Over time, the glaze gets worn away, and as ceramic is porous, the minerals in the water have a good place to grab hold. Mineral buildup. Those colored mineral deposits are possibly caused by the mineral buildup in and around your toilet's siphon jets located underneath the rim of your toilet bowl.
The Surprising Reason Why Your Toilet Gets Dirty Fast
The high mineral content in hard water is usually to blame for those colored rings and tracks that form in your toilet bowl seemingly overnight, and make it appear dirty even if it was cleaned recently!
Green or brown stains are a sign of lime buildup. It happens because of the evaporation of hard water that leaves behind mineral deposits.
If there is a slimy layer around water inside of your toilet tank it is likely caused by iron bacteria. Additional discoloration of the water isn't necessarily caused by the bacteria alone, but very likely because of excess Manganese or iron in your water supply.
In this case, a basic toilet cleaning product may not be enough, and you will need to use undiluted bleach. As a one-stop cleaning solution, pour one cup of bleach around the bowl. Then tackle every inch with a toilet brush or a handheld scrub brush. Let it sit for five minutes, then flush.
Water softeners prevent brown stains through a process called ion exchange. A water test can help you find your ideal water softener. Whole house water filters and chlorine injection systems could also help with removing brown stains.
"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."
Daily: Flush your toilet every day (even if it's not in use) to discourage the growth of bacteria. Weekly: Deep-clean your toilet once a week or biweekly—this includes the toilet bowl, exterior and toilet seat. Yearly: Clean your toilet tank twice a year.
For example, applying white vinegar or lemon juice and scrubbing with a toilet brush typically works on newer stains. You can also try mixing white vinegar and baking soda if you need a stronger scrub. For older stains, using an industrial-strength cleaner like CLR should do the trick.
Pour a half-cup of hydrogen peroxide into the toilet and let it sit for 30 minutes. Use your toilet brush to scrub the stains. Add a sprinkle of baking soda and scrub again if the stains persist. Turn on the water and flush away stains and germs.
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.
Vinegar will not damage your toilet in any way if it's left in your toilet overnight. In some cases, leaving the vinegar in your toilet overnight is recommended to get the best cleaning results. No matter what material your toilet is made from, the vinegar will not damage your toilet.
Vinegar is safe and milder than caustic cleaners designed for the toilet, and those commercial cleaning agents can eat away the good bacteria in your septic system. To safely and inexpensively clean your toilet bowls, pour a generous glug of vinegar, followed by a heavy sprinkling of baking soda, into the bowl.
The most commonly recommended natural and non-toxic way to clean a toilet is with vinegar and baking soda. Simply poor two cups of vinegar into a toilet bowl, and pour one cup of baking soda. When the solution stops fizzing, spread it over the bowl with a toilet cleaner brush. Leave for 10-15 minutes and rinse.
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.
To remove tough stains, add the baking soda and vinegar mix to your toilet and then allow the solution to sit in the bowl for up to 30 minutes. During that time, the chemical reaction between the sodium bicarbonate and vinegar will work to eat away at those stubborn hard water stains.
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.
Hard Water Mineral Buildup. If you regularly notice brown water inside your toilet bowl, it could be due to hard water mineral buildup. Hard water contains high levels of minerals like magnesium, calcium, and iron that can build up over time inside your pipes and fixtures.
Make a paste by mixing 1/2 cup of Borax and enough vinegar to form a thick paste. Spread the paste immediately onto the hard water stains in the toilet so they are completely covered by the paste. The Borax will harden quickly so don't add the vinegar until you are ready to apply the paste.
For a more heavy-duty approach, you can pour an entire bottle of white vinegar over and around the bowl, remembering to cover all of it. Then, leave the vinegar to work for a few hours or overnight. Use your toilet brush to scrub any leftover limescale deposits away the next day.
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.