I either have lime or calcium deposits in my toilet and I need a cheap way to soften them or just remove them. We switched to city water and it's been driving me crazy. They look like brown rings, please help.
Rhonda from Michigan
Best way that I have found to clean lime deposits from a toilet bowl is to use a pumice stone. (03/02/2005)
By Jack Dittmer
Get a gray pumice bar from the grocery store (with mops, etc) and scrub the deposits off. You'll only have to do it once, then just regular cleaning with bowl cleaner will keep it away. (03/02/2005)
By Katie
I, too, swear by a pumice stone which can also be bought at a hardware store. It works as fast as an eraser. I've also used the regular, highly advertised lime-away products that never worked. I've also tried muriatic acid. It's added to solutions for inground swimming pools. It, too, can be bought at a hardware store.
By Val from Illinois
Where I used to work, we had a horrible problem with hard-water mineral build-up in the toilets, etc. We used plain white vinegar, and it worked great! We just started with the water-level down a little, poured probably about 1/3-1/2 gal. vinegar (1.48 at Wal-Mart /gal.), and let it sit over the weekend. That would be harder to do at home, but I would try overnight, and see what happens. This also works great for dishes! My co-worker said that she had heard that Tang also can clean toilets great, but we didn't try it. Good luck! (03/05/2005)
By Emily L.
'The Work's' - toilet bowel cleaner. I swear by that stuff. We have well water, and I used every toliet bowel cleaner out there, to no avail. I use to get the hard water ring-Now I just spray it on and it just melts away. Awesome stuff. U can buy it at Walmart even seen it at Dollar Tree.
(04/08/2005)
By stephanie
I have looked in grocery store by the mops for a pumice stone but none were to be found. So I looked at what everyone here had to say and took it well to heart. (04/28/2005)
By Jo Ann
You can look at the hardware store. You can also find the ones for sloughing skin off your feet in the foot care section of the drug store. The ones for cleaning toilets have handles but one for feet will work just as well.
Once it is clean there are ChemFree Toilet bowl cleaners which is a mineral magnet that you put in the tank to prevent lime buildup. I just got some from Miles Kimball to test and they seem to be working well. They are safe for kids, pets and septic tanks.
(04/29/2005)
Keep those stones wet! its the trick with them. Pretty Potty works great and isn't as harsh as "the works". (05/07/2005)
By Sunny
Lime is calcium. the hydrated form of lime is; Ca(OH)2 used in sewage treatments. the word lime is used to describe this stuff because Calcium oxide (CaO) is usually made by the thermal decomposition of materials, such as limestone, or most commonly, limestone.
It is used in water and sewage treatment to reduce acidity, to soften, as a flocculant and to remove phosphates and other impurities; in paper making to dissolve lignin, and as a coagulant and in bleaching;
lime buildup would thus be best cleaned with something that works to absorb minerals, and after thorough research, this article on the web helped me out a lot:
"Removing Mineral Deposits from Household Surfaces"(05/30/2005)
By Pete the cleaner
If you are having trouble finding pumice stones, go to the pool supply store. They are also used for cleaning pool tiles of hard water deposits. (05/30/2005)
By Ron L.
Pumice stones can also be bought at the Dollar General Store for $1 each. A very inexpensive way to make an old looking toilet look like new again. My daughter couldn't believe it when she seen how nice it got when I cleaned it for her while she was working. Not hard to do at all either. (05/30/2005)
By Arlene
I found pumice stone at Walmarts, in the bath cleaner section. It was called "Pumie" heavy duty scouring stick and cost $2. It worked well.
If your Walmart doesn't carry it, ask the sales manager. (06/20/2005)
By Ronald
I didn't have very good luck with the pumice stone. I clean my commode by first lowering the water level so the lime deposit ring is above the water. You can do this by pushing water down with the bowl brush. Or turn the water off to the commode, and flush.(Don't forget to turn the water back on when you are finished cleaning.) Once the water level is down, sprinkle Zud or Barkeeper's Friend brand of cleanser on the ring, and scrub with a 3M scrubbee pad. I only have to do this once a month and in between my toilet bowl cleaner does a pretty good job.
Harlean from Arkansas (10/18/2006)
By Harlean
Try Lemon Oil. I use this on my commode, shower, stove and many other appliances. It keeps any scum or grease easy to clean. No toxic, all natural, and really makes for easy cleanup. (11/22/2006)
By Janet
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