When it comes to house chores, there is nothing worse than toilet duty. Cleaning the toilet is an even more frustrating experience when you have stubborn mineral stains that seem to never go away. However, you can rest assure knowing that these stains are not a result of a poor cleaning regiment, which means you are not doing anything wrong. Instead, mineral stains are caused by hard mineral ions in your water.
Fortunately, you can solve this problem with two simple solutions. Continue reading to learn them both!
Indianapolis Toilet Repair Plumber 317-784-1870
Hard Water Woes
Hard water contains mineral ions like iron, lime, calcium, and magnesium, which all work congruently to form stains inside toilet bowls. While stains like green stripes and brown rings are generally an indication of limescale, crusty orange-like stains are likely caused by rust, which forms when iron and oxygen meet. Even if you have a water softener, these hard minerals can still slip through the system and cause toilet stains.
Important Warnings!
Here is what you need to know about treating these stains: you will need to use a lot of elbow grease, and you must avoid recommendations for using muriatic acid. Muriatic acid is a high-level cleaning agent that is extremely dangerous and easily misused. It should only be handled by trained professionals, so do not attempt to use this product at home. Also, it is vital that you NEVER mix bleach and ammonia. In fact, do not use bleach in your toilet at all because it can damage the septic system.
Eliminating Mineral Stains
The first step for removing mineral stains in the toilet is to manually clean it using simple over-the-counter cleaning agents. Start at your local home improvement or grocery store and purchase an acid-based product, such as Lime-A-Way® or CLR® (Calcium-Lime-Rust). You will also need a pumice stone or nylon-bristled cleaning brush.
If you prefer a homemade, non-chemical solution, try combining distilled white vinegar and baking soda (1 to 2 cups of vinegar and a few sprinkles of baking soda), and adding it to the toilet bowl prior to scrubbing. But before you start cleaning the toilet, on the day before, add cola, such as Coke®, to the toilet bowl and let it sit overnight. The acid in the soda will eat away at the stains, making it easier to scrub the next day.
The second step to eliminating pesky toilet stains is to install a whole-house water filtration system. This system will further purify your tap water, eliminating traces of hard mineral ions that are missed by the water softener. Overtime, mineral stains will reduce, and eventually, disappear. To get started, contact a trusted Indianapolis plumber for soft water and water purification assistance you can trust.
✨ Dealing with other toilet issues? See our recent blog, “3 Toilet Problems SOLVED!” to learn what you can do about them!
Indianapolis Toilet Repair and Replacement
Weilhammer Plumbing Company 317-784-1870