A mild, natural acid, such as lemon juice or vinegar, can be very effective at nipping calcium deposits in the bud. Depending on the severity of the stain, the liquid might have to be reapplied and scrubbed vigorously several times with sandpaper or a rag.
Use vinegar or another acidic cleaner to clean calcium buildup from your toilet. The acid will break down the mineral deposits so you can brush them away. Be sure to take the necessary safety precautions when working with cleaners. Wear gloves and eyewear and open windows for ventilation.
White vinegar
The mild acid can dissolve limescale and disinfect. All you need to do is pour a generous amount of white vinegar down your toilet bowl, let it soak in overnight, then scrub with a brush. Then flush to rinse, and voilà, your toilet is back to its former whiteness!
Natural Solutions: Vinegar and Baking Soda
Harness the power of natural cleaning agents like white vinegar and baking soda. A vinegar and soda solution can effectively tackle most toilet bowl stains, including hard water and mineral stains. Let the solution sit for optimal results.
White vinegar is a natural solution that can be utilized to dissolve calcium buildup. Sitting overnight, you will be able to remove lime buildup from the drain while avoiding the harsh chemicals in traditional drain cleaners. Avoid putting any store-bought chemicals down the drain.
Hydrogen peroxide is an abrasive as well as a disinfectant. The solution can work wonders in combination with baking soda to clean out tough yellow stains on your toilet. You'll need a spray bottle for this process because hydrogen peroxide can corrode your skin. Spray the hydrogen peroxide around the toilet bowl.
Urine scale and limescale leave visible deposits in the toilet. Whereas limescale is a mineral, urine scale contains several mineral salts. The waste in urine contains phosphorus, potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium. These substances produce brown or yellow stains in the toilet bowl.
Sprinkle baking soda liberally onto the toilet bowl stains. Use your toilet brush to scrub the stains and create a paste all over the inside of the bowl. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to work on the stain and whiten the porcelain. Pour 2 cups of distilled white vinegar into the toilet bowl.
Vinegar essence is therefore a better choice for harder-to-treat limescale – but it should always be diluted with water. Always wear gloves when cleaning with vinegar to protect your skin from the acid. A special tip: Coca Cola – this fizzy drink contains phosphoric acid which also removes limescale and urine scale.
When it comes to being good for the environment, CLR has a slight advantage. It's biodegradable and part of the EPA's Safer Choice Program, which recognizes products with safer ingredients. Lime Away works well, but it doesn't have the same environmental certifications.
Pour white vinegar into the bowl to cover the stained areas. Let the vinegar soak for 30 minutes to an hour. Scrub the stained areas with a toilet brush. If the stains persist, sprinkle baking soda on the remaining stains and let it sit for up to 10 minutes, then scrub again with the toilet brush.
So, which one should you go for? It really depends on what kind of cleaning you need to do. If you're dealing with really tough, built-up mineral deposits, especially in your bathroom or kitchen, CLR might be the way to go. It's strong enough to handle stains that vinegar might struggle with.
Urine stains and limescale in toilets: How deposits form
Urine scale is a mineral compound created by chemical processes: The calcium in the toilet water reacts with substances in the urine. A high pH value means that urine scale is as hard as mineral stone.
A mild, natural acid, such as lemon juice or vinegar, can be very effective at nipping calcium deposits in the bud. Depending on the severity of the stain, the liquid might have to be reapplied and scrubbed vigorously several times with sandpaper or a rag.
Professional cleaners often use the same household supplies as you would: toilet-bowl cleaner (or bleach), disinfectant wipes, rubber gloves, as well as a nonscratch scrub sponge, a microfiber cloth, or paper towels. A handheld scrub brush or a pumice stone can get to especially tough stains.
Our favorite, editor-approved toilet bowl cleaner is the Lysol Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner. It's an easy-to-find cleaner that works great on tough stains, has a clean scent, and lasts for a long time.
Bleach And Vinegar
It can be extremely dangerous as it produces chlorine gas when mixed even at low levels. They might clean dust and dirt effectively but can cause breathing issues, coughing, burning, watery eyes, and other similar problems.
Put the tablet in a glass of vinegar at room temperature and stir it vigorously over a 30-minute period. At the end of that time, the tablet should have disintegrated into fine particles.