I can't get my toilet clean!

[potatofactory]

All the porcelain below the water is really grungy looking. I have tried thick bleaches and scrubbing with a toilet brush, but to no avail.

What can I do? It seems to have crept up gradually...

All tips gratefully received

It's limescale. This happens in one of my toilets (only one, weirdly).

The only thing I have found that gets rid of it is spirit of salt. You get it from hardware shops.

If you get some, be aware that it is very, very strong acid, so open your bathroom window and for god's sake keep it away from your dcs.

Works a treat though.

Coca Cola (Much to the dismay of my Dp)

I was told it once don't know where. I poured a can of coke down last thing at night then in the morning gave it a scrub and flushed. It was so shiny.

try a dishwasher tablet overnight
or coca-cola
and then scrub like mad

Limescale remover - it's in the supermarket next to the bleach stuff. Leave in overnight and then quick scrub in the morning.

Limescale remover such as Viakal. (sp?)

If it is very stubborn, scoop the water out then coat it in the stuff and let it work neat.

THanks everyone! That was quick! I'm not much of a housekeeper = it is only in one toilet & not the other like yours, Bobbiewickham

I think I'll try limescale cleaner and coke first, them, and move on to the hard stuff form the hardware shop if I really need to!

Thanks again -

I tried coke and it didn't make the slightest bit of difference. It possibly depends on what's in the water that's causing the stain - I think our prob is iron (well water).

interesting.... I'll try limescale cleaner first.

use a bike pump to suck out all the water first, (otherwise you will dilute everything!!!) the either white vinegar, limescale remover or coca-cola. Then once a week before you go to bed, just a couple of alka seltzer down the toilet!! keeps it clean!

Sorry you might not want to hear this but after the limescale has gone nothing beats nylon green scrubber, thick limescale bleach thick rubber gloves and elbow grease to keep this problem at bay.

so many good ideas!

I'm not that squeamish, luckily, Starbear! I'm game!

Thank you all - I won't tell dh what I'll be using his bike pump for!

Ours was terrible when we moved it and builds up over a year or so and then needs doing again.

Get all the water out with a big sponge, get some of that limescale remover (black bottle) and pour nearly the whole bottle down.

Make sure it is all covered and leave for a few hours. Go back and scrub like an idiot for 30 mins or so.

Any bits that were left over I took to with a foot pumice stone thing But be v careful because you can scratch the enamel.

Harpic plus limescale remover

When we moved into our house we used the downstairs toilet as a storage room as we had no where else to put things out of sight, we had bikes, boxes, christmas tree and decorations in there, then we get a letter off council saying they need to redo all the pipes and put new boiler in so we had to clear out the toilet and it was disgusting down there

After 5yrs of not using it or cleaning it was dusty, the water had all gone and the bottom was covered in limescale we only used the harpic left it for a couple of hours and then scrubed with the toilet brush and it was sparkling, it works a wonder.

don't pump the water out with a bike pump! just push the water out with the loo brush. you keep shoving the water round the u-bend.

Harpic Plus - the one in the black bottle, it is the ultra strong stuff!
Push all the water into the u-bend with the toilet brush. Pour the harpic just above the limescale so it oozes down over it. Leave to soak overnight and then scrub in the morning.

Good luck.

I keep ours at bay by doing this weekly even if no limescale is visible. (if no limescale is visible I use a regular harpic not the black bottle)
If you do it often enough you will find it no longer builds up.

BariatricObama 2nd that. Push water pass the u-bend and mop up the little left with a car cleaning sponge

i use a paper cup to get rid of water, bash the rest through with a brush then put on limescale remover (tesco blue one works and is cheap) if it's really dirty scrub with a spnge then throw out. wouldn't touch acid!

Who'd have thought there'd be all these techniques! You're all very kind to share, thanks!

Clearly, one way or another that toilet is going to be clean!

I tried coke once (to clean loo). It dies the limescale brown instead.

Be careful if scrubbing. I ruined the china of the loo by scratching it

I'll be careful, thanks bronze.

dies died

whoops died dyed--

Scrubbings all right, but before you go to the effort try and find an ?Astonish Toilet Bowl? cleaner. It?s a bit like a bath bomb but for your loo, chuck it in last thing at night and come down in the morning to a clean loo?..

ooh that sounds low in effort - will search.

We have really hard water and have found that Domestos limescale toilet cleaner totally keeps it at bay once you've got rid of the existing problem - no scrubbing required, just clean toilet with it, then leave to soak for a bit and flush.