Lime-A-Way Vs CLR: Which Is Better On Hard Water Stains?

Hard water: An oxymoron or the cause of cleaning nightmares around the nation? While the term seems contradictory, hard water buildup is a real problem plaguing many households. It also poses the question of how exactly one would clean water stains without using more water.

Products on the market are specifically designed to combat hard water buildup without making the residue any worse. However, it is overwhelming to know which brand is right for you without spending time and money on trial and error.

LIME-A-WAY® and CLR® are two companies with entire product lines dedicated to dissolving these unsightly deposits. Both companies are effective against mineral deposits, but we have found that CLR® is better at fighting more stains on more surfaces.

In this article, we will talk about Lime-A-Way and CLR to bring you more information about the products. This will let you get a glimpse into the reasons why we chose CLR as the best product to fight off water stains.

Hard water staining is the buildup of minerals that make water “hard.” Cleaning these stains with soap and water, or even most household cleaners, will disguise the stain until it dries again.

These minerals don’t evaporate like hydrogen and oxygen (the elements in water’s chemical structure) and need more encouragement to disappear. These stains come in all sorts of colors, typically ranging from white to orange if rust is involved. You can find more information about hard and soft water and how they cause hard water stains here.

The best way to remove mineral deposits is an acid-based cleaner. While two natural alternatives are vinegar and lemon juice, they don’t work as effectively. LIME-A-WAY® and CLR use similar ingredients, but it can be hard to decide which is the best. LIME-A-WAY® uses sulfamic acid as its main ingredient, while a combo of gluconic acid, lactic acid, and other solvents are used in CLR®.

According to Amazon reviews, CLR® seems to be leading the fight against hard water stains. CLR® appears to do what others can’t, with top complaints being that LIME-A-WAY® is more “watered-down,” and other descaling liquids have left a bit of discoloration.

While this is about the hard water products, both brands have a full menu of household cleaning products, including heavy-duty, toilet bowl, kitchen, and even grill cleaners, as well as different bottles with large surface applicators, spray tops, and open spouts.

Lime-A-Way and CLR are highly acidic and both can damage metals. Limited exposure can damage sensitive materials easily, such as wood and natural stone. It is safe to use CLR and Lime-A-Way in drains and on shower glass but never exceed 2 minutes.

After 2 minutes, the acidity can prove too strong and either degrade or discolor the surface. Your CLR and Lime-A-Way will only neutralize if you rinse them away with water. Otherwise, the chemicals will remain acidic and they may damage the surface or your plumbing fixtures.

So, which do we think is the best? CLR® stands up to LIME-A-WAY® in versatility and effectiveness. You can use CLR® on more surfaces, and its industrial-strength technology makes it that much better than LIME-A-WAY®. Not only that, CLR® and LIME-A-WAY® are both about 18¢ per fl. oz., thus making them both about equal in price. However, as far as value, you get a more potent product in CLR®’s enhanced bottle than LIME-A-WAY®’s spray.

While CLR® is much better, LIME-A-WAY® is still a great product. So, don’t go throw it out just because CLR® is better. LIME-A-WAY® can be used on many different surfaces, including certain ones that CLR® can’t. So it’s a good idea to keep this on the side in case you run out of CLR®, or you come across a stain that you need to remove from a surface CLR® cannot be used on. That way, you have the best of both worlds!