RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
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Post By Kay (Guest Post)
(06/16/2008)
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When you leave, turn the water off and flush the toilet and drain all the water out.
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RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
Try swishing your toilet every day with a toilet brush. As part of your shower routine or clean up time that you do in the morning.. reach over and swish the toilet brush around. It is amazing how little time it takes and how well the bowl looks every day from it.
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Request: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
I have a black ring around my toilet. Any suggestions to get rid of it. Bleach does not seem to work. I have even tried the blue tablets and other toilet bowl cleaners.
Rose Smith from Malvern, PA
Answers:
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
Pour two cups of Spirit of Salts into the toilet, close the lid and let it sit for two hours. Flush and clean as usual. Repeat if necessary. Be sure to ventilate very well, SoS is very corrosive. I have said this a million times and will keep on saying so, because I know from experience this WILL work!
Spirit of Salts is known as hydrochloric acid in the states. (07/30/2007)
By gurth
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
If all else fails, try this. Turn off the incoming water to your toilet. Flush toilet until all water is removed. Manually, fill toilet bowl with about 1 gallon of white vinegar. Vinegar must cover the stain line. If necessary, add enough water to raise the level of vinegar/water solution above the stain. Allow the vinegar to remain in the toilet for 24-hours. Now, use your toilet brush to scrub the stain. This will work on severe lime buildup, hopefully, it will work for you. (07/31/2007)
By CJ
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
I found a wonderful product last week, we had awful rust stains in the bowl and black ugly stuff in the tank. I purchased this product called "The Works" it came in a green bottle. I got it at Wal-mart for about $5.00. I then found it at Dollar General for $1.00, the same stuff. Empty the tank, squirt it on the sides of the tank/bowl, let sit for a few minutes, but don't inhale the fumes!, scrub with a brush, turn the water back on and flush 3-4 times. I bought 5 bottles at the Dollar General this week! (07/31/2007)
By booklady2228
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
If it's a porcelain toilet, go and buy the cheapest denture cleanser tablets you can find. Add 5-6 to your toilet, and let sit over-night. It might be a bit unconventional, but it does work. It will also kill 99% of the germs in your toilet. (07/31/2007)
By Cheri
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
Simple, TRR. You can find it at Lowe's or Home Depot. It'll work like magic! (08/19/2007)
By Ryan
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
Pumice (and some elbow grease) works well, and you should be able to find pumice stone in any good hardware store; you can even find it in some drugstores. The chemicals recommended on this website probably all work in one way or another, but just randomly throwing harsh chemicals into your toilet is kind of ridiculous. Where do you think all that poison is going when you flush it? It's a high price to pay to remove a few stains.
(09/12/2007)
By Sandra
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
I tried almost every recommendation made on this site. The ONLY product that removed built up water stains from our ceramic toilets is pumice. I found a bar at True Value Hardware. Turn off the water supply, then flush the toilet. It will some serious scraping, but that's just the pumice sloughing off. After 5 years of looking at nasty rings and stains, they're gone! (12/03/2007)
By John
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
I've had hard water/mineral deposit build up for years, just waiting to find the right solution, I guess. Today, I found it. The pumice stone idea has worked effectively! I have tried some chemicals to no avail, and hate spending money on things that don't work (I tried the Magic Eraser which did not work.).
I was reading ideas at this site, and remembered I had a pumice stone I use only infrequently on heel callouses and had picked up at Bed Bath and Beyond some time ago. Decided to give it up to the "cause" this morning, and yep it was worth it. Rings are gone in two toilets with 20 minutes work! You've got to drain the toilet, but that's almost the hardest part! Give it a try! (04/05/2008)
By Cathy, Arizona
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
Someone mentioned that Mr. Clean erasers are totally safe which they might be on any surface other than your skin. A child was helping mom clean with one then noticed something on himself and cleaned it with the eraser. He ended up with horrible chemical burns all over his body. Please be cautious around children. It's not to be used on skin.
(05/09/2008)
By Michelle.
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Request: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
I have a gray toilet, also a white one that have the bad rings in them that I cannot get out. I need any suggestions with things I might have in my home to use. I've tried lime cleaner but that doesn't work. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks, Fran from Racine, WI
Answers:
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
I'll third the pumice stone, it works like a charm. Oxy clean, I believe, is simply a mix of hydrogen peroxide and any old cleaner. You can buy HP for about a dollar at Walgreens.
Editor's Note: Oxyclean is made from sodium percarbonate. Although hydrogen peroxide will work for many stains, it is different.
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
The Mr. Clean Eraser works for me after trying every chemical known! You have to use it each week when you clean the toilet, but it gets the rust off! The Mr. Clean Eraser is the best invention. Don't ask me why it works on nearly everything, without harmful chemicals, but it does. You can also now buy Safeway brand Erasers, just like Mr. Clean, but cheaper. Good luck!
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
We have hard water and use the toilet brush to "plunge" quickly for a few minutes to lower or even remove the water in the toilet (a trick from a custodian friend). We use Lime Away, the thick, green, stinky stuff. Pour it around the exposed ring and let set a while and brush. This works great on bathtubs too. But ONLY if they are porcelain. It will eat anything else. Occasionally we plunge the water out of the toilet and rub with a pumice stone. They are available in many markets. A lot of people in Home Depot type stores don't know what pumice is so ask for "one of those scrubbing stones or bars".
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
"The Works" is the best cleaner I have found for my toilet and not very expensive, I bought my at Wal-Mart
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
I use a pumice stone and rub the stain out. It is gentle, but make sure your toilet is porcelain and not plastic. I find them at my local dollar stores.
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
I have to ditto the poster who suggested Oxiclean. Our 5 yr old home had badly stained Kohler toilets. Just down in the deep part. We tried all kinds of things and then my husband just threw some Oxiclean powder in, let it sit about an hour and then used a brush. It worked great! (12/31/2005)
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
A good cup of vinegar before bed every night will do it. The ring isn't dirt, it's from the hard water. (01/01/2006)
By Juanita
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
Chlorine, used for swimming pools. Let it sit overnight, flush and clean as usual. (03/07/2006)
By Willem
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
you can go to www.centurysupply.com type in pumice and there you go or you can also go to www.grainger.com and type in plumbers pumice and its there as well. I've used it, it's great stuff
By Melissa
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
I am actually a Zep Manufacturing Rep so I might have a little more insight on how to get the rust off. If it is indeed rust, products like Oxyclean etc will not get them off. You need an acid- acids are what will eat up rust. Most toilet bowl cleaners you will buy in stores are very weak in terms of acid. Even the Zep products sold at Home depot are not that strong. The products Zep Reps sell (generally only to businesses) have high levels of acid depending on the product used. If you are able to let your product sit in the toilet overnight, then it is cheap crap. A decent product would harm the toilet.
jzoelln AT hotmail.com for questions (08/18/2006)
By Joe
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
The rings could be either stain or mineral deposits or combination of both. Stains are usually easier to clean since they are thin. Mineral deposits however are much harder to clean and the older and thicker they are the harder it would be to clean. Mineral deposits can be removed either chemically using acids or mechanically using pumice. Bleach and baking soda are both non-acidic, they are basic and will not remove the mineral deposits. (As an experiment you can try to put egg shells which are minerals, in vinegar which is acidic and see what happens to it after a day). Anyone who has found good results using bleach or baking soda or any other base chemical products most likely removed stains and not mineral deposits of any significant degree.
So the reason everyone reports different results is mainly because of the degree of the mineral deposit or stain. (08/22/2006)
By ToiletScience
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
Due to hard water, we get toilet bowl stains that are hard to remove. The cure-all for me is to remove the back reservoir lid and place a funnel into the over flow pipe then pour muriatic acid down the pipe. This cleans the flushing vents around the rim and then flows down the side of the bowl. About 6 ounces does the job. After a couple minutes, the bowl is brushed clean. Warning: this is truly an acid and proper ventilation is needed and be careful not to splash any on your carpet or clothes! (11/25/2006)
By
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
I empty out the water and use Lime-away and a razor blade. This sounds really funny but you can use a razor blade to scrape the ring and it works! It scrapes them right off if they are hard water stains. Again only on porcelain though. (12/05/2006)
By traci
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
The pumice stone and good old fashioned elbow grease will remove the stains. THE TRICK is to not allow the stains to return -- and you do that by swishing the bowl every day or two. You do not need to use cleaner, just leave the bowl brush right next to the toilet and every day or two give it a swish (in clean water of course) and flush. The stain will not have a chance to build up and come back. (01/18/2007)
By Kris
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
In my cleaning business I use pumice stone. (01/18/2007)
By #1Karen
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
Regarding the ring in the toilet bowl, I tried using most of the methods and products recommended, above, but none would get rid of the ring. What finally did do the job was a product called "Zud". It is a heavy duty cleanser and it did a great job. I have used this product before for difficult stains and thought I would try it in the toilet bowl. I rubbed the ring using a damp cloth with "Zud" on it. It worked beautifully. It is nice to know I finally can get the toilet bowl really clean.
Note: I had already let Lime Away sit in the bowl for a couple of hours, but the ring still remained. That was when I decided to try "Zud" as a last resort. It could be the combination of the two, but I suspect it was the "Zud". Good luck!! (04/14/2007)
By Patricia
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
On the Rachael Ray TV show they said to pour old soda pop (like a can that's been sitting in your garage for too long) onto the bowl, let it set at least 2 hours, then scrub with a brush and flush. The acid in the old soda helps to eat away at the buildup.
Well, it can't hurt to try and you weren't going to drink it anyway. (04/15/2007)
By cookwie
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
There are some good recommendations here. I only ask that everyone use a little common sense. Consider what you are putting down the drain. In some cases acids are being prescribed as the only effective method to remove stain. Sure the waste water is treated in most cases but, the acid remains and makes its way back into the environment. It might be back in your drinking water some day. Or maybe your kids drinking water. Saying acid is the only effective method to remove stain is like saying a nuclear bomb is the only way to effectively end the war in Iraq. Both will work very well but, consider the consequences. I have found that a little good old fashion elbow grease works. Pumice stones and the razor blade techniques works without harm to the environment. (06/05/2007)
By Steve
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
Bar Keepers Helper in the Powder not the liquid. It's very cheap. Best thing for well water rust stains I found so far. Lime Away and all like products have been no use to me. (07/08/2007)
By cleanfreak1
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
I tried every product I could think of for a hard water scale in my toilet and scrubbed forever.
Finally I drained it to about half a cup, poured in some CLR in the grey bottle and let it sit for a few hours. Finally--stain gone. (07/08/2007)
By Sheraone
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Request: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
Request:
I recently moved to the South and now have these NASTY water line rings in our toilet bowls. I've tried EVERYTHING to remove them (from Comet to Coke to Toothpaste to elbow grease- not to mention most every commercial cleaner out there). We were recently preparing for Hurricane Charley and I filled a bathtub with water "just in case" went to drain it, later - and guess what - another water ring. Does anyone have any miracle cures? My bathrooms have never been so clean and still look dirty!
Someone suggested plumber's pumice but I've been unable to purchase it - I tried Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart and even a swimming pool place.
I'd love your help.
Thanks and Have a great day!
LovinLadyd
Answers:
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
Post by phantas00
"ZEP" products are great. I run a cleaning service, and for those old toilets with built up stain, I use "Zep" toilet bowl acid cleaner. Also to prevent them in my own house I use 50,000 flushes, they are both sold at home depot and cheap.
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
Elaine (Guest Post)
I have iron and sulfer in my water and have excellent results with a product called "The Works" made by Lime-o-sol Company. Check out Krogers or WalMart. They also make a spray on after shower "The Works". Best thing I have found. After shower you just spray on and forget it. No scrubbing, no rinsing (it rinses it the next time you shower). Works the same on the toilet. You pour it in and before you can get the brush out, you can see it starting to work. I usually leave it set overnight. I don't often write a letter to the company, but I did on this one.
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
(Guest Post)
Baking soda?
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
TANYA (Guest Post)
Try using a cup or two of bleach. Let sit a few hours or overnight. Works better than anything i've tried so far.
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
Post by Loreena
Pour plain old vinegar into the toilet bowl and let it sit over night. In the morning scrub it with a bowl brush. Repeat several nights in a row until it is clean. This is how I clean my bowls.
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
Post by Jonid
Dear Lovinladyd, maybe you have one of those worthless, eco-toilets that are designed to save water. I have two in my house and ironically, you have to flush TWICE to get the contents to disappear. I am now in the black market business of finding and selling "real" toilets (people pay good money for them!) because you can't buy them anymore. I am an avid proponent of ecological conservation, however, this is one instance where technology did not fix the problem. Joni
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
Lois (Guest Post)
To clean overly dirty toilet, use Muratic Acid used for pools. I just pour the acid in randomly and let it sit. It is an acid so do not breathe it in but it works wonders and can be purchased at Home Depot or any home improvement centers.
This cleans the toilets that have crusted on the bottom from non cleaning.
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
m.b.wright (Guest Post)
43 years ago my inlaws lived in Minnesota and they had water so rusty the clear glasses in the house were a rust tint. The sinks and bathroom fixturess were all sparkling white. They used ZUD. It is around the scouring and cleaning products and you may have to check out several stores. It will have a bad egg smell when you use it and like all other cleaning products do not mix them up. Wet area to be cleaned, apply ZUD, scrub with wet cloth and let set for awhile for the product to do the work. Scrub as you rinse clean and rinse well. It is a winner!
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
Linda (Guest Post)
Try a regular pumice stone, available at walmart, etc. It is usually with bath items and used for gently scrubbing off calluses. Moisten the stone and rub gently against the stains. Works like a charm for me!
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
alice. (Guest Post)
Have you tried putting a scoop or two of oxyclean directly into the toilet and letting it sit over night? I've found that oxyclean is kind of a "miracle cure" for just about anything. Also I read that rubbing alcohol will remove toilet bowl rings. Lastly, I know Don Aslett (on QVC among other places) brand of cleaning supplies work awesome. Good luck.
RE: Preventing and Cleaning Toilet Rings
Post by Rennie
I'd give the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser a try - I've found that it gets rid of things that nothing else will & with very little effort. It's my newest & most favorite cleaning essential!
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