Browse Forums Bathrooms and Laundry 1 Jul 04, 2014 10:42 pm Hi All We have an old toilet that was not used for over 8 months while we were renovating. Now there are water/calcium? stains at the bottom of the bowl. I have used vinegar, bleach, toilet cleaner, coke and CLR (not at the same time!). The CLR took away about 40% but there is still a lot there. Any other suggestions on how to clean it? TIA Re: Removing water? stains from an old toilet 3Jul 04, 2014 11:09 pm No idea but let me know how you go, I have a similar problem! Re: Removing water? stains from an old toilet 4Jul 05, 2014 8:13 am Alka seltzer. Sounds weird but cleans pretty much anything that stains a toilet. Put in a few tablets let it fizz then flush about 30 mins later. http://camdenbuild.blogspot.com.au/ by invite only please pm me Re: Removing water? stains from an old toilet 6Jul 05, 2014 12:57 pm Sprinkle a tub of McKenzie's Citric Acid into the bowl and leave for 8-12 hours, give a scrub, flush. Repeat if needed. This has worked a treat in 3 gross old toilet bowls that are now sparkling white. Re: Removing water? stains from an old toilet 9Jul 12, 2014 7:01 pm I think you can also by it in bulk at bunnings. Re: Removing water? stains from an old toilet 10Jul 12, 2014 8:40 pm Thank you to trixee and crazyk. I'm off to Woolworths tomorrow to give it a go. The only trouble is, I am not sure if a bulk Bunnings pack, or just the small carton, was used, and I am not sure if it was added to water or whether the water was drained out. Obviously, I'll try the cake-aisle one first, and in water, to see what happens. Wish me luck. (Gumption didn't work, neither did laundry powder left in overnight, although the laun pow helped some of the stains.) I think my stains came from teenage boys not flushing and not cleaning. Urine must have eroded the surface. I just want to say (I'm ashamed) that that has never happened in the other two toilets in the house!!!!! Re: Removing water? stains from an old toilet 11Jul 12, 2014 8:59 pm Try to drain out a bit of the water. I'm guessing the stronger the concentration the better. The supermarket on is only small. I know when my toilet has been broken I've used a bucket to flush it and found that if you pour a 9l bucket directly down the hole, not on the rim, it will actually push more water out because of the force. Give that a try....just don't splash yourself...blech!! Re: Removing water? stains from an old toilet 12Jul 12, 2014 9:25 pm Crazyk I know when my toilet has been broken I've used a bucket to flush it and found that if you pour a 9l bucket directly down the hole, not on the rim, it will actually push more water out because of the force. Give that a try....just don't splash yourself...blech!! That's how I've been able to unblock the system, when the septic was full or line was clagged up. Pour a bucket or more of water aimed right at the s-bend... had no plunger, so used water instead. Owner Building at Jimboomba Woods in Logan City Qld. Blog : http://bandlnewhomebuild.blogspot.com H1 thread : viewtopic.php?f=38&t=68283 . Re: Removing water? stains from an old toilet 13Jul 13, 2014 11:24 am May not work - but that Gumption stuff seems to work on everything ... At Woolies - but you might need to look for it. Maybe turn off water at toilet - flush - and try it. Need lots of elbow grease - so a job for hubby ... Re: Removing water? stains from an old toilet 14Jul 14, 2014 6:06 pm Thank you all. Here are my results. 1. Gumption, Jif, Domestos - didn't work. 2. A cup of usual washing powder left to soak overnight/24 hours - got rid of heaps but not all. 3. McKenzie's Citric Acid (the 75 gm little container from the cake aisle, $2.30 Woolworths) added to bowl water, stirred to dissolve, left to soak 15 hours - got rid of some parts beautifully, but left stubborn stains down each side at the bottom where you can hardly see and some in the middle. Maybe I should have taken out more water and used bulk citric acid?? Hopefully the word "acid" doesn't mean it's giving the toilet bowl cancer or something. 4. Half a cup of vinegar in bowl water with generous dollop of Bicarb Soda, scrubbed with toilet brush and flushed immediately - no fizz and didn't work. 5. Used cup to get rid of lots of water then added vinegar and bicarb soda again, big fizz, left 10 hours, scrubbed with yellow sponge/green scourer thing, added more vinegar and bicarb to scourer and scrubbed away - removed even more, but still those stubborn stains remain! I shall persevere, trying everything. You almost can't see the stains anymore anyway. By the way, turning off toilet tap and flushing doesn't get rid of the water. Hubby not interested. Re: Removing water? stains from an old toilet 15Jul 14, 2014 7:41 pm Thanks for posting that Glenda. I'm going to try the citric acid tonight (if I remember!) Re: Removing water? stains from an old toilet 16Jul 14, 2014 9:44 pm No turning off the tap won't do anything because the velocity of water is too slow to push it all down the S bend. Great to hear your getting some results. If you can empty that bowl maybe try neat CLR again. Re: Removing water? stains from an old toilet 17Jul 15, 2014 10:46 am Crazyk No turning off the tap won't do anything because the velocity of water is too slow to push it all down the S bend. Great to hear your getting some results. If you can empty that bowl maybe try neat CLR again. I could have sworn it did for me. Maybe not. There's another one - from car places - a cream you can use to remove stains/marks. Can't remember name - but they'd know. We used it on metal - but you have to use it sparingly ... I'll try to remember the name. Re: Removing water? stains from an old toilet 18Jul 15, 2014 7:05 pm Sometimes what happens is the water in your bowl lowers a little on really windy days. What happen tis the wind flows over the external overflow pipe with such velocity that it causes minor -ve pressure in the pipes which sucks water back. Re: Removing water? stains from an old toilet 19Jul 16, 2014 9:12 am Crazyk Sometimes what happens is the water in your bowl lowers a little on really windy days. What happen tis the wind flows over the external overflow pipe with such velocity that it causes minor -ve pressure in the pipes which sucks water back. Is that true - or another add for my urban myth page ... Hi everyone, Have just put a shower in the laundry and after only using it 2-3 times have noticed staining on the grout. The tiles were glued onto a concrete wall after… 0 5531 6 11338 The best advice is for you to get a competent building consultant to guide you through your build 7 4723 |