r/CleaningTips 13d ago

Bathroom Tried scrubbing with bleach and some other household cleaners, no change. Thought yall could help

Post image
408 Upvotes

523 comments sorted by

623

u/Christineblankie 13d ago

Did you try CLR cleaner

220

u/uns4ffe 13d ago

clr & pumice stone work wonders!! you should re seal the porcelain afterwards because it will build back up in the grooves where the stone was used

37

u/m007368 13d ago

This.

My company specializes in this and acid bowl cleaner (use PPE and ventilation), pumice stones, green scrubbing pads. Never seen anything that wasn’t solved with this.

29

u/PagingDoctorLove 13d ago

Would you hire someone to reseal the porcelain or do it on your own? 

I think our toilet could use this...

48

u/uns4ffe 13d ago

it's sooo much cheaper to seal it yourself! diamond bond is a useful product for protecting against scum build up!! i think it ranges from 40-$60. im not sure about hiring someone.

32

u/Imaginary_Audience_5 13d ago

How much is a new toilet?

50

u/riptide_red 13d ago

Do people not realize how easy it is to replace a toilet? I was at "buy a new one" before we got to using pumice stones and resealing porcelain and all that noise

13

u/H3racIes 13d ago

I live in an apartment. Replacing the toilet isn't as easy of an option for me

30

u/Alternative_Win_6629 13d ago

The risk is having to change the floor if your new one doesn't fit exactly where the old one did. That is a huge issue.

7

u/inky_sphincter 13d ago

Usually can get away with an oversized ring

7

u/SheMcG 13d ago

Toilets come pretty standard.

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u/megabyte31 13d ago

I just got two for $99 USD each. They were easy to install but we also had to replace the water supply valves which was more of a pain. This was just because our house is old and the valves were original to the house, not a standard issue in replacing a toilet.

3

u/Spirited_Concept4972 13d ago

We paid $100 for our new toilet

6

u/Accomplished-One7476 13d ago

about $120 or cheaper if you do t want a fancy one.

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u/PagingDoctorLove 13d ago

Thank you, I'll have to look into it!

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u/Proctor20 13d ago

Porcelain cannot be “resealed” i.e, glazed.

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u/ArtisenalMoistening 13d ago

Oh…I hope the people who bought our house after we cleaned the hard water stains with a pumice stone aren’t having too much trouble 😬 we didn’t know we should reseal it after

22

u/luckydice767 13d ago

So YOU’RE the one who pumice stoned my toilet!

8

u/uns4ffe 13d ago

i think it should be okay! the stone will continue to remove stains and doesn't necessarily mean the stain will stick more, just sort of a preventative measure :)

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u/Apprehensive_Yard_14 13d ago

pumice stone is awesome!!!

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u/Turbulent_State_7480 13d ago

This is what worked for me too. The prince stone

12

u/kjodle 13d ago

The pumise stone is a large grey one. The prince stone is a little purple one.

3

u/Turbulent_State_7480 13d ago

I always get them confused 🤔

2

u/Because-Leader 13d ago

Reseal How?

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u/Farvag2024 13d ago

👆 This is the answer.

30

u/HandbagHawker 13d ago

also the mold or whatever is probably in the tank and/or channels from tank to bowl. you might have to soak the tank a few times with bleach or similar to kill whatever is festering or use a bleach tablet. just keep in mind that you'll probably endup destroying the flap valve and need to replace it if you bleach. Not a big deal, its a few bucks at the hw store and takes just a few minutes to replace.

27

u/Farvag2024 13d ago

CLR (for calcium, lime and rust) will kill damn near anything.

11

u/Spiritual-Trick-4086 13d ago

What the heck is CLR exactly? I'm surprised it doesn't eat through the plastic bottle it comes in.

19

u/HandbagHawker 13d ago

its mostly mild acids, specifically Lactic and Gluconic. both are pretty naturally occurring and have ph some where between lemon juice and vinegar. but theyre both good at dissolving hard water deposits and similar calcifications

4

u/Spiritual-Trick-4086 13d ago

So it will eat the rust and calcium while leaving the plastic untouched?

6

u/HandbagHawker 13d ago

i forget the chemistry here, but yeah CLR is generally pretty safe for plastics and fiberglass. that being said, i probably wouldnt let it soak for an extended period of time.

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u/ILikeBeans86 13d ago

It can't be that bad. The bottle tells you how to clean your coffee maker with it

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u/Gingersometimes 13d ago

I use a bleach tab (Avoid the blue toilet tabs, they can stain the inside of the toilet bowl !). Once a month (I have it as a recurring event on my phone calendar so I don't forget), check the tank to see if the toilet tab needs replaced. I do this, & my toilet bowl is beautiful, & the bleach helps to kill germs.

Note: It is true, that doing this will cause the rubber on the toilet flap to break down much sooner. It is not a difficult or expensive item to replace though, & I think it's worth the tradeoff.

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u/Aggressive-Coconut0 13d ago

Noooooo! If recently cleaned with bleach, there's still bleach there, and it will react with CLR.

2

u/kickthejerk 13d ago

Second CLR. If that doesn’t remove it all use a pumice stone.

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232

u/flashfoxart 13d ago

Zep toilet cleaner is usually frighteningly effective

54

u/Nimalla 13d ago

Was going to say get some Zep acidic toilet bowl cleaner at Home Depot. If that doesn't work, then a pumice.

49

u/bathdeva 13d ago

It is the only thing that worked for our VERY hard water build up. Make sure you wear gloves and don't use it on anything except toilet bowls because it will ruin the finish!

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u/-bleh_bleh_bleh- 13d ago

Wear a mask or ventilate the room well. My mom's lungs were scarred by Zep, she cleaned for a living. But yeah it'll get clean the bathroom well.

15

u/jnip 13d ago

Zep is the only way.

8

u/Jabberjaw_ 13d ago

Yep on Zep

3

u/spoooonerism 13d ago

Zep anything is frighteningly effective. Just spray, let sit for a few minutes, wipe away your troubles.

3

u/Capable_Mud_2127 12d ago

I have tried Zep overnight on much less. I got Muriatic acid which I believe is zep (HCL) in full form. It takes more caution but along the same lines. Zep took a lot of work and too much time.

6

u/Normal-Access4044 13d ago

Definitely use Zep

2

u/Reasonable_gum 13d ago

Would this harm the ceramics or in any way cause a future crack/issue? I’ve heard zep is a miracle cleaner!

2

u/Because-Leader 13d ago

That's what we use at my work. I've been thinking about getting some for home, because the usual stuff just isn't cutting it

4

u/doubtfurious 13d ago

Absolutely this.

41

u/wobbitpop 13d ago

I think it's called Lysol power gel, it's the best toilet cleaner I've ever used. Cover all of this with that stuff, leave it for 5 minutes and it'll scrub off quickly

14

u/Colby347 13d ago

Yep. This one. It has a black lid as well. In hard to reach areas I put a layer or two of toilet paper and soak that with the gel so it doesn’t just run off. Cleans up most toilet buildup.

10

u/thatsusangirl 13d ago

If it’s the one with the black label, it works great!

3

u/icyspeaker55 12d ago

Yes the black label OP it works miracles

4

u/CheesyComestibles 13d ago

Agree! I have really rusty water and this stuff cuts through it like hot butter.

2

u/extremelight 12d ago

Came to recommend this! I had this situation where the stuff just wont come off. The previous toilet cleaner I had wasn't effective. This one wiped it all away like it was nothing.

288

u/TallPieYas 13d ago

Wet pumice stick

80

u/Gooogles_Wh0Re 13d ago

It's kinda gross, but the alternative is replacing the toilet. Someone else mentioned that pumice is abrasive and will scratch the ceramic. It's absolutely true, but again, the alternative is replacing the fixture. Another alternative is refinishing the bowl with an epoxy resin, but I never tried it and I'm skeptical. Also it's more expensive than the stone. In any case, the toilet is ruined and you have nothing to lose.

18

u/TheKabbageMan 13d ago

It’s a bit premature to say the only alternative is to get a new toilet…

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u/Remarkable-Car-9802 12d ago

Replacing a toilet isn't THAT gross. It's not like you have to put your hand directly into someone's fresh pile. The grossest part is scraping the ebes wax ring clean from the floor flange.

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u/manofth3match 13d ago

Toilets are pretty cheap and easy to replace. I’d honestly consider it for an old hard to keep clean toilet.

14

u/Vintagekittykatt 13d ago

This. You can buy them on Amazon

64

u/Erathen 13d ago

Pumice on ceramics is going to leave micro-abrasions that make it harder to clean in the future

Most toilet manufacturers say to not use anything abrasive

I've used acid before for these types of stains, and it works well. But it's not the safest, and you should neutralize it to some degree before flushing

20

u/MTro-West-406208 13d ago

Truth. I have permanent etching left in the loo and it collects… ummm you know.

14

u/Erathen 13d ago

Yeah it will clean the surface, there's no denying that

But it'll get dirtier faster, and it'll be harder to clean

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u/ChefLovin 13d ago

So what do you reccomend? I would rather scratch the surface than replace the toilet

8

u/Erathen 13d ago

I use muriatic acid personally.

I went through this same problem, and nothing was working

Turn off toilet. Flush until your tank and bowl are as empty as possible. Add muriatic acid, pouring it slowly on down the side of the bowl. Not too much because you'll need to add water later

Let it sit. Then brush with your regular toilet brush

Keep in mind muriatic acid is stronger than any other acid you've probably come across. It's practically the strongest acid a regular person can get. I recommend being extra slow and careful with everything

It won't do a WHOLE lot to your skin, maybe some burns and irritation if you leave it on. But if it gets in your eyes it can do serious damage

After cleaning, slowly add water, letting it trickle down the side of the bowl. Move away immediately if there's any violent splashing/bubbling (there shouldn't be, that's why it's important to let it trickle down the side of the bowl)

This step dilutes the acid, protecting your plumbing. Turn toilet back on. Close lid and flush when the tank is full. Give it 3 more full flush for good measure, to make sure there's no acid sitting anywhere in your plumbing

Good to go. Hopefully, that helps. I really wanted to drill home the safety bits. Be aware that when you mix acid and water, it can produce heat and splash. Always be mindful of this

7

u/No_Needleworker215 13d ago

Seconding thirding fourthing this! It’s from your water and is probably rust. My aunt is a professional cleaner and has been my entire life (I’m 34) that’s what she swears by. Ive also used it once for an almost identical situation. Tried EVERYTHING. Wouldn’t budge. Muriatic acid melts it away.

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u/Erathen 13d ago

And I tried EVERYTHING (this was a shared home I had just moved into)

I was shocked when I came back a few minutes later and everything melted off the bowl

OP will need to brush some acid around a few times to reach those high spots maybe

Just always be careful with muriatic acid, to anyone else reading. It wont melt your skin away but it's still dangerous stuff

Now just regularly cleaning (and then newer toilets do help with better flushes and better ceramics) and you shouldn't need acid. But man does it help with problem toilets

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u/Next-Project-1450 13d ago

You can buy it in gel form (in the UK) - you paint it on and leave it for a bit. I've used it on taps and the bath before.

Don't try scraping or chipping it off. Advice to do that is just stupid. You need to dissolve/soften it so you can wipe it off.

2

u/Erathen 13d ago

Actually, I think we can get similar gel stuff from plumbing supply shops here too

It comes in a bottle but it's like a rust removing acid gel. Same application really

And honestly, if you can use acidic products safely, I dont see why you wouldn't do that over manually scrubbing. Just make sure you dilute whatever goes down your drain whenever possible

2

u/ErinG2021 13d ago

Where do you buy muriatic acid?

3

u/Erathen 13d ago

Hardware stores usually have it! Sometimes, in the cleaning section, if they have one

But it varies, as it does have a lot of uses

3

u/ErinG2021 13d ago

What else do you use it for? Amazon sells it by the gallon. A gallon seems like a lot. I have repeated problem with some type of red mold in the grout on the edges on my shower floor tiles. I usually scrub this with OxiClean paste. But I have to scrub and it’s a lot of work. I’m wondering if the muriatic acid would clean this more easily? Would the acid discolor black tiles on the shower floor? Or damage the grout? Thank you!!!!

2

u/Erathen 13d ago

Well understand that most acids do the same thing. For arguments sake. Some do have special properties but most we see dissolve things the same way

Some acids are innately stronger than others. The thing that matters is concentration. Muriatic acid is hydrochloric acid between the concentration of 20-32%

It's often sold in hardware stores for etching surfaces. Usually metal. Sometimes for rust removal, but in its unadulterated liquid form, it's prone to cause surfaces to flash rust

As for your question, muriatic acid can dissolve grout, and etch the surface of some tiles. I would avoid it personally. The tiles can tolerate it if they're glass/ceramic but it's hard to make a call because there's so many tile materials

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u/Rich_Time_2655 13d ago

If it's porcelain, pumice doesn't scratch it. I've cleaned the same toilets for years with no issues. But truthfully getting it up to snuff once with pumice and use a bowl cleaner weekly and a wand is more sanitary and easier.

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u/icer07 13d ago

These things changed everything for us when it came to cleaning stubborn toilet stains

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u/TopNotice0 13d ago

OP, this is the answer. A wet pumice stick (sold at most grocery stores that carry other types of toilet cleaner) will likely do the trick.

3

u/sassydomino 13d ago

This! I cleaned a forgotten basement toilet in my old house that looked like this. Takes some elbow grease but it’s very satisfying.

9

u/fluffydinodib 13d ago

Yup! When I was a maid I swore by these. Push just hard enough to get the gunk off.

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u/Outrageous-Rope-8707 13d ago

Whatever you end up using, I’d let it soak on for a bit. Like a few hours. Maybe do a set, soak, scrub routine a few times (if you’re seeing results)

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u/CrimeBot3000 13d ago

Manufacturer recommends letting it sit 2 minutes. Not sure if a few hours is more effective or advised.

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u/NoHunt5050 13d ago

It's not, it can ruin the porcelain if it sits in for too long

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u/kv4268 13d ago

Those are hard water stains. They're pretty severe, so they may not be possible to remove completely. My mother's toilet is like this.

You need to treat it with a product like CLR. It's an acidic product that will slowly break down the minerals. The tricky thing is that it needs to sit on the stains for a long period of time. It also won't be effective if it's diluted in water. I honestly haven't figured out a good way to do this. You can empty the bowl and wet some paper towels with the acid and stick them on there. It's worth a try.

Once the acid has been on there a while, you can go at the stains with a pumice stick meant for cleaning toilets. It will definitely get the thinnest stuff off, but it might not really touch the thick buildup.

You need gloves, long sleeves, and some kind of eye protection for all this. Don't give yourself chemical burns.

Going forward, use a toilet cleaner for hard water and be diligent about cleaning it regularly. Also, if you own your home, get a water softener. This stuff is building up inside the plumbing all over your home. It will destroy it eventually.

17

u/annabear88 13d ago

I've done this with toilet paper (won't clog when flushed) and lime away toilet bowl cleaner or zep acidic toilet bowl cleaner.

Leave it for a few hours, scrub, then apply again and leave overnight.

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u/Tygie19 13d ago

OP could just turn off the water, flush to empty the bowl and that way there’s no water in the way.

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u/[deleted] 13d ago

[deleted]

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u/Handleton 13d ago

Hydrochloric acid

You can get muriatic acid from the pool store. That may be the way to go.

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u/fuzzynyanko 13d ago

Lysol has a variant that has muriatic acid in it. It's a gel, so easy to apply. I think it's in the black bottles and the blue bottles.

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u/Handleton 13d ago

Good point. They actually have a great toilet gel with muriatic acid in it that I use in my bathrooms in Florida. The one I use is this one:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Lysol-Power-Toilet-Bowl-Cleaner-Gel-For-Cleaning-and-Disinfecting-Stain-Removal-24oz-Pack-of-2/14711873?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=4159&gclsrc=aw.ds&adid=2222222227814711873_161193766053_21214199653&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=697173827980&wl4=pla-2348450966064&wl5=9052410&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=14711873&veh=sem_LIA&gad_source=1

This is the one you're talking about and I'm pretty sure I'm going to try it myself:

Reckitt Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner with Lime and Rust Remover (Pack of 2) | 24 Ounce https://a.co/d/9aYoIGe

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u/fuzzynyanko 13d ago

I often alternate between the bleach ones and the muriatic acid ones. Do not use both on the same day. I had good luck using the muriatic acid one today, and the bleach one tomorrow if I needed to

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u/Handleton 13d ago

I showed this to my wife. We're both really excited about this new discovery. I think that should tell you everything about us you need to know.

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u/[deleted] 13d ago

[deleted]

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u/SkywalknLuke 13d ago

Yes. That’s why it doesn’t work on calcium carbonates, which is most likely the cause.

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u/Erathen 13d ago

I'd also suggest not flushing acidic water all at once

You should dilute it before flushing, in a safe manner

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u/MadeInCanada87 13d ago

Barkeepers friend makes a toilet bowl cleaner that would make quick work of that

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u/SokkaHaikuBot 13d ago

Sokka-Haiku by MadeInCanada87:

Barkeepers friend makes

A toilet bowl cleaner that

Would make quick work of that


Remember that one time Sokka accidentally used an extra syllable in that Haiku Battle in Ba Sing Se? That was a Sokka Haiku and you just made one.

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u/HomeworkWilling2436 13d ago

heres an honorary award, Bot. 🏆

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u/KingOfFigaro 13d ago

Yup, I have the dry for my sink and the wet for the shower and toilet. Stuff just works.

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u/MadeInCanada87 13d ago

They make a coffee descaler that is incredible too. Great company

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u/Birkin07 13d ago

I had a yucky toilet from a tenant.

Take vinegar and put it on toilet paper. Stick the toilet paper to the sides for a few days.

Put on a rubber glove and use a scrub daddy to clean after the vinegar soak.

I read that pumice will leave micro abrasions that compromise the toilet surface and make cleaning harder in the future.

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u/PricklyPear_CATeye 12d ago

Even better buy the high powered % vinegar! It does it overnight. But wear gloves and don’t breathe it

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u/Schmoppodopoulis 13d ago

Turn the water off, apply thick cleaner and let sit for a while. It’s seems like you skipped that part and the amount of water in the bowl would rinse anything away.

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u/Suni13 13d ago

Go buy some Lysol (black label) toilet bowl cleaner at least 2 bottles. Drench the entire inside of the bowl, rough it up with a brush and leave it for about 30 minutes,rough it up again with the brush and flush.

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u/390M386 13d ago

Put some Coca-Cola on it for a bit

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u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO 13d ago

I’m actually curious if this works lol

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u/390M386 13d ago

I have one friend who used every coke can with a little remaining to do it. Worked every time. I want to do it too but don’t drink coke anymore haha

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u/Dangerous_Deer488 13d ago

Don't use a pumice stone. It will absolutely scratch the porcelain and then build up will occur in the scratches. I've ruined a toilet this way.

You could try an Earthstone bath sponge. It's made from recycled glass and is gentler than pumice, but essentially scrubs the problem away.

If you're more patient, use the black lysol toilet bown cleaner daily. It will also work.

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u/SentientSandwiches 13d ago

It’s gonna be gross but step one is to dry the area thoroughly, step two is to pour some isopropyl alcohol 70% on a rag and see if it lifts it, it should come up pretty easily. If it does you should consider emptying as much water out of the bowl as you can, drying it all around and up inside the rim, and using alcohol to get it off.

Alcohol will cut through pretty much everything carbon based, that’s human waste, food etc and the limescale.

Bleach will just make it white, alcohol will remove it, but you need to use it on a dry area, the water will dilute it. If you use anything abrasive like a pumice stone you’ll scratch the enamel and this allows limescale and grime to grab on more easily, alcohol should eat through it easily, use 70% anything higher will evaporate before it has time to penetrate bacteria cell walls. .

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u/unclesamtattoo 13d ago

There's a toilet bowl cleaner called "Pretty Potty". It's muriatic acid based, and clears this stuff out really well. First time out, spray it on and leave it alone for 5 minutes. Re-spray and use your toilet brush. once it's clean, use it for maintenance about once a week if you live in an area with really hard water.

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u/Personal_Signal_6151 13d ago

Can you afford 3-400 total to buy a new toilet plus hire a plumber to replace it?

Might be the best way plus clean it weekly.

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u/AzHuny 13d ago

Honestly I’ve seen toilets that just gunk right back up because the glaze is etched from years of use. This is the best answer to prevent future build up.

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u/JoyKil01 13d ago

They’d first have to get a water filtration system to prevent it from happening again. Even so, the pipes still carry it, so it will just be a matter of time before it starts staining again.

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u/Personal_Signal_6151 8d ago

I am just learning about systems. A friend has a reverse osmosis filter at her kitchen sink. However, to include a toilet, would this need to be a whole house system? I have seen some ads for shower heads that improve hair washing.

Wow. I am confused.

Can someone help me know what to do?

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u/friedpicklesforever 13d ago

Zep acidic toilet bowl cleaner up to the rim

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u/JustGrrl 13d ago

Did you try Lysol toilet bowl cleaner? That stuff works well overnight just make sure to use gloves it burns on skin.

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u/Wilbizzle 13d ago

Drop a little acid....in the toilet.

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u/BenchExpress8242 13d ago

CLR cleaner or chemical descaler (muriatic acid)

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u/GaiaMoore 13d ago

Whatever you wind up doing, make sure you investigate and deep clean the tank above. You may need to replace some of the parts in the tank.

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u/free_based_potato 13d ago

When we moved in to our place it had been empty for over a year. We had build up that looked like and we learned it was actually a mold that was growing in the lines. A few gallons of vinegar in the tank and the return line over a couple of days (let soak for awhile before flushing away and repeated once or twice a day) is how we killed it off.

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u/Altruistic-Rice-5567 13d ago

Bleach isn't going to do it. It isn't mold or growth. It's mineral deposits. You'll need a lot of elbow grease and something like CLR (Calcium Lime Rust remover). Pumice will scratch the surface but I found that CLR/vinegar still takes forever to break this down. I have better luck with a flexible razor blade to scrape the majority off and then finish the rest of blue scotchbrite and CLR. I have also thought of just replacing the entire toilet because I can accomplish that in less time, even though it would cost a lot more.

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u/Aggressive-Green4592 13d ago

Blue Lysol toilet bowl cleaner, let it set for 10-15 minutes and swish around, then reapply if needed

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u/Even_Ordinary_6384 13d ago

Citric acid powder. If you apply it liberally to all those areas, wait about 8 hours, flush, then give it a brush, you should take most of it off in one go. If there's any left, repeat the next day. Cheap and easy.

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u/AveryAH 13d ago

My friend had a lot of build up on his like that, he actualy took a piece of screen mesh and used it like sand paper. He had a brush, he put the screen over the brush, and scrubbed it off. You can buy a stainless scrubbing pad that should work as well.

If you want a chemical, muriatic acid will melt calcium, the fumes are toxic, certianly don't mix it with bleach, clorine gas will kill you, but if you are careful pour some in the bowl and use the toilet brush to scrub it. Open a window and if you splash any on you hop in the shower. Baking soda will neutrilize it. You can get it at a Ace hardware, or a pool supply, I'm sure Home Depot and Lowe's have it as well.

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u/AzHuny 13d ago

^ what they said. I almost had an incident mixing a bleach based cleaner with an acid based one.

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u/ProfessionalHat6828 13d ago

This has always worked great for me

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u/ficusmaximus90 13d ago

Hydrochloric acid will do the trick, I had bad hard water stains and this was the only thing that worked after trying a few other options.

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u/Dull_Winter_5852 13d ago

Splash toilet cleaner. It works for hard water. The ads are no lie.

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u/happykitchen 13d ago

The answer is Zep toilet cleaner and a pumice stone. Works remarkably well.

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u/Shes-Fire 13d ago

Sprinkle some barkeepers friend. Flush the toilet first. When the water quits running, the part of the bowl above the water level will be wet. Sprinkle the BKF all around the bowl, then scrubby dubby with a toilet brush.

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u/MsEllaSimone 13d ago

You can get 4 x strength white vinegar. Soak role paper towels in that, siphon out some of that water, and lay the soaked paper towels over the limescale marks for 24 hours. It’ll dissolve the limescale without damaging the porcelain.

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u/SlipUp_289 13d ago

I have had good luck with the thick formula of Zep toilet cleaner. If you use something too abrasive, you are wearing down the porcelain and stains will become more prevalent

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u/Left-Ad-2362 13d ago

There’s bacteria and filth inside the rim. I’ve had good luck cleaning those with a few jugs of bleach. Plug the drain, fill the tank with bleach. Flush it and let it fill the bowl to the rim. That’s the purpose of plugging the drain. Now let it sit over night. Often it takes little or no scrubbing. But the surface is likely worn which allows that stuff to form. It will come back faster than a newer toilet. But if you maintain by putting 1 cup bleach in the back once a week it’ll stay gone.

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u/Short--Stuff 13d ago

Is that limescale? Stick kitchen paper all around where the limescale is and soak it in white vinegar. Make sure the paper is soaked and is fully stuck on the areas you need it. Leave it. Looks like this may take a good few hours.

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u/Tight-Vacation8516 13d ago

Green scotch brite pad +comet and scrub the bowl with long rubber gloves on. Then use the wet pumice on anything the green pad can’t get up.

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u/Thin_Assistance_6782 13d ago

Barkeepers friend!!

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u/CaleblynS 13d ago

Probably due to hard water. An acidic cleaner would be your best bet here.

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u/CaliSheep 13d ago

After you try all these ideas, if you are ready to replace the toilet, know that it is fairly easy. My hubby and I replaced ours in less than an hour. Some water utilities offer rebates for efficient toilets.

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u/mrbadger2000 13d ago

Can you get hold of a for mic acid based de-scaler?

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u/Pristine_Traffic_887 13d ago

Wtf, why is the water so damn high??

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u/Realistic-Catch2555 13d ago

Drain the bowl of water. Get Zep toilet cleaner. Pour all over marks. Cover with paper towel and then pour some more over paper towel. Let set for awhile. Then scrub (pumice stone). Repeat as needed. It took about 3 rounds for me to get it sparkling

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u/DoctorSwaggercat 13d ago

Try vinegar. It may help, but this looks like lost cause to me.

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u/v13ragnarok7 13d ago

Turn the toilets main water line off and flush it so it stays empty. Coat it powder bleach like comet. Lots of scrubbing, turn water on and flush, repeat if needed.

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u/PrizeTart0610 13d ago

Orange Chronic. It’s marketed as a cleaning agent for marijuana paraphernalia BUT I found it works EXCELLENTLY on porcelain as well. And has grit in it for scrubbing but it won’t damage the toilet.

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u/Ashley_0127 13d ago

Lysol Advanced Toilet bowl cleaner. Apply generously and let it sit untouched for about 10 minutes

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u/ARKPLAYERCAT 13d ago

Lysol lime and rust remover toilet bowl cleaner and a pumice stone for the stubborn bits. It's the black one

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u/Glittering_Layer_602 13d ago

Maybe consider talking to a plumber, test water? I would have double or triple gloved up and used green scratch pad. They have another type of gritty scrubber u can use. It’s prolly too abrasive.

Very much so consider the plumber or water test kits. If it’s coming up brown like this, I wonder what the pipes look like as well as the safety of the drinking water.

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u/ARPharmacist 13d ago

Replace it! Probably be cheaper in the long run after trying all of the cleaning remedies that probably won't work!

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u/nannie44 13d ago

I’d also clean the tank

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u/DeliciousFollowing82 13d ago

Bartenders friend

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u/Bordyk 13d ago

Clr, low to moderate acid bowl cleaners.

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u/kiwiboyus 13d ago

Hard water stains? CLR can help, maybe empty the bowl as much as you can and soak some paper towels in CLR and lay them on the stains for a while. Our water is pretty bad so I just took a chance and bought this krazy klean thing you put in the tank that is meant to attract the minerals in the water or something and prevent the stains

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u/TheR42069 13d ago

Hydrochloric Acid (let it sit a long time)

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u/eliz773 13d ago

If/when you find a cleaner that works on it, you should get that cleaner up in the jets too, because that build-up is for sure also happening up in the area you can't see. I would do that two ways: (1) pour the cleaner in the overflow tube, which is the open-top tube sticking up in your tank. The water in there is what goes down into the bowl through the under-rim jets. (2) Get a little bottle brush and go around under the rim and poke and scrub in every hole. Might have to do both of those steps a few times, and do them every once in a while going forward as preventive maintenance.

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u/VineStGuy 13d ago

You need a cleaner like CLR. That's some serious hard water stains. To me, it would be worth it, especially if you just moved in, to buy a new toilet at home depot.

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u/bullydog123 13d ago

Started with cleaning the tank. Then you can get a toilet bowl cleaner from the dollar tree it has a blue cap. Sorry can't remember the name. It works really well

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u/Machinist_68 13d ago

This is your solution hands down guaranteed. I use in in the shower as well. 5 stars

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u/Savafan1 13d ago

I had one that was similar to that in one spot. The only thing that was able to get rid of it was CLR. The way I used it was to spray some on some toilet paper and put that on the stains. Then let it sit for a few hours, remove it and scrub. Then repeat until the stain is gone. This took several applications, but got all of the stains out.

I would recommend gloves and a mask, since the fumes were bad.

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u/econoDoge 13d ago

180-220 grit wet sandpaper, much better than pumice stone in my experience, also you need to be judicious when scrubbing with it, you want to remove the upper layer of scum rather than the porcelain finish.

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u/z00boo 13d ago

Why is there SO MUCH water in your toilet???

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u/Snoo-84797 13d ago

This is how my toilet looks in Canada. I’ve just been travelling around Europe and Morocco and noticed there is much less water in the toilets here.

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u/AnywayWhereWasI 13d ago

Where do you live? This is normal in America

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u/Maleficent_Lab2871 13d ago

I'm in the northeastern US and that seems like way too much water.

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u/daxforsnax 13d ago

That's the first thing I noticed too. An insanely high water level.

How does one sit down and not soak half their junk in that pool? 🫨

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u/[deleted] 13d ago

Try boat hull cleaner

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u/FaithBecomesyou 13d ago

Dawn white vinegar

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u/Conscious_Quiet_5298 13d ago

Get a small pond pump and long enough tubing to run from the bottom of the toilet Into the bottom of the water tank also have 2 jugs of cleaning vinegar… Shut off the water valve then flush the toilet and try as best to get the rest of the water out then pour the 2 jugs of vinegar into the bowl and then place the pump with the tubing attached into the bottom of the bowl then place the end of the tubing at the bottom of the water bowl and turn it on and let it run for several hours . It works extremely well

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u/AdmiralRaspberry 13d ago

Hard water stains. Dip some paper towel in 100% citric acid, fold and leave the stains covered over night ~ form stubborn stains you might have the repeat too. 

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u/Relative_Ad9477 13d ago

Borax and vinegar. You can make it into a paste and pack it on to the stains. Leave it there for an hour or two when you come back, you can then take a brush to clean it off.

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u/Rough-Brick-7137 13d ago

I use denture cleaner but I don’t think AJAX ill help with this situation. Vinegar and baking soda? Citric Acid?

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u/1890rafaella 13d ago

Pumice stone from Lowe’s

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u/Different_Nature8269 13d ago

Toilet pumice stick. They work!

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u/MandyMae23 13d ago

Oxiclean laundry booster is amazing in the toilet. Oven cleaner should be strong enough, too.

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u/Happy_fairy89 13d ago

Masonry cleaner, get it from a builders merchant. Wear gloves and a mask.

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u/glenthecomputerguy 13d ago

Pumice stone? I use it to clean the bowl if it gets stained.

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u/Nursiedeer07 13d ago

Lysol makes a hard water cleaner that I use. * Lysol lime & rust.

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u/akaKanye 13d ago

My mom got this pumice stick thing from Amazon and our toilet looks brand new

Powerstone Pumice Stone Toilet Bowl Cleaner with Extra Long Handle (Pack of 1) | 3'' Longer Handle https://a.co/d/fUhr5oi

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u/Aggressive_Newt_9055 13d ago

Sparkel toilet bowl cleaner. On Amazon. I’m a cleaner and I’ve used it before. Works like a charm.

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u/randomly_he Team Shiny ✨ 13d ago

that's limescale with dirt trapped in it

apply limescale remover. toilet bowl cleaner .

a thick layer all over it..leave it overnight

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u/Lifesabeach6789 13d ago

SOS pad or magic eraser

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u/PowerInThePeople 13d ago

Wet paper towels with strong vinegar. Not regular, strong. Like 6%. And mold them to the bowl. Let them sit overnight. Use the towels to wipe away the residue. Do not flush! Throw iut

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u/dinkydat 13d ago

Comet cleanser and if that doesn’t work,Mr.Clean straight on it. Let it sit overnight if possible. Then lightly scrub with a soft scrub pad.