Unfortunately, most of us live in the region with hard water. The result of that inconvenience is the occurrence of hard water stains on the bowl of your elegant American standard toilet. You can clean faucets, sinks, or showers quickly, but removing scale stains from the toilet is a real nightmare.
I know that you can solve the problem with any commercial cleaning products available on the market. However, let’s become eco-friendly and try something different. What do you think? I will list a few excellent and proven methods, which will help you to remove hard water stains from your bowl and keep the environment safe at the same time.
How to Remove Stubborn Hard Water Brown Stains from Toilet?
1. White Vinegar
All of us have white vinegar in the kitchen. It is a necessary ingredient for salads and many dishes, but you can use it for many other things. For example, it is an excellent solution for horrible hard water stains appearing in your toilet bowl from time to time.
Material
- Vinegar
- Plunger
- Old cloth or towel
- Toilet paper
Instructions
At the very beginning, you should dry out the bowl. The most convenient way to do that is to use a plunger. Don’t stop until getting all the water out of the bowl.
After that, remove the excess water on the inside with an old towel or cloth. It is an essential part of the procedure since you don’t want to dilute the cleaning solution too much.
Now, it is time to spray white vinegar all over the bowl. Try to cover up all hard water stains and wait for the acid to remove them.
If necessary, use the cloth to wipe down hard-to-reach spots, especially parts under the rim of your toilet. To get a sparkle effect, you can apply vinegar to the outside parts, as well.
In a case that stains are thick, old, and hard to remove, applying the vinegar to toilet paper and their sticking over dirt parts may help. Let vinegar dissolves stains overnight, and wipe the bowl in the morning. After rinsing the bowl with warm water, don’t forget to clean the toilet seat in the end.
If you choose that method, take care to close the door to keep kids and pets away from the bathroom while cleaning.
2. White Vinegar and Baking Soda
Both white vinegar and baking soda are unavoidable ingredients you use for cooking. However, if you combine them appropriately, you will get an excellent cleaner against persistent hard water stains. It is a magical, multifunctional, and entirely natural solution for your bathroom!
Option 1
Material
- White vinegar
- Baking soda
- Plunger
- Toilet brush
- Measuring cup
Instructions
It seems that a mixture of baking soda and white vinegar is a winning combination for cleaning many things in the household. Therefore, it is an excellent idea to include these ingredients in your attempt to get rid of hard water stains in your toilet.
Pour approximately 1 cup of white vinegar into the bowl and evenly cover all surfaces with a brush. After 10 minutes, add a full cup of baking soda over the bowl surface, followed by another cup of vinegar. Don’t be scared by the fizzing reaction and hissing sound.
Spread the solution with a toilet brush over the surface of the bowl and let it sit for 30 minutes. If you want to get a full effect, don’t flush the toilet during that period.
Sometimes, you can see persistent stains remaining in the bowl. Repeat the process or scrub them with the toilet brush before flushing the toilet.
Option 2
Material
- Distilled white vinegar
- Baking soda
- Paper towels
- Old towel or cloth
- Scrub sponge
Instructions
Use the plunger to remove all the water from the toilet and wipe off any remaining liquid with an old towel or cloth.
Soak 5 to 6 paper towels with vinegar, roll in them, and press them firmly under the rim of your toilet. After at least 30 minutes, remove the paper and flush the toilet. Don’t throw the paper into it to avoid clogging.
Then put baking soda (about a tablespoon) on a dampened sponge and scrub the same area. The trick is that vinegar melts the hard water stains, and cleaning with the baking soda helps in their removing. You should repeat the process if necessary, and flush the toilet afterward.
If you live in a region with extremely hard water, you need to repeat this cleaning process every two months. In a case that stains are persistent, you may get better results after adding lemon juice in the end. Plus, your bathroom will smell nice.
3. Borax
Material
- Borax
- Toilet brush
Instructions
Sprinkle half of a cup of borax into the bowl while covering all the hard water stains. Then use a toilet brush and start scrubbing. Let it sit there overnight if it is possible. You should scrub all parts one more time to get the best result. Finish the job by flushing the toilet and enjoy the sparkling bowl.
4. Borax Paste
When you have to deal with stubborn hard water toilet stains, the borax paste is an excellent solution. Let’s see.
Material
- Borax paste
- Vinegar
- Old towel or cloth
- Stiff-bristled nylon brush
Instructions
Turn off the valve and drain the bowl. Remove remaining water with an old towel or cloth to expose the hard water stains. Make a paste by mixing a half of a cup of borax and a proper amount of vinegar. Add enough vinegar until getting a thick paste.
Add the fresh paste over the stains in the bowl until covering them entirely. If you wait too long, borax will harden, and you will need to make a new paste.
Once you apply the paste, let it sit for at least 20 minutes. Then use a stiff-bristled nylon brush to remove the paste along with stains from the bowl. In the end, flush the toilet.
5. White Vinegar and Borax
I often use borax when I need to clean plumbing fixtures effectively. It is also an excellent choice when you want to get rid of hard water stains.
Material
- Borax
- Vinegar
- Spray bottle
- Toilet brush
- Cloth
Instructions
You need approximately a quarter of a cup of borax. Pour it into the bowl and spread it evenly over the toilet. You can use a toilet brush or an old cloth for that purpose.
Then spray vinegar (about one cup) over the stains with a spray bottle. Let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Clean remain stains with the toilet brush before flushing the toilet.
6. White Vinegar and Brushing
When you need to wash an old bowl with accumulated and neglected stains, it may not be enough to use vinegar. Cleaning them will probably require some extra physical work.
Toilet brush or kitchen dish brush
Wait for a half an hour after applying vinegar all over the bowl and begin scrubbing it with a toilet brush. The best option is a brush with stiff nylon bristles.
They are robust enough to scrub even the hardest water stains. If you spot some remaining ones, repeat the procedure until getting a satisfactory result.
I have one more tip for you. If you have an old toothbrush, use it for this purpose. It will additionally remove spots from hard-to-reach areas, especially around the rim of the bowl. An old kitchen dish brush will work well either.
Pumice stone
It may happen that even the toilet brush can’t solve the problem. There is a severe solution to the issue. Soak the stains with vinegar and try to move them with a pumice stone after 20 to 30 minutes.
It is a proven method of cleaning without unwanted damage to the porcelain. Add vinegar while gently scrubbing the stains if necessary.
7. Commercial Chemicals
Material
- Adequate chemicals
- Plunger
- Toilet brush
- Old cloth or towel
Instructions
Before starting with cleaning, it is necessary to dry the bowl and plunge out the water. Wipe the remaining liquid with an old towel or cloth. Don’t forget to protect your hands with gloves. Bowl cleaners contain acids, which can quickly damage your skin.
Also, use a wet cloth to pick up chemicals if you spill or splash them on the tiles. Do it right away to protect your floor.
Apply a cleaner to the bowl and rub it with a toilet brush. Don’t forget the hidden parts. I like those duck-like bottles, which help me to clean every irregular surface.
Rinse chemicals right away after cleaning. Flushing the toilet a few times after cleaning may help you to get rid of acid residues. Be careful and never mix the agent, which contains hydrogen chloride, with bleach to avoid creating a highly poisonous gas.
Conclusion
Try to brush your toilet daily to pick up excess water and keep a bowl clean. Once hard water stains appear, remove them with vinegar, baking soda, borax, or scrubbing. There is also an option to share a glass of Coca-Cola with your bowl occasionally. Believe it or not, it is an excellent stain remover!
All in all, this job sucks, but it is worth of effort. You will enjoy the sparkling toilet!
