# Toilet cleaning



## rabbitpatch

I know....everybody's favorite subject, right?

We have _extremely_ hard water here. It's city water but it's still hard as a rock. I have to soak the shower heads in vinegar on a regular basis to keep them from clogging up and if I don't run vinegar through the coffee pot _at least_ once a month, then it quits.

My toilet has a hard water ring around it because I don't know how to clean it. It's right up at the top, so it's not like I can just pour some vinegar in there and let it soak. I can't get it full enough to submerge the hard water ring without it draining itself. Scrubbing does not good at all because the sediment build up is just TOO hard. :bash::grumble:

Any ideas?


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## Packedready

Rub the stain with a pumice stone.


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## Helena

In the Dollar General store they sell a toilet cleaner..and for the life of me I can't think of the name. It cost about a dollar..and is in a white plastic bottle..called "out" or ???? It is a dollar general brand. I know it is a chemical of some sort but it is the only thing that will clean any kind of stained toilet I have found. Squirt it around the toilet bowl and use a brush and scrub at it.. If I can think of the name I will get back to you..but see if you can find it. Good Luck !!!


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## rabbitpatch

Helena said:


> In the Dollar General store they sell a toilet cleaner..and for the life of me I can't think of the name. It cost about a dollar..and is in a white plastic bottle..called "out" or ???? It is a dollar general brand. I know it is a chemical of some sort but it is the only thing that will clean any kind of stained toilet I have found. Squirt it around the toilet bowl and use a brush and scrub at it.. If I can think of the name I will get back to you..but see if you can find it. Good Luck !!!


I've probably tried every chemical the dollar stores carry, but if you have found something new I'll be glad to try it. This is not just a _stain_ though....it's the calcium or lime (probably both) sediment in our water that has just collected on itself and built up over time. It's like there is stone affixed to the porcelain.

Packedready - will the pumice stone scratch the porcelain?


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## lathermaker

The only thing I've found to clean a really hard mineral buildup is Iron Out. Use it with rubber gloves and good ventilation. Keep away from kids and pets. It's nasty smelling stuff!


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## andabigmac

Okay, this is going to sound strange but it works. I have terrible hard water here too. In the shower and around the sinks I would soak wash cloths with vinegar and leave them to sit overnight on the hard water buildup. Worked great. For the toilet, I just stuffed an old towel into the toilet and poured vinegar on it. The towel absorbs the water and vinegar so the toilet doesn't drain. Have a 5 gallon bucket handy to pull the towel out and throw it in the washer. Voila! Scrub the toilet and you're golden. Just don't forget and use the toilet in the middle of the night. I would scrub the toilet well before you stuff the towel in too.


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## RedDirt Cowgirl

rabbitpatch said:


> will the pumice stone scratch the porcelain?


When it's wet it doesn't scratch the porcelain. It will if dry.


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## Packedready

Sorry, I didn't see your post, no it doesn't scratch and removes the buildup safely and easily. You take the stick and rub it on the buildup until it is gone. Got mine at the .99 store.


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## mothernature

I don't like to use it BUT, it works - THE WORKS bowl cleaner!! It has hydrochloric acid in it and will get stains and hard water buid up out of the bowl - just don't get it on anything else!!


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## oreo

andabigmac said:


> Okay, this is going to sound strange but it works. I have terrible hard water here too. In the shower and around the sinks I would soak wash cloths with vinegar and leave them to sit overnight on the hard water buildup. Worked great. For the toilet, I just stuffed an old towel into the toilet and poured vinegar on it. The towel absorbs the water and vinegar so the toilet doesn't drain. Have a 5 gallon bucket handy to pull the towel out and throw it in the washer. Voila! Scrub the toilet and you're golden. Just don't forget and use the toilet in the middle of the night. I would scrub the toilet well before you stuff the towel in too.


I do something similar. I turn the water off (handle usually behind the bowl coming out of the wall), flush to empty bowl and then place vinegar soaked paper towels against the stain. Let it sit for a while, then scrub. Turn water back on when your done.


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## Cheri in NY

I clean house to pay the bills and "The Works" is the best toilet cleaner I have found. And you don't have to scrub very much...just a few swishes with the brush and you're done.


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## rabbitpatch

Cheri in NY said:


> I clean house to pay the bills and "The Works" is the best toilet cleaner I have found. And you don't have to scrub very much...just a few swishes with the brush and you're done.


It does fine for stains and general dirtiness but it does nothing for hard water _deposits_. I'm going to try the vinegar soaked towel to see how that works. Vinegar seems to be the best thing for removing it from everything else (shower head, sink drain, faucet, etc.) I just didn't now how to soak the toilet bowl with vinegar and the towel idea sounds like it might work.


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## Rocktown Gal

I use Sno Bol for hard water...but it can only be used on porcelain products.


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## kasilofhome

I use the works. I really had to streach money tight --so even though the works was still the cheapest with all the rust an hard water I could not afford all that would have been needed. I just put it in a clean spray bottle. I do turn off the water (after a scrub and a flush) and they I spray a mist and wait few minutes (I also spray the back tank and stir and rinse it out). I tried the spray mist on the tiles and just rinse then they became a mess. It WORKS---OPEN WINDOW before spraying.


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## Chixarecute

What about the CLR products? These do a good job not only at calcium, lime, and rust, but also soap scum.


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## Charleen

I agree withthe previous posters about THE WORKS toilet bowl cleaner! Open a window if you're going to use it. I buy it at the dollar store. 

Another thing you might do is to add cleaner to the bowl and then raise the water level by adding a jar full of water or something else to displace the water and make it rise about the fill-line.

Don't use THE WORKS toilet bowl cleaner on your tub or sink, it will remove the silver finish from your faucets. Use their version of sink/tub/tile cleaner.


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## suzyhomemaker09

I have really hard water as well and " The Works" does a great job for me....it has the directional spout that lets you put it exactly where you want it...let it sit for a while...it's not going to just wipe clean immediately.


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## Helena

The stuff from the Dollar General is called... The Works..and they have their cheaper brand that works just as well for about a dollar. Chemicals..yes...but sometimes you have to do what you have to do... Good Luck...


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## Fowler

rabbitpatch said:


> I've probably tried every chemical the dollar stores carry, but if you have found something new I'll be glad to try it. This is not just a _stain_ though....it's the calcium or lime (probably both) sediment in our water that has just collected on itself and built up over time. It's like there is stone affixed to the porcelain.
> 
> Packedready - will the pumice stone scratch the porcelain?


No, not if it's wet. However I have the same problem and I used the stone. The stone is all gone but the lime calcium build up is still there


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## Tinker

The Works does not clear the mineral deposits from my well water, but CLR does. I just spray it, let it sit about 10 minutes, then brush. Sometimes I have to do it twice, to get all the deposits. Turn on the fan and//or open a window--its powerful!

I also get a ring around the drain in my bathroom sink. I set the plug, spray CLR & let it sit about 10 minutes, then wipe with sponge.


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## whodunit

Lime Away works well, being gel like it clings.

The purple toilet cleaner from the dollar store doesn't work, all it does is stain the build up purple LOL

Citric Acid works really well but it has to be in contact with the build-up.


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## Marcia in MT

I haven't had to try this yet, but I've read you can put a couple of those bubbling denture cleaner tablets in the bowl and let it sit overnight, and then the deposits brush right off.


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## majik

I tried the denture tablets, and they didn't work for me, unfortunately. But we have really, really hard water.


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## Fowler

What do I need? A chisal and a hammer?.....LOL


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