# Stained toilet



## sittingintheshade (Jun 30, 2010)

I have to get a toilet clean thats stained very badly.. I think its mostly water staining .. theres very red dirt and sometimes it seems to be in the water. It could also be from not being cleaned often enough. Bleach isnt cleaning it and I am worried if I use something too abrasive it will scratch the porcelain. Any ideas?


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## Nestor_Kelebay (Jun 30, 2010)

Normally the active ingredient in toilet bowl cleaners is phosphoric acid at about a 20 percent concentration, but you can get much stronger toilet bowl cleaners that will use hydrochloric acid at up to 25% concentration or more.

Basically, phosphoric acid works well because it will dissolves anything you'd expect to find in a toilet bowl, given time.  One thing it won't dissolve is any marks made on the porcelain by using metal tools to clean the bowl, especially aluminum which is particularily bad at leaving marks on surfaces.  You can, however remove those marks by using a strong hydrochloric acid based toilet bowl cleaner.  When I've done that, I've simply used a small amount of the strong cleaner on a Q-tip to clean off the marks on the porcelain.

The reddish brown discolouration may very well be iron oxide from iron water pipes in your house.  I don't think phosphoric acid will dissolve iron oxide, but a strong hydrochloric acid based toilet bowl cleaner sure will.  Also, you don't need to use much of the stuff.  Go to a "dollar store" and buy a cheap paint brush with plastic bristles (nylon or polyester) and use that to paint the toilet bowl cleaner onto the bowl in a thin film.

Phosphoric acid is commonly used as the active ingredient in bathroom cleaners because it cuts through soap scum quickly and easily, but won't harm chrome.  Be very careful using hydrochloric acid around any chrome parts of your toilet because hydrochloric acid will attack a chrome finish.  I have several chrome plated solid brass faucets in my building that have had their finish ruined by tenants trying to clean them with a hydrochloric acid based toilet bowl cleaner.

If the active ingredient and concentration of the toilet bowl cleaner isn't printed on the bottle, then you should be able to find it on the MSDS sheet.  (Material Safety Data Sheet)  Every company that makes chemical products used by the public is required to make an MSDS sheet available to anyone who requests one on each product it makes.  That way, emergency responders can know what's in the product so that they know what they're dealing with.  If a baby swallows some pink liquid, the doctors at the hospital have to know what's in that pink liquid to know how to best treat the situation.

Anyhow, you can find out what's in most products by using Google to find the MSDS sheet for the product online.  I'm thinking that red discolouration is iron oxide from the iron water piping in your house, and you're going to need hydrochloric acid to remove it.  You could use muriatic acid.  The advantage of using a toilet bowl cleaner with hydrochloric acid in it is that it'll be gelled so that it doesn't quickly drain off the sloped sides of the bowl the way muriatic acid would.

Hydrochloric acid won't hard glass or porcelain.  Neither will the much weaker phosphoric acid.


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## jimmy50 (Jul 2, 2010)

Nestor you are always so helpful with your answers!! I'm sure I speak for everyone who has ever read a post of yours, thank you very much and keep up the great work!!


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## Nestor_Kelebay (Jul 2, 2010)

We all learn from each other in here, Jimmy.

PS:  If you have trouble finding a hydrochloric acid based toilet bowl cleaner, just phone up any of the places listed under Janitorial Equipment & Supplies in your yellow pages phone book.  Every one of them will carry BOTH a phosphoric acid based toilet bowl cleaner and a hydrochloric acid based toilet bowl cleaner.

Flush your toilet several times after cleaning it with hydrochloric acid to get the acid out of your drain piping.


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## sittingintheshade (Aug 8, 2010)

Thank you so much, I did find a hydrochoric based cleaner. Between that and clr it came up pretty good


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## Nestor_Kelebay (Aug 8, 2010)

Good to hear things worked out for you.


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## keikoling (Aug 17, 2010)

thank you for sharing this great tips/advice.. it is really a great help since i also this kind of problem..


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## COGarageMan (Oct 6, 2010)

Hi Nestor_Kelebay, What about using a pumice stone as an alternative to chemicals? I've heard they work pretty good at tough stains and won't usually scratch the porcelain.


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## rosebud (Dec 3, 2010)

I had the same problem wit a stained toilet.  My neighbor gave me this product called "Whink".  You can buy it at a hardware store or you can get it online - it is a miraculous.  To be used on white toilts and tubs only.  The stain will disappear immediately.  It's a must try.


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## rosebud (Dec 3, 2010)

You can use a product called 'Whink Rust stain remover' and it works like a dream.  To be used on white toilets and tubs only.


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## DIYHomeDesign (May 9, 2011)

I've used rust remover for this problem in the past, but be warned that it can remove some enamel if you're not careful.


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## Steve_H (May 19, 2011)

I have used Muriatic Acid also known as Hydrochloric Acid. WORKS LIKE A CHARM!!! You can find it at just about any pool supply store. Just make sure you use gloves, mask and goggles.


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## RD55 (Jul 30, 2011)

I've been wanting to try "whink". so it's really that good huh?


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## LizaRay (Aug 9, 2011)

great information..u guys r great..thanks.


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## RD55 (Aug 23, 2011)

ive heard a lot about "whink"....good stuff!


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## ownersblues (Aug 25, 2011)

RD55 said:


> ive heard a lot about "whink"....good stuff!




I have never heard of a "whink" which has to be a play off of "whisk," does this work?


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## RD55 (Sep 5, 2011)

I wouldn't worry about some of the cleaners being to abrasive. If it was the shower, maybe. But if bleach isn't cutting it, than you need to move to the next step.


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## alketamark (Sep 15, 2012)

I used comet on my toilet seat and it rubbed the finish right off until it was black.  I got a new toilet seat and though I cleaned it constantly because of my 11 year old, it still managed to get yellow stains underneath within a month.  I cleaned it with Mr. Clean Disinfecting Bath Cleaner (6% Citric Acid, 94% other ingredients?- no phosphate) and it started leaving a white mark apparently disturbing the finish so I stopped cleaning it.  The seat has chrome hinges so I don't want to use a hydrochloric based product since that would destroy the chrome.  The whink appears to be for rust stains and these are not rust stains.  Any advice?


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