I was expecting guests at home and had a big problem – ugly toilet bowl had rings that were so very embarrassing. If you are thinking I don’t clean my toilets, please take that illusion out of mind because I clean them regularly. Despite that, they had hard water rings that were such as a disgusting sight.
So, how to clean a toilet bowl ring? I recommend using Borax and Vinegar as a quick solution. Just dump 1/4 cup of Borax into the toilet and use a scrub brush to swish it around the bowl, especially the rings. Then add a cup of vinegar, swish again and let it sit for 15 minutes. Scrub again and flush to get a clean toilet bowl!
In my quest to clean the toilet better and keep it free of unsightly stains, I discovered several other effective and easy methods to get rid of toilet bowl rings. I would like to include them here, so if you don’t have Borax and vinegar available, you may try some of these alternative methods.
How To Clean Toilet Bowl Ring With Dryer Sheets
• If you have used dryer sheets at home, don’t throw them away as you can use them to clean the toilet bowl rings. They work great for removing the ugly and tough hard water stains from the toilet. Here are some quick steps on cleaning with used dryer sheets effectively.
• Turn off the water supply to the bowl and flush to empty the water tank. The cleaning method works best on an empty tank. This will keep the water from dripping into the bowl.
• Wear rubber or vinyl gloves for protection as you will be putting your hand inside the toilet bowl. You will want to wear gloves to avoid contact with germs.
• Now scrub the ring with the used dryer sheets and see the rings disappear slowly. Now, turn on the water valve, flush and the toilet bowl will be clean again.
• Remember to discard the used dryer sheets after cleaning your toilet.
How To Clean Toilet Bowl Ring With A Pumice Stone
• A pumice stone is a tool that can be used for several other things other than just exfoliating your feet. These stones also work well to scrub away stubborn toilet bowl rings, just be gentle when using them.
• If you prefer keeping your grooming pumice stones separate from your toilet-cleaning stones, you may get a Pumie. It’s a pumice stone attached to the end of a stick designed for convenience in cleaning.
• Whether you use a pumice stone or a Pumie, soak it in water for about 15 minutes to soften it. Then use it on the toilet bowl to scrub the stains away.
• Again, be sure you wear rubber gloves! Your hands will be in the toilet scrubbing the hard water stains and bowl ring with the pumice stone.
How To Remove Toilet Rings With Lemon Kool-Aid
• If you have a packet of Lemon Kool-Aid in the house, it can also work wonders to remove the stubborn stains. You can also get one easily at the local grocery store.
• Take a packet and sprinkle it all over the toilet bowl, with a generous amount to cover the rusty rings.
• Now, let the Kool-Aid sit there for at least one hour. Make sure no one in the house uses the toilet during this time.
• Now use a regular toilet brush to scrub the stains from the toilet, applying slightly more force in the rings area. Use a circular motion to scrub and then flush to get a cleaner toilet.
How To Remove Toilet Rings With Coke
Yes, you read it right. You can actually get rid of those unwanted stains using Coke as a cleaning agent in the toilet. Find it difficult to believe? Try out and see for yourself.
• Add a liter of Coke to the toilet, make sure you pour it properly over the stains. Remember to wear your gloves.
• Let the beverage sit in the bowl for about 30 minutes and then use a soft sponge to wipe.
• For tougher stains, you may let the coke sit in the toilet overnight and then scrub in the morning. You may also use plain soda water instead of coke to clean toilet rings better.
How To Use Muriatic Acid To Remove Toilet Rings
Let me warn you that this is an aggressive and rather dramatic method so use it only for the very tough stains on toilets neglected for years (for example a house locked for ages).
• If the above methods don’t work, you may use Muriatic acid but make sure you use the weakest version as the acid works by eating away a layer or two of the toilet bowl.
• Always wear proper gloves before using the acid and make sure the toilet bowl is empty and the water valve is switched off.
• Let the acid sit on the tough stains for a few minutes depending upon the intensity of the acid and then scrub and flush.
• Make sure you follow the directions at the back of the package as using an excess amount of muriatic acid may damage the toilet bowl.
How To Use Borax To Remove Stains On Shower Heads And Faucets
The stubborn stains on a toilet bowl look unsightly, but there also other areas of the bathroom that are stained by chemicals present in hard water. One such area is the shower head that may get stubborn rust stains. Here’s a quick way to remove stains from the shower head and faucets.
• Firstly, switch off the water supply so that there is no water dripping from the shower or faucets.
• Now make a Borax paste by mixing 1/2 cup of borax with vinegar to make a viscous paste. Wear gloves to protect your hands from the harsh chemicals.
• Spread this paste over the hard water stains on the shower heads and faucets to cover stains completely. Borax has the tendency to harden so make the paste only when you are ready.
• Let this paste sit over the stains for about 15-20 minutes. Now use a scrubber or brush to scrub away the hardened paste. Rinse with clean water and your faucets and shower heads will shine like new!
• You may also use a sandpaper with extra-fine-grit instead of using a scrub brush for better results. Both dry and wet sandpaper do a good job in scrubbing away the tough stains.
How To Get Rid Of Hard Water Stains From Bathroom Floor
Besides the toilet bowl, showerhead and faucets, the bathroom floor and tiles are also victims of stains caused by hard water, soap residue and so on. Here are a few tips to remove stains from the bathroom floor:
Distilled vinegar has an acidic quality that can help remove stains. Grab a cleaning sponge, damp it with the white vinegar solution (one cup vinegar in a gallon of water) and wipe the floor. Let the vinegar sit on the stains for a few minutes to soften the residue and then rinse with water. (A word of caution – don’t use this with marble tiles floor).
Baking soda has chemical properties that come handy in cleaning residue and stains on the bathroom floor. Sprinkle some baking soda on the floor covering the stains. Let it sit for 15 minutes and then scrub with a wet sponge. Rinse with water to make your bathroom floor shine like new.
Using mild acids is another effective method to remove stains from the bathroom floor. Hard water stains are salt like in characteristics and when you apply acid on it, the stains loosen up and get softened. You can then wipe with a soft sponge to get a clean bathroom floor.
A word of caution – avoid using harsh chemicals no matter how stubborn the stains are because harsh chemicals can damage the floor. Remember to wear gloves when using cleaning chemicals.
Related Article: How to Remove Hard Water Stains from Glass？
5 Simple Tips To Keep Your Toilet Cleaner
Create a storage for used dryer sheets easily to have them easily accessible to clean toilet bowls or remove pet’s hair from the bathroom floor without having to use the vacuum cleaner every time.
If you have an attached toilet in the guest room, make sure you flush it at least once a day or once in two days to avoid the buildup of toilet bowl rings.
If there are three bathrooms in the house, make sure each one has its own scrub brush and other cleaning supplies.
Keep an all-purpose cleaning spray in the bathroom to regularly wipe toilet seats, toilet downs, behind the toilet seats, the tank, handles, and the floor around the toilet.
Check your toilet bowl and water tank regularly to see any signs of water leakage, cracks, or other issues that can be fixed before they become a big problem.
The Final Words
You, I and every person on this planet spend those precious few minutes of e time’ in the bathroom every morning. Although often overlooked and neglected, a bathroom is one of the most important rooms in the house that needs regular cleaning and care.
Whether your toilet bowl rings are due to days of neglect or you get hard water in your area that is loaded with calcium and magnesium particles, stains are ugly. Neglected stains can become brooding spots for bacteria which is bad for the health of your family. So, clean regularly (not just with water but a mild cleaning solution).
Keep the cleaning tools like a pumice stone or Pumie, dryer sheets, sandpaper, baking soda or borax, vinegar, scrub brush easily accessible in a bathroom cabinet. This way you will not have excuses to keep the cleaning for later and no more embarrassment in front of guests!
