The Affordable Hack That Removes Limescale Toilet Stains In A Flash

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Limescale is stubborn, unsightly, and in many cases, unavoidable. It's nothing to be afraid of, though. While a toilet with limescale stains could signify that it's not being cleaned enough, the stains themselves are just the result of calcium carbonate in the water supply. This mineral is left behind when water evaporates, and the final result is a stubborn chalky residue. There are plenty of foolproof ways to remove tough limescale stains from the toilet, but this method allows you to work with acidic cleaning products you already have rather than purchasing new ones.

When you use a typical toilet cleaner, whether it's a gel or a spray, the actual cleaning agent only gets a second or two of contact with any stains around the rim of the bowl. After this, it slides down to join the water at the bottom of the toilet, doing a great job of breaking up any deposits down there, but leaving stains higher up barely touched. To combat this, all you need is toilet paper. Put the cleaner on your disposable paper product, then stick it to the problem area of the bowl. This will guarantee longer contact and should help to break up the stains that you'd otherwise miss. After a scrub with your toilet brush and a few flushes, you will be able to enjoy your sparkling clean toilet.

This is a fairly simple hack, but to ensure it's safe and effective, you should follow a few pieces of advice. First, go with a cleaner that's acidic. While some of the best toilet cleaners contain bleach as their main ingredient, this is more effective for disinfecting than it is for removing limescale. Bleach is very heavily alkaline, and so is calcium carbonate — it can even be used as an antacid for heartburn. Because of this, acidic cleaners will cut though buildup much more easily. Try something like Zep Acidic Toilet Bowl Cleaner or even white vinegar with this hack for the best results.

Additionally, you should consider what you're making your compress out of. Unless you want to fish the material out of the toilet before flushing, stick with something that will easily break down and not clog your pipes. Toilet paper is the obvious answer for this, but it might be tempting to try this hack with something like tissues or paper towels because they are relatively thin but sturdier. Tissues and paper towels are intended to absorb moisture and stay strong. However, they won't break down once they make contact with water like toilet paper will. Flushing them could lead to a clog, which would create a more serious issue than a simple cosmetic stain.