Chalk and urine can lead to white or yellow stains on your water closet. Scrubbing it away with your might may not get the calcium buildup away completely. Before we learn how to clean the calcium buildup in the toilet bowl, we need to understand how it came to be in the water closet.
Some areas have a lot of chalk in the water, this is called hard water. Hard water leaves mineral deposits on the pot and over time it creates an unpleasant shade. The older the pot more stubborn are the stains. Let us look at how to clean calcium buildup in a toilet bowl.
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Identify the Source or cause of the buildup
Once you have identified that water is the culprit. An expert can determine the extent of calcium in the water with the use of a photometer or other instruments. You can get a water softener to remove the chalk from your water.
Vinegar and lime to the Rescue
A home remedy – buy a couple of bottles of distilled white vinegar. Spray it on the ugly-looking stains. Let it sit for about an hour. After you have completed this process, use a good-quality brush. Alternatively, a scrub can remove the grime that has built up over time.
A bit of baking soda is generously sprinkled on the brush, the scrub, or pumice stone. Use this to scrub the ugly-looking calcium buildup. It may take a while to clean up and once done, clean the brush/scrubber in the sink.
Also, make doubly sure that you pour water down the sink so that the pipes are not clouded with any calcium build-up. Before the procedure, use a pair of sturdy rubber gloves. Evidence has provided us with another alternative with baking soda and lime. It may take a while for the calcium deposits to get wiped away. Be careful with hot water as this can crack a water closet.
A rule of thumb is to make sure that you do not let the vinegar or lime soak too long in the places that are noticeably deposited with grime. This can corrode the toilet bowl. At the end of it all, if the deposits do not go away even after scrubbing, you may need to upgrade your commode. Or call in a cleaning expert.
Lime can also remove the buildup of calcium. The challenge with calcium is that it can build up everywhere on your water closet, even in places that you can’t reach. It might be needed to replace the water closet or submerge it to get all the chalk away. Chalk can disrupt the water flow and make the flush less powerful.
Clean the Cistern!
Aside from getting rid of calcification on the toilet bowl, the cistern also needs cleaning. Since the cistern has a constant stream of water, it needs to be cleaned as often as possible. In all likelihood, it will be dirty and will need a complete clean-up before cleaning the toilet bowl. You can of course add some washing liquid and let it sit, for an hour and then flush it out.
That should get the cistern clean. However, if it has a serious amount of sludge or debris that has built up over time, again, you may not be able to remove the dirt. It may be time to change the unit.
Today we have an array of products available in the market that clean up pipes. However, before buying anything off the shelf, try a home remedy like so with baking soda sink. After you have completed the job with a home remedy, make sure that you remove any residue on the brush, pumice stone, or scrub. If you need to scrub again, rinse the cleaning products and add more soda and remove the dirt.
These are a few home remedies that offer a good solution to a problem.
Commercial Products
Commercial cleaning products are also available and if you opt for this alternative, follow the guidelines. If required wear a pair of glasses and make doubly sure that you wear on your gloves. Most of the products contain acid that removes calcium build-up, it is essential to follow all precautions required.
While cleaning the place, make sure that there is suitable ventilation. If you are going to be reusing the brush and other cleaning products, make sure that you wash them well.
Every surface must be carefully cleaned. You cannot marry cleaning products that have acid and bleach, they never gel. This can cause additional problems with your toilet bowl.
It can cause serious damage to the tiles and the pipes as well. If need be, call in a professional, they should get the place clean without causing you or the water closet any damage.
How to avoid calcium buildup on toilet
The takeaway from the entire process is that it is imperative to remove any stain that you notice at the get on your toilet bowl. The longer the stain remains, the more difficult it is to remove. And it looks mighty ugly, to boot. With that being the most imperative concern, get all your facts in order as you remove all the muck and have your water closet sparkly clean.
Once again, test the water and figure out the extent of calcium content in the water. While you may not be able to rid your underground water of all the minerals, a filter system is worth considering. It can filter out the minerals and chemicals that cause the calcification of the bowl, an expensive choice, but down the line a better alternative.
Also, it is very important to make sure that you get the methodology right, or you may cause irreparable damage to the toilet bowl. Prior to getting the calcium buildup done away with completely, ask anyone for help. Getting this right the first time is the only solution because you cannot and should not mess with a toilet bowl!
Water closets should look nice and shiny. Calcium buildup can make them look dull. Fortunately, it is quite easy to get them cleaned with the right products and some patience.
Keeping your water closet clean is essential. This can take some time though as some stains can be quite difficult to remove. In this post we have outlined how you can do this.
Make sure to wear gloves and be careful with some products as they can be quite strong.
Water closets and toilets can last a long time if you take care of them. If you don’t clean them often, they can start to smell or start to stain. Make sure to get them cleaned properly every few days. Replacing a toilet seat can give your toilet a completely new look as well.
Most toilets and water closets are made out of porcelain. This material can last a long time but can crack if you are not careful.
