Toliet Bowl Rings: 7 different Ways To Combat it!

What Causes Toilet Bowl Ring? There are typically two reasons why a ring forms in a toilet bowl:

1) Organisms and Mould - (Fungus) can build up at the water surface and stick to the porcelain of the toilet bowl.

2) Black Ring In Toilet Bowl - Hard Water

HCalcium, magnesium, iron, aluminum, and manganese are all elements found in higher than normal concentrations in hard water. They cause water to have a dry, metallic taste, make soap un-latherable, and leave a dry film on skin. The minerals easily precipitate out and leave deposits on faucets, shower heads, in coffee pots, and black rings in toilet bowls.

How To Clean Toilet Rings

1) Regular toliet bowl cleaner, such as Lysol Clean & Fresh Toilet Bowl Cleaner, will work if you are battling a pink (or orange-y) ring in your toilet. The bleach and cleaners in this type of product will kill the bacteria and remove the stain.

2) Bleach. Bleach will only work if the cause of your toilet ring is bacteria or mould; it won’t combat hard water rings and may actually make it worse. Using bleach alone isn’t recommended though. It’s better to use a cleaner that contains bleach as well as other cleaning ingredients. They will be sudsier and will combat dirt, grime, and grease as well as bacteria. 3) Baking Soda and Vinegar. Vinegar is an acid and so it dissolves the minerals that have precipitated out of the water onto the toilet bowl surface. Adding baking soda allows it to react with the vinegar causing it to foam and bubble. This fizzy reaction breaks up the minerals and carries them away. In the end the mixture of vinegar and baking soda becomes salt water and carbon dioxide 4) Pumie stone, not Pumice. Don’t use a regular pumice stone to clean the ring in your toilet. The Pumie is a softer pumice that will work to scrub away hard water stains when chemical methods aren’t working. It works well with the baking soda and vinegar solution and is soft enough that it won’t scrape the porcelain of your toilet.

5) Magic Eraser - Drop a quarter of a Magic Eraser into the toilet bowl and let it sit over night. This should work for rings that aren’t too large or stubborn. 6) Barkeepers Friend - This multi-purpose cleaner can remove hard water stains from many household surfaces, including your toilet bowl. Sprinkle the powder around the ring, and scrub it with a cleaning rag. You can let it sit for 10 minutes or so for really stubborn stains. Rinse and flush thoroughly afterwards. 7) CLR – standing for Calcium, Lime, and Rust Remover – is a heavy duty hard water enemy. It instantly dissolves hard water stains, yet is non-toxic and safe to use even if you have a septic system. It is the leading product used for managing hard water build up and stains. Simply pour into the toilet bowl, let it sit for 20 minutes, scrub the ring a little, and rinse.