Removing Heavy Calcium Rings From Toilet Bowls

[billt460]

I have 2 toilets where I had to deal with this. (Yellow / orange calcium rings at the waterline of the bowl). My wife tried all the cleaners. CLR, Lime Away, Rustoleum Rust Remover Spray, Mister Clean "Magic Eraser". Name it.

None worked with any satisfaction. So I tried a small Scotchbrite Pad, (Tan, dark Earth color). And some Lime Away to wet it with. 100% success! The calcium deposits were heavy, and raised up over the glazed surface of the bowl. You could feel them with your fingernail.

I used only one finger, pressing lightly directly over the ring, using back and forth cleaning strokes. It took a bit of doing, but all of the calcium stain rings vanished. And when I dragged my fingernail over the surface, I couldn't feel anything.

I washed and wiped the surface dry, and used a magnifying glass with a bright LED flashlight, and I couldn't see anywhere that I had scratched the ceramic glaze of the bowl itself. It really worked much better than I thought it would.

 

[Delta]

The Scotchbrite has been one of the favorites in my cleaning arsenal!

Might be worth it to look into a softener system to combine that hard water and calcium buildup. Mine took a dump and it was a couple months before I replaced it. The constant cleaning was terrible!

 

[Pablo]

1) spray with water bleach dawn solution allow to soak

2) squirt with a generous amount of Soft Scrub

3) rub crust ring with pumice stone throughly

Rinse and scrub again if necessary

 

[loneryder]

I have a water softener and still get a ring at the water line. The only thing I have found that takes it off is those cleaning stones.
https://www.amazon.com/Toilet-Clean...8&sprefix=cleaning+stones,aps,137&sr=8-6&th=1

 

[Sumboodie]

I have a water softener and still get a ring at the water line. The only thing I have found that takes it off is those cleaning stones.
https://www.amazon.com/Toilet-Clean...8&sprefix=cleaning+stones,aps,137&sr=8-6&th=1

It working?

I can tell mine needs salt when I start getting deposits on dishes.

 

[dadto2]

1) spray with water bleach dawn solution allow to soak

2) squirt with a generous amount of Soft Scrub

3) rub crust ring with pumice stone throughly

Rinse and scrub again if necessary

Be VERY CAREFUL when mixing cleaning solutions, you don't want to find yourself in a cloud of chlorine gas....

 

[loneryder]

It working?

I can tell mine needs salt when I start getting deposits on dishes.

Yes it worked but I don't know if it scratches the porcelain. The stone gets used up and it disintegrates while using.

 

[Zee09]

I have very hard water and have the same issues as the OP and tried the same products he has.

Go the Dollar General and go down the $ isle...
Get this...cheap and great

Use a half of a bottle and get it above the water line. I like to set a small bucket in the toilet to keep the water level high to soak the calcium rings.
I have many bathrooms so I like to let it sit several hours or overnight

Use a toilet brush and it will clean the concrete like lines and even at the bowl bottom....cheap too with no damage to the bowl surface.

 

[Pablo]

Be VERY CAREFUL when mixing cleaning solutions, you don't want to find yourself in a cloud of chlorine gas....

Good warning. No Cl gas will be released. Water first. Bleach. Dawn.

https://www.clorox.com/learn/bleach-dilution-ratio-chart/

Then a couple drops of Dawn liquid (which is also a base)

Very safe, but still bleach involved, window open poop odor fan on.

 

[Pablo]

We have a softener and still get a crusty ring when overnight pee allowed to sit, no flush. This in the master bath. Not so much in my toilet, guest toilet and downstairs bowls.

AFTER cleaning, we are trying these: https://www.blueland.com/products/t...?Scent=Peppermint+Eucalyptus&Count=14+Tablets

So far, so good. They don't actually clean as claimed but seem to be keeping the ring at bay.

 

[Pablo]

It working?

I can tell mine needs salt when I start getting deposits on dishes.

Pumice does not scratch porcelain. Very effective with soft scrub.

 

[billt460]

I have a water softener and still get a ring at the water line. The only thing I have found that takes it off is those cleaning stones.

Same here. Soft water, but the calcium still manages to find a way to adhere and aggravate.

 

[Pablo]

Same here. Soft water, but the calcium still manages to find a way to adhere and aggravate.

I've come to the conclusion the concreted ring is some kind of multi-mineral organo-complex.

My go-to for shower deposits is on the other end of the pH scale. H2O2 and citric acid. This works great in the shower, but not the toilet. You must think why that would be the case.

 

[JHZR2]

I've come to the conclusion the concreted ring is some kind of multi-mineral organo-complex.

TBH I think the new ceramics have something to do with it.

Our original kosher toilet didn’t have it.

The replacement AS toilet didn’t have it.

The replacement Kohler has it now.

In our other bathroom, the old toilet, and the new Toto toilet don’t have it.

I have to think it has to do with that kohler ceramic!

 

[Pablo]

TBH I think the new ceramics have something to do with it.

Our original kosher toilet didn’t have it.

The replacement AS toilet didn’t have it.

The replacement Kohler has it now.

In our other bathroom, the old toilet, and the new Toto toilet don’t have it.

I have to think it has to do with that kohler ceramic!

I was going to blame low flush toilets but you could be on to something. All our pots are 2014 dates

 

[AZjeff]

Now keep ahead of it with a severe service TCI.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

We have VERY hard water here. Even with cleaning the toilet a few times a week, I have to CLR it once a month or so.

 

[V70tdi]

If you can find a cleaner contains phosphoric acid try that.
The one I use contains this:
Removes: Limescale, iron and dirt deposits.
Contents: Amphoteric surfactant <5%, phosphoric acid 10-20% and water.

 

[Escape08]

Back in the 70s when I was in grade school, went into my auntie's house for a birthday family gathering. I used the toilet and told out loud to my aunt, "Why is the water coming out from the toilet colored blue? " and she started laughing.

 

[Sumboodie]

We have a softener and still get a crusty ring when overnight pee allowed to sit, no flush. This in the master bath. Not so much in my toilet, guest toilet and downstairs bowls.

AFTER cleaning, we are trying these: https://www.blueland.com/products/t...?Scent=Peppermint+Eucalyptus&Count=14+Tablets

So far, so good. They don't actually clean as claimed but seem to be keeping the ring at bay.

That's gross, flush it.