If there are brown stains, it is probably from iron in your water. If you discover a thick, slimy mess, it is likely from iron bacteria growing in your toilet tank.
Citric acid
More importantly, it's probably even more effective than vinegar for getting rid of that brown stain in the toilet. Simply pour a kettle of almost boiling water into the bowl, follow up with 250ml of citric acid, and leave it for some hours – preferably overnight. The next day, scrub and flush.
If you've noticed a brown ring around the base of your toilet, you're probably wondering what it is and how to get rid of it. The good news is that it's most likely just mineral deposits from hard water. While these deposits won't necessarily harm your toilet, they can be unsightly and difficult to clean.
Bacteria and fungi present naturally in air and water can attach to damp surfaces and multiply to form a visible black slime or stain in various colors (black, red, pink). These growths are known as biofilms or 'microbial slime' and are most noticeable in bathrooms and kitchens.
One of the most obvious signs of hard water buildup is in the toilet. You might see a white or rust-colored ring forming at the waterline or staining at the base of the bowl.
The release of brown discharge is often caused by a small amount of old blood mixing with your normal vaginal discharge. This creates a brown tinge. The reasoning for this brown colour is that as blood ages, it turns from red to brown giving your discharge light to dark brown colour.
A frequent cause of smelly drains and dirty toilets are urine sediments. Urine scale occurs as urine particles build up on the porcelain. As hard water evaporates, it leaves behind calcium and magnesium deposits which combine to form limescale.
Don't leave CLR for longer than two minutes.
Again, CLR is acidic, which makes it effective, but also means it can cause damage if left in contact with surfaces for too long. Always rinse away with cool water after two minutes of contact.
Limescale can look different in different places, it typically looks like an off-white deposit when it appears on surfaces like chrome taps or coloured plastic. However, on white surfaces like the inside of a toilet, it can look green/blue or yellow.
Cleaning with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar in the bathroom can work really well. To clean your toilet with vinegar, pour a cup of vinegar in the toilet bowl and let sit overnight. The next morning, sprinkle a little baking soda into the bowl, scrub, and then flush clean.
"The biggest don't when it comes to toilet tanks is bleach—do not use bleach or products containing bleach inside the tank, as it can corrode the internal parts of your toilet. If you are aiming to remove tough stains from the tank, I also recommend white vinegar diluted with water."
If the clog still seems to be intact, start over at step 1 and repeat the process a couple of times. For extra-stubborn clogs, you can let the fizz mixture sit overnight or combine this method with plunging.
Cleaning professionals and plumbers recommend cleaning with vinegar to remove buildup and stains from toilet tanks and other surfaces. Mix it with baking soda, however, and you could damage your tank and plumbing.
Another popular method to remove limescale from your toilet is to use vinegar and baking soda. Pour about one cup of white vinegar into the toilet bowl, followed by about one cup of baking soda, then let it rest for around 10 minutes.
What does limescale look like? Limescale can take many shapes and forms, it's often a white deposit when seen on surfaces like a chrome tap or coloured plastic, but inside of a toilet where the ceramic is white – it often just collects over time and then causes unsightly stains.
Use Coke specifically when you need to remove problem stains like limescale or rust. If you want to avoid the risk of tinting your toilet with Coke, a light-colored carbonated soft drink such as 7UP or tonic water will also suffice.
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.
Apple cider vinegar effectively cleans most of the bathroom, including the toilet. You can spray the ACV into the toilet bowl or pour about 1/2 cup into the bowl and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then, scrub as usual, and flush. Alternatively, you may add a layer of baking soda to the toilet bowl before you clean it.
Pour a cup of vinegar into the bowl, then mix it around with a toilet brush. Add a cup of baking soda to the coated areas and immediately follow up by adding another cup of vinegar. Wait about 10 minutes to allow the baking soda and vinegar to interact, creating that effective fizzing action.
Vinegar is a natural acid that can dissolve calcium deposits. You can pour vinegar into the toilet bowl and let it sit for a few hours before scrubbing with a toilet brush.
When cleaning a toilet bowl, WD-40 works by softening the rust and lime deposits, so they can be easily wiped away. You don't need to use much of it. Simply spray on the affected area, wait a minute or two and brush it away with a regular toilet brush.