| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Elizabethq |
Posted - Sep 01 2005 : 07:07:43 AM
Can you help me with cleaning the toliets without harsh chemicals? I have a ring around it I can't get out.
Thanks farmfriends.
Elizabeth |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| lonestargal |
Posted - Feb 22 2006 : 06:18:08 AM
Hey ladies, I just watched an episode of 'The Queen of Clean' over at my moms and she was talking about this subject. Here is what she does....
Hard Water Stains
Steps:
1. Always wear rubber gloves when cleaning toilets (figure A).
2. Shut off the water at the tank and flush the toilet to remove as much water as possible.
3. Spray undiluted white vinegar inside the toilet, spraying heavily on calcium or water deposits.
4. Sprinkle borax over the vinegar and let the mixture soak for 30 minutes.
5. Scrub with a piece of fine drywall sandpaper, which can be purchased at hardware stores and home centers. It will look like window screen (figure B). Although the sandpaper can be used inside the toilet tank or on the dimpled bottom of a fiberglass tub or shower, it should never be used on a shiny surface, since it will scratch the finish. Gently scrub the deposits, adding extra vinegar if needed (figure C).
6. If the stains are old, you may need to repeat the procedure several times.
7. Another inexpensive way to remove rust stains from toilets is to use citric acid as a cleanser. Citric acid is found in lemonade and orange breakfast-drink mixes. Sprinkle approximately one to two tablespoons of the drink mix on stained areas and leave in place anywhere from 20 minutes to overnight (figure D). Scrub with a soft brush and rinse.
8. Denture-cleaning tablets left in the toilet overnight also help dissolve stains and hard water marks.
9. To ensure good health, never clean the sink with the same cloth used to clean the toilet. Always use a fresh cloth so you don't transfer toilet water and germs to the sink.
Hope that helps some.
|
| Jana |
Posted - Feb 21 2006 : 2:19:08 PM
I have extremely hard water and build up of minerals around drains and around the water line of the toilet are constant nuisances. I use a pumice stone, like from the drugstore for getting off caluses. You can also buy super big ones at Walmart in the house cleaning aisle. They don't seem to harm the surface, and actually, helped smooth out my tub which is old and roughed up from having other abrasive cleansers used over the years.
Also, if you can flush your toilet and quickly turn off the water in back of it before it refills, you can take strips of paper towel or rags soaked in vinegar and stick them over the mineral ring for, say, 15 minutes and then go back and the minerals should flake off fairly easily. I have done this around the tub drain but just pouring a little vinegar on it and letting it just set there. Good luck!
Jana |
| Yogifarmgirl |
Posted - Feb 21 2006 : 2:07:35 PM
I have heard the coke thing too. Makes you think twice before ingesting that stuff!!
"Breathe in the Sunshine" |
| julia hayes |
Posted - Feb 21 2006 : 1:03:25 PM
Ok, this is sad and probably pathetic, but last night I dreamed of cleaning my toilets with rings around them! I used Coke.. I read that somewhere..has anyone tried it? In my dream I poured a big bottle of coke in my toilet and was amazed at how pearly white it became! hahahaha.. do I have the Spring cleaning bug or what? such is my life..thanks for all these wondderful tips. Julia Hayes
being simple to simply be |
| garliclady |
Posted - Feb 21 2006 : 12:31:32 PM
Cut of the water flow to the toliet then flush a couple times this puts the water level way below the ring . Then you can scrub with bon ami or a rush remover .
Cornerstone Garlic Farm http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=16&ext=1&groupid=140532&ck=
My Recipes http://recipecircus.com/recipes/garliclady/ |
| Alee |
Posted - Feb 21 2006 : 12:23:25 PM
Bar Keepers friend and a pumics stone (used only when it gets REAL bad!!) should help with the rust stains. |
| Fabulous Farm Femmes |
Posted - Feb 21 2006 : 10:47:35 AM
Other than buy a new toilet every 10 years? Nope. But I hope someone else does 'cause I have the same problem with well water too,Mary |
| quilt8305 |
Posted - Feb 21 2006 : 09:55:37 AM
Does anyone have any ideas for getting rid of the rust stains in toilet bowls from hard, hard water that has tons of iron in it? I sure could use some ideas.
Mary
Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding. Albert Einstein |
| blanket of stars |
Posted - Sep 11 2005 : 5:55:21 PM
Do you have Barkeeper's powder where you are? It's with the other cleansers, like Bon Ami. Sprinkle in toilet, scrub with brush, flush, sprinkle some some in and DON'T FLUSH. Let it sit and it'll take off most mineral deposit rings. Make a paste and scrub with sponge for stained bathtubs, too. It's very gentle. |
| therusticcottage |
Posted - Sep 01 2005 : 5:37:20 PM
Cathy -- thanks for the reminder about denture tablets. I had forgotten about that. I'm going to give them a try.
"If you are lucky enough to have a garden, you are lucky enough!" |
| WisGal35 |
Posted - Sep 01 2005 : 3:43:16 PM
Don't laugh -- try denture cleaning tablets. A manufacturer forced a bunch of samples on me at the end of a trade show once, even though I don't have dentures (yet, haha!). He told me to use them to clean hard water stains from sinks, toilet and tub, and I gotta, say, I was sad when I ran out! |
| therusticcottage |
Posted - Sep 01 2005 : 3:19:49 PM
A pumice stone works great as long as you keep it wet and rub gently. It will scratch if you rub too hard. This is the only thing I've found to take the ring off. You could also try a product called At Ease made by Shaklee. It's wonderful and non-toxic. It's only available through a distributor.
"If you are lucky enough to have a garden, you are lucky enough!" |
| AnnieT |
Posted - Sep 01 2005 : 2:38:53 PM
Please don't use steel wool. It leaves major marks. I use Simple Green and a regular green scrubby pad, and that usually works pretty well.
Annie |
| Alee |
Posted - Sep 01 2005 : 12:11:50 PM
Just becareful to not overuse the pumice stone. Basically with a Pumice you are scratching the mineral deposit off. Toilets are actually pretty delicate in this respect because they are glazed. Glaze is a glass like coating over the porcelain and Pumice is volcanic rock. Think of it like this: would you want to rub a rough rock on your crystal drinking glasses? No- because it would scratch it! Well pumice stone scratch the glaze of a toilet the same way. Unfortunatly the only other thing to do so far is to leave the ring.
Ciao
Alee |
| quiltedess |
Posted - Sep 01 2005 : 08:27:53 AM
I've heard that using a pumice stone will get the tough rings off.
Nancy |
