How can I clean a really stained toilet?

Question

My toilet, although 40 years old, is still in excellant working condition; however, the bowl is badly stained a gray/black and rust colored. How can I clean it?

Answer 1

ZUD or Barkeepers' Friend. Either one contains oxalic acid that will dissolve mineral stains. Use with a 3M scrubby pad. Don't use SULPHURIC acid it will react and crack the toilet with the heat generated from the chemical reaction and it will remove the shine from the vitreous china.

The ones that recommended sulphuric are wrong. Besides they can't even spell it.

If the toilet is white, it's easier to replace it with a brand new one. Colors have to be ordered.

Answer 2

Actually yes you can. This dips earlier are flat wrong... this is 90 percent the solution. Assuming you scrubbed with an SOS pad fairly strong there is something else you can try. Most of my issue was below the waterline. First turn off the water, then flush, soak up the rest with a towel if you can't get it to go down. Then use a Mr Clean magic eraser along with Ajax or comet using a couple to three heaping tablespoons of cleaning powder go after that stain with a little water with a vengeance, this will remove 80 percent of the stain if it was a standard pad that caused it. Then use CLR or hardwater remover let stand above the stain for 10 minutes or longer, then flush. Finally repeat the comet or ajax treatment slowly fill water above the stain line then add about one cup of bleach to the water, let stand for 6 hours. Do not flush just let it sit and soak. This works only if the scratches werent all the way through the glaze, mostly toilets its fairly thick. next time remember clean your toilet with comet once a week and you wont' ever have to deal with a ring!

Answer 3

I had this problem once when I moved into a new house. I had happened to call a plumber for another problem and while he was there I asked him about that. He said the best way to clean it is muratic acid. He said you can't just go out and buy it because it is so strong so he got it for me. He poured some in the bowl and more in the back of the toilet so it would go through when it flushed. He also poured some down that long tube in the back where the water flows through. The toilet turned snow white!

Answer 4

I work on empty void properties for local authorities and this is quite common, Mind you 40 years old may warrant a new look. Flush the cistern, By using a plunger ensure that all the water is out of the pan. Ensuring the room is vented by opening window, use a protective mask , gloves etc and pour spirits of white salts around the rim and internal of pan. Once completed leave the room with door shut for at least 4 hours. Return and flush pan for a sparkling finish. If no ventilation is possible, I would suggest other cleaning materials.

Answer 5

A good toilet cleaner, such as Lysol with bleach or CLR OR pour straight bleach in the water, short of making it flush and let it sit, if the area that needs to be treated is covered by water it should at least fade the stains. OR if you can shut the water off and empty (flush) most of the water and scrub with Comet or soft scrub with a piece of steel wool or fine grain sandpaper until you get the desired results. Some say you can try sprinkling baking soda and adding vinegar if you choose to do it the "green" way.

Answer 6

When we lived in the country we had hard water and it was tough on toilet bowls and sinks and laudry tubs, so I got IRON OUT and my problems were solved .

Mind you !if it's badly rusted you might need to empty the tank and the bowl's water and apply with a cloth and a soft scouring pad , the one from 3M works wonders on stains, make sure that you ware rubber gloves and open the window.

Answer 7

When I first moved into my new house, the toilets were black and I tried everything, until someone recommended Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner. Now they're sparkling white!

All you have to do is squirt it around the rim wait a few minutes than use a toilet bowl brush, it's like magic.

Answer 8

Kim and Aggie also use lemonade. Soak some paper towels in lemonade and place them around the inside of the toilet. Let them sit for 20 minutes, then go back and scrub it down with a pumice stone. All the stains come right off.

Answer 9

I had this problem when i moved into my house two years ago and i tried everything - finally after a year someone suggested sterident, denture cleaning tablets. It sounds crazy i know but believe me it works, they are about a pound or two a tube and i found that one or two didn't work. In my frustration i put the whole tube down the pan and left overnight - the pan was sparkling in the morning, i honestly coudn't believe it. Try this before anything else - some cleaning products are really expensive but this is so cheap and effective!!!

Good luck

Answer 10

Try "the works". I find it at Wal-mart or the dollar stores. ITs the best toilet cleaner. Put it on there, leave it a few minutes or even over night, swish around with the toilet brush and its sparkling again. ITs gotten some stains out of my toilet the bleach and other cleaners will not move. ITs cheap too.