Though popular for being gentler alternatives to harsh chemical cleaners, baking soda, Borax, and even salt can harm the finish of your porcelain fixtures. As gentle as they are, these compounds are still abrasive and will scratch your finish, especially with regular use.
Harsh cleaning agents: The use of harsh chemicals to clean toilet bowls can cause damage to the surface. Chemicals such as bleach, ammonia, and abrasive cleaners can scratch or etch the surface, making it more susceptible to further damage.
Yes. You should try and avoid using bleach in the toilet when possible, and opting instead to apply a non-chemical cleaner such as soapy water for cleaning purposes. In doing so, you'll avoid causing potential damage to the glazing on the porcelain surface of the toilet.
Depending on use, a good toilet may last you 50 years. Most toilets are made of porcelain, which lasts a long time. Certain components within the toilet may need to be repaired or replaced more frequently, however. Most of these can and should be replaced without replacing the whole toilet.
Steel wool scrub
Get a 0000-grade (the finest grade) steel wool. Since steel wool is such an abrasive product, you can either use it alone or in addition to borax + vinegar +/or baking soda for better results. 0000-grade steel wool is recommended as it's less likely to scratch up the inside of a porcelain toilet.
Things to Avoid
Stay away from products with bleach or ammonia because they can change the tile or grout coloring. If you need to scrub your floors, make sure not to use any brushes with hard bristles since they can scratch the porcelain surface.
Is Comet safe to use on Corian, Formica, porcelain, fiberglass and stainless steel. Yes. Comet Cleansers, Comet Soft Cleanser and Comet Bathroom Sprays are all safe to use on these surfaces.
Porcelain touch-up glaze repairs chips, dents and scratches on bathtubs, sinks, toilets and porcelain appliances. Easy to use one step kit with sandpaper and built in brush.
While it is okay to pour boiling water down sink drains, you should never use boiling water in your toilet, as the heat can cause the porcelain to crack. Instead, run your tub until the water is hot and fill a good-sized stockpot or bucket with it.
Disguise chips, dings and scratches in porcelain bathtubs, sinks, toilets and major appliances with a quick and easy touch-up glaze. Glazes that match the original manufacturer's colors nearly perfectly are available (or can be ordered) from home centers, hardware stores and paint suppliers.
Pour 1/2 a cup of hydrogen peroxide onto stains. Then sprinkle 1 cup of baking soda on top. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes. Scrub with a toilet brush and flush.
Vinegar and baking soda produce that oh-so-familiar chemical reaction that powers through buildup and loosens tough stains. While it might seem like it's chewing its way through grime, it's not powerful enough to damage the porcelain finish of the toilet bowl.
Leaving bleach in a toilet overnight is fine, but you shouldn't leave it any longer, or else it might corrode your toilet. If you do decide to leave it in the bowl overnight, let other members of your household know so that they don't use the toilet and accidentally mix the bleach with ammonia from urine.
As a rule, you shouldn't flush food down the toilet at all, but fats, oils, and grease can be especially problematic for drains. Although these ingredients might start in liquid form, they can solidify and attach to the interior lining of your pipes, according to American Water.
The most common causes of hairline cracks are impact, age, and accidents. While tanks are generally sturdy, an impact with a heavy object or a person can cause a small hairline crack that expands over time.
Over-reduction of the incisal edge is one of the most common causes of porcelain fracture.
Extremely hot water in a cold sink
In the case of less durable materials such as porcelain, fiberglass, wood and glass, these materials will eventually break down and erode if exposed to drastic temperature shifts over long periods of time. These usually will manifest as cracks, material stripping or warping.
Porcelain glue will fix cracks, chips and broken, fragile pieces of porcelain, china and ceramic. So, whether you've broken the handle off your mug, smashed a plate, or dropped a ceramic vase, a strong, shock-resistant super glue will do the trick. Loctite Super Glue Liquid is a fantastic glue for porcelain.
Porcelain is a durable material, but it's relatively soft as far as tiles go. This means it's susceptible to cracks or chips, and they're often eyesores. Luckily, it's possible to hide the damage with a bit of touch-up glaze. Here's how to fix cracked and chipped tiles.
Do not use cleaning products that contain acids or ammonia (and other harsh chemicals) as these can damage grout and glazed surfaces of the tile. Choose products that are compatible with your grout to avoid damage or discoloration of the grout. Always dry your porcelain thoroughly after cleaning.
Though popular for being gentler alternatives to harsh chemical cleaners, baking soda, Borax, and even salt can harm the finish of your porcelain fixtures. As gentle as they are, these compounds are still abrasive and will scratch your finish, especially with regular use.
Glazed Porcelain: Keeping your glazed porcelain sink in shape couldn't be simpler. Use Soft Scrub with Bleach Cleanser or Soft Scrub with Bleach Cleaner Gel to free your sink of soap scum, dirt, and stains.