damage is etching, which is structural and cannot be polished out by a domestic method. What varies between the acids is speed, smell, whether the product is a solid or a liquid, and what else it attacks — hydrochloric acid adds copper, brass, zinc and steel to the list, while citric acid does not. Because 'descaler' names a shelf rather than a compound, no general statement can say what is in a particular bottle. The label can, and it governs — and an appliance maker forbidding descaling agents outright outranks any general statement.
Properties
- pH
- Acidic
What works
Descaler is effective against Mineral salt soil Supported
Why
- Descaler is explained by pH in cleaning
- Descaler is explained by Etching versus staining
- Descaler is explained by Chelation
Sources for this page
Sources
Care & Cleaning of Natural Stone
Natural Stone Institute · Trade or professional body
Relied on for: That acidic cleaners are advised against on calcareous stone because they etch the surface. (states this directly)
What type of water can I use in my Philips Steam Iron or Steamer?
Philips · Manufacturer documentation
Relied on for: That at least one appliance manufacturer prohibits descaling agents and vinegar in its product by name. (states this directly)