How to Remove Toilet Ring Stains

Keeping the toilet stain-free requires scrubbing.

Cleaning the toilet bowl is one chore most people would rather skip, especially when there are stubborn rings present. Toilet bowl rings can be caused by hard water, calcium or lime deposits and will appear as brownish/red or yellow stains encircling the inside of the toilet bowl. Removing toilet bowl rings takes some doing but leaves a sparkle in your bathroom.

Things You'll Need

• White vinegar
• Pumice stone
• Toilet bowl brush
• Toilet bowl cleaner

Instructions

1. Shut off the water valve to the toilet and flush the toilet once. This empties most of the water out of the toilet bowl.

2. Soften the toilet ring by pouring 1 gallon of white vinegar into the emptied toilet bowl. Let the vinegar sit overnight.

3. Scrub the toilet ring stain with a pumice stone. Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from the vinegar that is still in the toilet bowl. Working with the vinegar in the bowl keeps the pumice stone wet, preventing the toilet bowl from getting scratched.

4. Turn on the water valve to the toilet. Once the tank fills up, flush the toilet to remove the vinegar and add clean water to the bowl. If needed, repeat these steps if the ring stain is still present.

5. Maintain the toilet bowl daily to avoid ring stains. Clean each day with a toilet bowl brush and cleanser.

Tips & Warnings

• For stubborn stains, the website Creative Homemaking recommends using Lime-A-Way, Bar Keepers Friend or muriatic acid.

References

• Bella Online: Cleaning Calcium and Lime Rings In Toilets
• Creative Homemaking: Removing Hard Water Stains From Toilet