Toilet bowl ring is one of the most stubborn things you’ll ever deal with-pretty much your entire lifetime (That’s if you are not extra-careful). The worst part is, that ring of dirt is actually bothersome, if not to you, then certainly to another member of your family.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, what causes the toilet bowl ring? A toilet bowl ring is simply a layer of mineral deposits from hard water. As water is stagnant in the bowl, the minerals stick to the surface, forming a stubborn stain.
But we have good news today. There are easy organic and inorganic ways of removing the toilet ring. Let’s take a dive through a few effective ones.
1. Pumice Stone
What you need
- Pumie aka Pumice stone
- Rubber gloves
Are you familiar with a pumice stone? No? Okay. This is the same stone you use to scrub dead cells from your feet. The same stone but with fairly refined texture is useful in cleaning unsightly toilet bowl rings. So be sure it won’t damage the structure of your ceramic toilet.
The stone comes with a handle. All you need to do is soak it in water for 10-15 minutes, wear a glove, and get scrubbing (back and forth movements). This method is particularly ideal for those that have tried to use vinegar, bleach, and borax unsuccessfully.
2. Magic Eraser
What you need
- Magic Eraser
- Water
Do you wish to remove the toilet ring without scrubbing? It is possible with the Magic Eraser. Just cut a piece of this legendary cleaner and drop it into the toilet bowl. Let it stay there overnight and then fish it out in the morning. Yes, this needs to be removed manually because it floats and hence not possible to flush.
So basically, when the eraser is in your toilet, you cannot use it until the morning comes. You can also drop it in the water tank to soften hard water so that no rings will ever be formed every time you flush. To prevent it from getting caught in the flapper or any other tank parts, you can secure it to the walls.
3. Steel Wool
What you need
- Rubber gloves
- Steel wool
One of the most affordable ways to deal with a stubborn toilet ring is a ball of steel wool. This is a drastic solution in case other methods have failed. While steel wool can get the job done just fine, the result would be more vibrant if combined with white vinegar and other toilet cleaners.
One thing, though; use only 0000-grade steel-not the coarser varieties as they can scratch your bowl.
4. Baking Soda and Vinegar
What you need
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Toilet brush
You probably already have these two items in your house. If not, then you can get them in a grocery store near your home, right? Great. To use them, start by pouring a cup of white vinegar into the toilet. Plunge in a brush and swish a couple of times. Allow the contents to rest for a few minutes.
Next up, sprinkle in a cup of baking soda and two more of vinegar. You can now witness a bubbling action and that means the broth is working. Let it stay that way for 10 minutes or so.
Afterward, deep in the brush again and mix the contents thoroughly while pushing some of them to the walls and the toilet rim. Hold your horses. Don’t flush just yet. Let the solution work the ring stain up for 30 minutes while occasionally swishing until the ring is no longer visible.
Now you can flush the toilet. For any remaining stain, use a scrubby sponge or toilet brush to scrub it away. Now flush the toilet again and rinse it.
5. Borax and Vinegar
What you need
- Toilet brush
- Borax
- Vinegar
Borax is one heck of a pretty strong and multipurpose household cleanser. Together with vinegar, these two agents create an effective solution for getting rid of hard water stains in the toilet.
To get started, pour a quarter cup of borax into the toilet and swish with a brush a couple of times. Afterward, toss in a cup of vinegar and use the toilet brush to mix them thoroughly. Let the mixture rest for 20 minutes before scrubbing the bowl with a brush to get rid of any stain that is still sticking. Now flush and rinse the toilet.
6. Bleaching Agent
What you need
- Liquid chlorine
- Toilet brush
This method is a slippery slope but still worth a shot in case you don’t have access to any other toilet ring remover. The method is said to combat rings caused by mold or bacteria.
To go about it, simply pour a cup of liquid chlorine into the bowl, mix, and make sure to splash it all the way to the rim. Let it sit in there for 30 minutes then flush and rinse. Check out our guide for the best toilet brush.
7. Dryer Sheets
What you need
- New/use dryer sheets
- Gloves
A mind-blowing method, right? Who would have thought dryer sheets are one way to get rid of toilet rings? Not to complain but this method requires some elbow grease though.
Simply get either a new or used sheet and put on some gloves. Use it to rub the ring until it disappears gently. That’s all. Just one thing; dryer sheets can easily clog the toilet so do not flush them.
8. Lemon Kool-aid
What you need
- A sachet of lemon Kool-aid
- Toilet brush
Lemon Kool-aid, the stuff kids (or some of us) used to drink is also an effective way to get rid of the black toilet ring. This same beverage is used to remove gunk on pans and pots. So rest assured it will work on your toilet too.
To get started, sprinkle a packet of Lemon Kool-aid into the bowl and let it sit there for an hour. During that time, no one should use or flush the toilet. Afterward, pop by with the toilet brush and give the nasty ring a good scrub in either up and down or circular motions. The ring should disappear in a minute or two.
9. Alka Seltzer
What you need
- Tablets of Alka Seltzer
You probably have a few tablets of Alka Seltzer lying around for when you get heartburns, stomach upsets, and heartburns. Well, guess what, they are another effective way of removing toilet rings without scrubbing.
Simply throw two tablets into the bowl and when they are fully dissolved, the citric acid in them will dissolve the ring lining to nothingness. Also, when you throw them in the toilet tank, you can prevent any further accumulation of bowl stains.
10. Coca-cola Drink
What you need
- A can of Coca-Cola drink
This fizzing drink that most people combine with meals is another versatile product worth considering. Coke drinks are acidic and like Alka Seltzer tablets, you just get it in the toilet bowl and let it work its magic. Simple as that. The fizzling will slowly dissolve the ring and get your bowl looking attractive again.
11. Denture Cleaning Tablets
What you need
- Several denture cleaning tablets
Like Alka Seltzer, denture cleaning tablets contain sufficient acid to get stubborn stains out of your toilet. Like other tablets, you only need to drop two or three in the bowl and let them do their thing. These tablets are more preferable than Alka Seltzer because they are less harsh.
12. Abrasive Sponge
What you need
- Household cleaners
- Rubber gloves
- Abrasive sponge
Toilet rings that are not too old can be removed with the help of an abrasive sponge and household cleaners. To get going, put on the gloves, sprinkle a cleaner into the toilet, and get to scrubbing. In a few minutes, you will be done. Don’t forget to flush and rinse afterward.
You can also pass your eyes on our article about the best toilet bowl cleaners. Who knows, you might get some reliable cleaning agents.
Wrap Up
Cowabunga! You just learned so many ways on how to get rid of the toilet ring. At this point, you must be wondering how on earth you’ve been staring at that bothersome stain when some of the solutions to deal with it were right there in your house.
Well, no longer are you going to be helpless again. If you know your toilet is not going to be in use frequently, make sure to drop either Alka Seltzer or Magic eraser in the tank and remember to flush every once in a while to prevent stain growth in your bowl.
Besides all the methods we have mentioned, your toilet will likely get dirty again. So when you can, try to give your toilet bowl a deep cleaning every once in a while to keep it looking pristine. This is where we drop the pen (or keyboard), folks. We hope this guide has been helpful to you. Adios.
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