gross toilet ! How to get rid of limescale

jimbugalee

ah might try that too - I think it needs something pretty harsh! Did have a quick search and couldn't see anything but should've searched specifically in this area.

Thanks all

allydowd

Pump the water out of the bottom of the toilet first by pumping the brush up and down a few times, then attack it with a pumice stone. If you live by the beach you may find pumice stones for free!

Then take cotton wool or kitchen roll and soak it in coke OR denture cleaner and leave this sitting in bottom of the toilet overnight.

In the morning remove the cotton wool and put it in the bin. Don't flush it in case it blocks the toilet.

Flush the toilet...and hey presto!

[Deleted User]

If all else fails try to get some spirit of salts from the chemist,that will definitely shift anything

nanokitten

I'd be inclined to try either kettle descaler (citric acid) or cheap malt vinegarn (probably the cheaper option so you could buy quite a big size from a discount store), and leave over night (or pump the water out and apply on cotton wool pads) it should fizz slightly whilst working. Make sure all trace of the acid is gone with plenty of flushes before you use other cleaning products as you can generate dangerous gasses (and on a sunny day blow the house up). Don't be tempted to scrub with anything steel as you can create metal scrapes which are really hard to get off.
You could also add a blue loo tab to the cistern (after the cleaning has been finished obviously) which will help to make it feel more hygeinic and hide any remaining stains!

nanokitten

JakieO, OMG can you still get spirit of salts from the chemists?
I would not recommend this unless you know what you are doing. Spirit of salts is hydrochloric acid. It would depend on what concentration you could buy but if you add it to water it should be done Extremely slowly, ie dropwise acid gets hot when it is diluted (and will fizz on contact with limescale). wear thick rubber gloves, eye protection (I'm not kidding) and closes shoes etc.
Also you would probably Bu**er the rubber seals in the pipework doing this.

hilstep2000

I agree with Jackie O, spirits o salts. Don't put your face near it though, it's hydrachloric acid! It'll shift everything!

Meadows

Try removing the water from the toilet & then using good old vinegar.

There might be something on thses sites to help.

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081212125311AAJIvNJ

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/good_housekeeping/711656-Removing-limescale-below-toilet-bowel-waterline

http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9394&highlight=limescale+toilet

Olliebeak

Can I just add - if you're trying things like 'spirit of salts' please open the bathroom window.

Penelope_Penguin

jimbugalee wrote: »

Hi all,

The old toilet in our new house is disgusting!! I've tried everything to get it clean (below the water line). Coke, bleech, toilet cleaner etc etc.

How do you get the brown/limescale stains off below the water line?

It's pretty embarassing when people visit!!

Thanks in advance.

We have an exisitng thread, so I'll add this and you can see other answers

I'd recommend pumice-stone, too

Penny. x

jimbugalee

Thanks all - really useful!!! Our window in the toilet doesn't open (long story - it's not our permenant toilet!)

I'm going to try some of those this weekend. Now I won't be so embarrassed when people come round