How to Prevent Rust Stains in Your Toilet
Most will agree that cleaning the bathroom is their least favorite chore. And nothing makes bathroom cleaning worse when after all that scrubbing effort, your toilet still looks dirty. We all know what rust marks on the inside of a toilet might be mistaken for; that’s why it’s critical to stay on top of keeping your toilet clean and rust-free whenever possible. Luckily, there are many ways to remove stubborn rust stains and prevent them from occurring and adding to your endless to-do list.
Where do rust stains come from?
If you have a buildup of iron or other minerals in your water supply, you may notice no matter how often you clean your toilet, you still accumulate reddish/brownish rings around your toilet bowl. These rust stains are the result of dissolved iron in your household water. It oxidizes and causes stubborn, reddish stains that can be a nightmare to remove. This happens because minerals such as calcium, magnesium, lime, and iron attach to nearly every surface they encounter. Simply put, the more exposed iron is to oxygen, the darker the color turns.
Prevention is key.
There are several methods you can use to prevent stains. Below are some helpful tips and tricks:
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Clean regularly – at least once a week to prevent deposits from building up.
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Add an iron filter or water softener – these are designed to remove iron from water, preventing rust stains.
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Upgrade your plumbing – upgrade from those rusty old iron ones.
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DIY – Spray-on a mixture of 1-part vinegar to 1-part water and scrub with a hard-bristled brush.
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DIY – Make a paste of 3-parts baking soda and 1-part vinegar, scrubbing the bowl with it as you would a powdered cleanser.
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DIY – Salt and lime. Sprinkle a small amount of salt on the rust stain, then squeeze lime juice over the stain until the salt is soaked. Let the mixture remain on the stain for two to three hours, then use the ring of the lime to remove the mixture.
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Borax – Dust Borax into the toilet, scrubbing with a brush to remove stains, odors, and bacteria.
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Pumice Stick – Wet it with water and rub it directly on the stains.
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Shaw’s Pads – Consists of a handle and scouring cloth and scrub your way to a rust-free surface.
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Zud Scouring Cleanser – Sprinkle Zud directly onto rust stains and brush using a toilet cleaning brush or plastic scouring pad then add water to ensure it covers the entire area and let set for about 60-90 minutes, clean the area with the brush and rinse away the solution.
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Avoid using household cleaners that contain bleach, since bleach chemically reacts with iron the water and makes rust stains worse.
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