Do you want to know how to prevent hard water stains in the toilet? You are in the right place! If you clean your toilet regularly, but it still looks horrible because of pesky stains in the bowl, the water from your municipal system contains minerals like magnesium, calcium, and iron.
Luckily, you can remove them with patience, and some common household cleaners, that everyone has on hand already. But what about preventing it? Let’s dive into a few handy tips and details right now!
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How to Prevent Hard Water Stains in the Toilet? What Product Prevents Hard Water Stains in Toilets?
Preventing a problem is always easier than fixing it. However, honestly, there are no certain products that you can use 1 time and it will fix the problem for months. In order to prevent plaque from reappearing again and again, you need a holistic approach that will help you.
I prevent these stains using the following techniques.
- I use a Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Tablets that dissolves slowly with each flush. This keeps the minerals dissolved in the water so they don’t stick to the porcelain bowl and leave stains.
- I scrub my toilet bowl weekly using a mild, non-abrasive cleaner. This regular light scrubbing prevents mineral deposits from building up, sticking to surfaces, and staining.
- I installed a water softening system Aquasure Harmony because my water supply is very mineral-rich. The system uses an ion exchange process to remove calcium, magnesium, and other minerals before the water reaches my toilet.
Related article: Toilet Bowl Cleaner for Hard Water: Tips and Tricks for Stubborn Stains – Water Treatment
These are just some of the techniques I use. Keep reading, and soon enough, you’ll learn a lot more about preventing and removing stains!
What Product Removes Hard Water Stains in Toilets? The Remedies and Materials That I Used
Here are the materials I used to remove hard water stains:
- 1 bottle of distilled white vinegar or cleaning vinegar: I used white vinegar because the acetic acid dissolves mineral deposits and stains.
- 1 box baking soda: The soda reacts with white vinegar to lift limescale. It also acts as a gentle abrasive when I scrub.
- 1 box laundry borax: I added some laundry borax to my paste mixture to boost the cleaning power. The minerals help scour the surfaces.
- 1 container Bon Ami or Bar Keepers Friend: These mild abrasive toilet cleaners let me scrub stains without scratching my toilet surfaces.
- 1 lemon or lemon juice: This natural ingredient contains acid to help fight plaque.
How Do You Stop a Mineral Discoloration in a Toilet with Baking Soda and Lemon Juice?
I recently had a stubborn limescale buildup in my toilet that wouldn’t budge. It caused discoloration, something I wasn’t a fan of. After some trial and error, I discovered a process that lifted those mineral deposits and got my toilet sparkling again. Here are the steps I took:
- Make a limescale-fighting paste: I mixed equal parts baking soda and lemon juice to create a grainy paste. The acid in the lemon juice reacts with the baking soda to help dissolve mineral buildup.
- Apply the paste and let sit: I applied the fizzy paste all over the stained areas of my toilet bowl and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. This gives the ingredients time to react with the mineral stains.
- Scrub with a toilet brush: After letting it sit, I used my toilet brush to scrub those pasted areas. The grit from the baking soda combined with the scrubbing motion helps slough off stains.
- Flush and repeat: I flushed to rinse the bowl. When more stains were revealed, I applied more paste and scrubbed again. Repeating the process got all the hard-to-reach spots.
- Finish by scrubbing the entire bowl: Once the worst stains were gone, I made one last paste application and scrubbed the whole bowl’s surface and under the rim to get a uniform clean.
- Flush until clear: Finally, I flushed several times to rinse away any remaining paste residue.
Remove Toilet Hard Water Stains with Baking Soda and Vinegar
I followed the steps to remove hard water stains using baking soda and vinegar.
- Mixing: I mixed up a baking soda paste. The first thing I did was to add baking soda to vinegar to make a thick, grainy paste. The vinegar caused fizzy bubbles when mixed.
- Application: I covered the stains with paste. Wearing gloves, I used my toilet brush and scraper to apply the foaming paste all over the hard water stains under the rim and along the toilet bowl.
- Wait for some minutes. I let the paste sit. I allowed the paste to sit on those stains for at least 30 minutes. This gave the baking soda-vinegar reaction enough time to break down the mineral deposits.
- Scrubbing: I scrubbed at the stains. After sitting, I used my toilet brush and scraper to vigorously scrub those stained areas, scraping and scouring in different directions.
- Flush: I flushed the toilet. Once I was done scrubbing, I flushed the toilet several times to rinse away the dissolved mineral deposits and clear off any leftover paste.
- Rinsing: I flushed repeatedly to rinse away traces of paste thoroughly. I used my towel to wipe up any splashes left around the outer bowl surfaces. My toilet bowl was beautifully free of hard water stains.
To learn more details watch this video:
Use Elbow Grease to Remove Toilet Hard Water Stains with Bon Ami or Bar Keepers Friend
Using Bon Ami, I followed these steps to remove hard water stains from my toilet bowl.
- Prepare Supplies: I prepped my supplies. I ensured I had ready Bon Ami or Bar Keepers Friend cleaner, a toilet brush, rubber gloves, an old towel, and a plastic scraper.
- Mix Cleaners: I mixed up some cleaners. I stirred 2-3 tablespoons of Bon Ami or Bar Keepers Friend into just enough water to form a thin, spreadable paste.
- Apply the paste to stains: Wearing gloves, I used my toilet brush and plastic scraper to liberally spread the abrasive cleaner over all the hard water-stained areas under the rim and along the bowl.
- I let the paste sit on the mineral deposits for 5-10 minutes. This gave the chemicals time to start breaking down the stains.
- Scrubbing: I scrubbed vigorously. I used my sturdiest toilet brush and the scraper to scrub those stained areas with plenty of muscle. I put elbow grease into it.
- I polished the bowl: Once stains were removed, I used a final application of paste all over the bowl and scrubbed the entire surface thoroughly.
- I rinsed thoroughly: I flushed several times until all signs of the cleaner paste were gone. I wiped up any splashes with my towel.
Remove Toilet Hard Water Stains with Laundry Borax & Toilet Brush
You can use laundry borax to remove hard water stains. Here’s how I did it.
- Mix Cleaning Paste: I stirred 1 cup of laundry borax with just enough vinegar to form a grainy paste, breaking up any borax clumps.
- Apply Paste to Stains: Wearing gloves, I used my toilet brush and plastic scraper to liberally apply the fizzing, abrasive paste onto all hard water stained areas.
- Let Paste Dwell: I let the borax-vinegar cleaning paste sit for at least 20 minutes. This allowed the ingredients time to react with and dissolve mineral deposits.
- Scrub Stains: After letting it dwell, I used my toilet brush and scraper to scrub those stained areas vigorously in circles and across directions.
- Rinse and Repeat: I flushed the toilet and repeated paste application and scrubbing until all stains disappeared.
- Polish Surface: I polished the entire surface by scrubbing a final layer of paste around the bowl and under the rim once the stains were gone.
Check the video below for reference.
Related article: 6 Signs Of Hard Water To Be Aware Of: Uncover Right Now
Hard water might settle along the water line despite your cleaning efforts. Here is how I got rid of those stains using a cleaning stone.
- Wet Surface: I used my toilet brush to wet the stained areas under the rim and along the inner bowl with water.
- Scrub with Stone: Wearing gloves, I used the abrasive pumice stone to scrub those wet, stained surfaces vigorously. Pumice stone doesn’t scratch porcelain fixtures and glass surfaces.
- Rinse and Inspect: After scrubbing part of the bowl, I rinsed with a flush to inspect progress. Light stains came off on the first scrub.
- Repeat on Stubborn Stains: I repeated steps 2-3 for darker or stubborn stains, targeting those areas with more muscle and patience until they were gone.
- Reveal More Stains: As some stains disappeared, deeper ones underneath were revealed. I continually scrubbed and rinsed until all stains were lifted.
- Polish Surface: I did a finishing scrub around the bowl using long circular motions to smooth and polish the entire surface.
- Rinse Away Residue: I did a few final rinses until the water ran clear. I used my towel to wipe away splashed Residue.
Remove Limescale With Sandpaper
Alternatively, you can remove limescale with sandpaper. Here is how I did it.
- Lightly Wet Surface: I used my toilet brush to dampen limescale areas under the toilet rim and along the inner bowl lightly.
- Sand Deposits: Wearing gloves, I gently sanded those dampened limescale deposits using small circular motions with fine sandpaper.
- Scrub Away Residue: After sanding, I used my toilet scrub brush and pumice to scrub the sanded areas, loosening sediment vigorously.
- Rinse and Repeat: I rinsed leftover sandy grit by flushing. Then, I repeated sanding and scrubbing until all limescale was removed.
- Detail Hard-to-Reach Areas: I folded up a section of sandpaper and carefully rubbed for tight corners or crevices.
- Clean-Up Dust: I used my mini broom and dustpan to neatly sweep up sanding dust and Residue around the outer toilet surfaces.
- Rinse: I flushed several times until the water ran clear.
Alternative Ways of Removing Limescale From Toilet
Yes, there are several other effective methods for removing limescale from toilets besides conventional methods.
- Hydrogen Peroxide – The bubbling reaction of hydrogen peroxide can help dissolve scale slowly. Pour or spray it on limescale areas. Let it sit before brushing it clean.
- citric acid – Pure citric acid powder is excellent for descaling and outperforms many over-the-counter cleaners. Mix with water to form a paste and scrub onto the buildup.
- Coke/Dark Soda – Contains phosphoric acid to dissolve minerals but isn’t as purpose-made or effective as white vinegar.
- Bleach – Mainly disinfects rather than removing buildup. But can brighten the appearance of stains when combined with an acidic descaling agent.
How Often You Should Clean Your Toilet to Prevent Stains and the Importance of Timely Cleaning
Hard water and the resulting limescale are a big deal because the mineral staining can discolor and eventually damage the toilet tank and bowl.
Related article: Hard Water Shower Cleaner: The Ultimate Guide to Removing Stains – Water Treatment
Limescale is also porous, allowing hide and growth of the following:
- Bacteria;
- Mold;
- Mildew.
Getting ahead of buildup means cleaner, better-functioning plumbing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Keep My Toilet Bowl From Staining Hard Water and Calcium Deposits?
To reduce calcium deposits and prevent stubborn hard water stains from building up on your toilet bowl the simplest measure is to use toilet bowl tablets and clean weekly.
Are Hard Water Stains Permanent?
No, hard water stains are not permanent. They can be removed over time using acidic cleaners that dissolve the mineral deposits.
Can Vinegar Get Rid of Hard Water Stains?
Yes, vinegar can get rid of hard water stains. The acetic acid in vinegar helps break down calcium and magnesium deposits. It may take some time and repeated applications to remove stubborn buildup thoroughly.
Does CLR Get Rid of Hard Water Stains?
Yes, CLR (calcium, lime, and rust remover) can remove hard water stains. CLR is formulated with glycolic and lactic acid acids to dissolve mineral deposits like calcium and lime that cause hard water stains.
Conclusion
When deciding how to prevent hard water stains in the toilet, it’s clear these mineral deposits can be stubborn but not permanent. Using abrasives risks scratching toilet commonly affected surfaces and sink drains, while acidic cleaners dissolve buildup over time.
So to reduce calcium deposits and prevent stubborn hard water stains from building up use toilet cleaner with acid and do weekly cleaning. If you’re ready to tackle the issue head-on, consider installing a water softener.
By now, I hope you clearly understand what causes hard water stains plus removal techniques that restore your toilet’s sparkle. Let this information guide your cleaning regimen so you can focus on prevention, not endless scrubbing.