Perhaps, the most dreaded housekeeping chore is bathroom cleaning to which many of us say “no” downright. Moving in a room filled with unpleasant smell whereas the very cleaning solution spread on the floor keeps you cornered is indeed annoying. Mineral stains add more pain to the already burdening task but you can’t escape it for longer.
Removing toilet stains formed by mineral deposit and rust can be in different forms like brown rings, green stripes and lime scale. This isn’t about you cleaning it all wrong but the natural presence of calcium, lime, magnesium and iron in hard water that leave behind nasty spots on almost every surface.
The typical rust stains are the combination of iron, air and water whereas the greenish and brown stains in the toilet are lime formation. These lime scales are formed when hard water evaporates and leave behind minute particles that slowly result in stains and eventually decayed toilet if not cleaned.
Even with all the cleaning products available in market, dealing with mineral stains require a bit of elbow grease so don’t think it’s a cinch. Given below are a few ways to tackle mineral stains in your toilet;
The acid treatment
Different acidic solutions are effective especially muriatic acid which is extremely powerful and dangerous so you need to be extra careful. Unless you’re a professional cleaner, it’s advised not to use muriatic acid. Go for a safe and homemade alternative such as white vinegar or any of the soda drinks that are also effective cleaners.
Essential tips & tricks
- Shut off the main water supply to the toilet first and remove as much water as possible from the toilet bowl using a bucket or cup.
- Use a brush with nylon bristles as wire would damage and scratch the porcelain surface. In case you’re missing the brush, go for pumice stone. It’s slightly abrasive but won’t ruin the porcelain surface.
- With commercial/industrial cleaners, follow the direction as labelled on the product.
Vinegar & baking soda
Sprinkle some baking soda in the toilet bowl followed by a cup or two of white vinegar and rub around with a brush. Let it sit for at-least 15 minutes before you re scrub either with a brush or pumice stone. If the stains persist, squirt some lemon juice, turn the water supply on and flush. Repeat the process if necessary.
Fizzy/Cold drink (black)
Flush the toilet and fill it up with your favourite black cold drink. It isn’t just good with the taste but an excellent stain fighter. Let the drink sit in the toilet overnight, brush next day and even the toughest spots would break apart.
Caution
- Avoid pouring bleach in the toilet bowl as it won’t work on stains, rather damage the septic system
- Don’t ever mix bleach and ammonia as the resulting fumes if inhaled can be fatal
- Avoid scrubbing porcelain with metal or anything super-abrasive
Conclusion
The above tips on removing toilet stains are guaranteed to clean mineral spots and leave behind a fresh toilet.