Removing limescale stains from the bowl can be tricky.
It’s one of the worst household chores – cleaning the toilet – but it’s got to be done.
However, removing limescale stains from the bowl can prove tricky, especially if you live in an area with hard water. But according to one cleaning expert, you need only two ingredients to get a clean-looking toilet.
Chris Wootton, managing director of the domestic cleaning business Poppies, also shared a “golden rule” for cleaning toilet bowl stains, reports the Express. He said: “The golden rule for cleaning toilet bowl stains is to use non-alkaline products.
“Most toilet bowl stains appear in challenging water areas, so it’s important to remember that bleach won’t work, and you will need to use an acid-based product such as limescale remover. While bleach doesn’t get rid of limescale, it does make it invisible, which blends in with the colour of the toilet bowl.
derbyshirelive instructed: “Making a robust acidic solution is best done using white vinegar. Pour a half cup of bicarbonate soda into and around the bowl and let it sit for at least 15 minutes. Then, apply white vinegar over the baking soda. This produces a fizzing reaction that activates the acid and can break down the most stubborn build-ups of limescale.
“After about 10 minutes, scrub the toilet bowl thoroughly with a scouring pad – you may need to use some elbow grease!”
“Once you have done this, flush a few times to rinse it all away. This should have done the trick, but if there are any lingering marks, you can also try lemon juice after you flush, as the acidic solution can help lift the most stubborn stains as well as deodorise the toilet bowl.”
For a natural solution that requires no scrubbing, Lynsey Crombie, cleaning expert, TV star, and Queen of Clean, has shared her advice on how she tackles toilet bowl stains with her homemade solution. She said: “To clean the unsightly brown stains in the toilet, I make up my toilet cleaning powder using citric acid and bicarbonate of soda.
“I use two large scoops of bicarbonate of soda, one large scoop of citric acid, adding some tea tree essential oil as this is antibacterial. “Mix them all and pour directly down the toilet. Leave for 20 minutes before flushing, and stains are gone.”
The expert explained that for those who want to use vinegar to get rid of the stains “without scrubbing,” plunge out some of the water and then add about 250 ml of white vinegar and leave to sit overnight flush in the morning.
Of course, toilet dirt and build-up aren’t a surprise, given their primary function. But if you see discolored, unpleasant toilet bowl stains in or around the rim, it’s worth knowing that there are three main things likely to cause this: bacterial growth, hard water, or waiting too long between cleanings.
Tony Jones, general manager at Hard Water Softeners, explained: “Limescale can take on a host of colours depending on the different compounds that can be found in the water coming into your home – with build-ups usually taking an off-white or grey color.
“Out of all the areas and appliances in our homes, the toilet is one of the most problematic, and this is because it sees a lot of use and constantly has still water sitting inside of it, which is the perfect environment for limescale to thrive.
“Coloration is further influenced by the fact that, as limescale dries, it picks up any dirt particles along with it, and slowly stains build layer by layer on the inside of the toilet bowl.”