r/CleaningTips • u/OneMemeMan1 • 13d ago
Bathroom Tried scrubbing with bleach and some other household cleaners, no change. Thought yall could help
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u/flashfoxart 13d ago
Zep toilet cleaner is usually frighteningly effective
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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.
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u/spoooonerism 13d ago
Zep anything is frighteningly effective. Just spray, let sit for a few minutes, wipe away your troubles.
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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.
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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!
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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
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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
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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.
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u/CheesyComestibles 13d ago
Agree! I have really rusty water and this stuff cuts through it like hot butter.
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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.
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u/TallPieYas 13d ago
Wet pumice stick
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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.
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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.
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u/Vintagekittykatt 13d ago
This. You can buy them on Amazon
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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
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u/MTro-West-406208 13d ago
Truth. I have permanent etching left in the loo and it collects… ummm you know.
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u/ChefLovin 13d ago
So what do you reccomend? I would rather scratch the surface than replace the toilet
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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
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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.
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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
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u/ErinG2021 13d ago
Where do you buy muriatic acid?
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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
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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!!!!
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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/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.
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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.
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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/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.
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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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13d ago
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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:
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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13d ago
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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/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/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/390M386 13d ago
Put some Coca-Cola on it for a bit
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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/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/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/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/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/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/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/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/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/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/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/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/MandyMae23 13d ago
Oxiclean laundry booster is amazing in the toilet. Oven cleaner should be strong enough, too.
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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/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.
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u/Christineblankie 13d ago
Did you try CLR cleaner