Thick limescale in toilet bowl

Avoriaz

VanMan2007 wrote: »

Scrape with what? I have had a dink or two, with nothing budging, but would be worried about cracking the pan? It really is solid.

Use anything that won't scratch the porcelain.

An old credit card, a car windscreen ice scraper, a plastic ruler etc.

Scrape carefully and don't dig so hard that you risk scratching the porcelain.

You could do the initial work with a metal scraper provided you don't penetrate right down to the porcelain.

If the limescale really is that thick, scraping a lot off physically will save you a bit of money in limescale remover as well as speeding up the job.

VanMan2007

Avoriaz wrote: »

Use anything that won't scratch the porcelain.

An old credit card, a car windscreen ice scraper, a plastic ruler etc.

Scrape carefully and don't dig so hard that you risk scratching the porcelain.

You could do the initial work with a metal scraper provided you don't penetrate right down to the porcelain.

If the limescale really is that thick, scraping a lot off physically will save you a bit of money in limescale remover as well as speeding up the job.

I tried a wooden spatula, a plastic spatula; but believe me, this was tough limescale.

In the end I used a smooth edged cheap table knife and a nail hammer, the one with a really small, tippy-tappy head, so as not to damage the bowl.

Got a few scratches, but overall very chuffed with the result. Just take your time and be careful.

Jonesya

Does anyone know of a high-street store/chain which sells spirits of salt?

No where I tried had it, I ended up using HG Professional Limescale remover from Homebase, it worked well but wasn't cheap at ~£5/bottle, be nice to find a cheaper alternative.

dacouch

Jonesya wrote: »

Does anyone know of a high-street store/chain which sells spirits of salt?

No where I tried had it, I ended up using HG Professional Limescale remover from Homebase, it worked well but wasn't cheap at ~£5/bottle, be nice to find a cheaper alternative.

dacouch wrote: »

Harpic Power Plus Tablets are designed for the job, pop them into the full toilet before you go to bed and wake up to a nice clean toilet.

They often have them in the Pound Shop

The above is about £2.50 in Tesco or if they have it in Poundland a squid.

Very very easy to use

GDVS

SUESMITH wrote: »

i would be very wary about buying concentrated hydrochloric acid off ebay, I use it at work and you need a fume cupboard to dilute it due to the fumes it gives off and it is nasty stuff. please wear proper eye protection and gloves.

Here lies Gillian, still and placid,
Added water to the acid.
Clever Jane did as she oughta,
Added acid to the water.

24 years since I did GCSE chemistry, I still remember that

keystone

VanMan2007 wrote: »

I have had a dink or two,

Perhaps you should try again but this time don't forget to include the missing "r"?

thing budging, but would be worried about cracking the pan? It really is solid.

B&Q then - £ 50 for a bog-to-go. Problem solved.

Cheers

VanMan2007

Update: got up today and a large part of the bowl was clear. A bit more chipping-off, and I can't see any limescale in the bowl now. I'm sure there is still some where I can't see/chip-off, so have put another bowl full of limescale cleaner in for overnight. So I won't have to "go nuclear" after all.

A bit of elbow work, £1.50 in limescale cleaner, job done!

(Tesco own brand Limescale cleaner. Currently on offer £1.30/bottle or two for £1.50! Bargain.)

Raksha

Told you it was good stuff

VanMan2007

Raksha wrote: »

Told you it was good stuff

You sure did, buddy. Thank you.

Valli

GDVS wrote: »

Here lies Gillian, still and placid,
Added water to the acid.
Clever Jane did as she oughta,
Added acid to the water.

24 years since I did GCSE chemistry, I still remember that

LOL - I remember

This is the tale of Billy Bloggs
Alas he is no more
for what he thought was H20
Was H2SO4

anyway thanks for the update OP