How to get rid of limescale in the toilet

Each housewife is faced with cosmetic problems on her toilet: yellowness, urinary stone, and calcareous deposits. Completely get rid of this will not work, but with regular cleaning of plumbing it is possible to maintain its whiteness. The main thing is to know what tools to use.

The reasons for the formation of limescale

No matter how often you flush the toilet, limescale on it can not be avoided. And this is not the fault of relatives who forget to wash off after themselves - complain about organic chemistry. In addition, the rougher the surface of the toilet, the faster the plaque accumulates on it (there is something to catch on).

Of course, urea also leaves its marks on technology, but less than the running water itself. It is in water that lime particles are located which, as a result of interaction with urine, “precipitate” on the inner surface of the toilet bowl.

The more often you flush, the more water passes through the toilet, the more formations on it. In this situation, the drain tank, which leaks, can also be “pissed off”. And if the toilet already has a small (but not yet visible to the eye) coating, then the constantly flowing stream of water will leave its calcareous prints on it.

Why does this happen if water enters the tank from a water tap, and, therefore, has passed the appropriate filtration? The fact is that the components of lime are so microscopic that they easily penetrate through any filter. And water from rivers that fill brooks enters the water supply system, which along the way wash these calcareous particles from the karst rocks. In small quantities, they are invisible, but, accumulating, can deliver a lot of trouble.

How to clean a toilet from limescale: cleaning products

Organic manifestations on your toilet should be fought radically, involving chemistry. A wide variety of cleaning products for removing plaque on plumbing are on sale.

1. Abrasive cleaning powders are considered popular. Maximum effort applied to the sponge - and after cleaning, your toilet will shine with pristine whiteness. But this freshness will not last long - an abrasive violates the smoothness of the surface. And becoming more rough, the walls of the toilet bowl will begin to actively absorb lime into their pores.
2. You can soften the effect of powder products if you add a waxy fine-grained preparation to them. And wax itself, due to its high-quality adhesion to calcareous formations, is a good way to get rid of plaque.
3. Alkaline preparations such as "Duckling" are more cosmetic than cleaning. They easily cope with microbes, eliminate unpleasant odors, give the toilet shine. But these drugs are not able to completely get rid of plaque. Yes, and they must be applied 2-3 hours before the cleansing procedure (so that the gel can penetrate well into the lime pores). That is, you cannot use the toilet at this time (which already causes inconvenience).
4. Such a long “soaking” requires whiteness, which has been used for decades. But the effect during cleaning will be better than when using alkaline products. True, whiteness and alkali are affected only in accessible areas above water.
5. Everything below the waterline will have to be treated with acidic substances such as “Santri” - they give a good oxidation reaction under water. But using them, you need to be careful - after all, acid.

If there is no possibility (or desire) to clean the toilet using household chemicals, you can use other (improvised) means.

How to remove plaque without the use of household chemicals

When you urgently need to clean the plumbing, and there are no household chemicals at hand, home craftsmen find a way out of the situation using other means that can cope with limescale.

1. Short-term clean the toilet will help washing powder. Only here you will have to actively work with a brush. The rinse aid added here will help increase elasticity.
2. You can try ammonia at 10% concentration. Add it to warm water (600), moisten the sponge and rub the lime formations well.
3. A great option is 9% vinegar (preferably apple). It is heated to a temperature of 40C, and the surface of the toilet is treated. After 2 hours, well cleaned. But the best effect can be achieved if the rags are wetted with vinegar and applied to the dirty surface of the toilet bowl (above the waterline). Leave it until morning, and then wipe it well with a brush and rinse with plenty of water.
4. Everyone knows that raid in the teapot can be removed with citric acid. Try using it in the toilet too - rub it on the plaque, and then drain in a few hours with warm water.
5. It has long been used for cleaning toilets and oxalic acid (in dry form). It is treated with dirty growths, and then washed off with water.
6. And this recipe is not safe, because homemade cleaning composition can be classified as "thermonuclear". Find a vinegar of 70% concentration for sale, add a little iodine to it, and fill the toilet bowl with this mixture, sprinkling soda on top. It is desirable that it is completely free of water. In this condition, the plumber will have to leave 12 hours. Therefore, this procedure is best done in the evening.

What should not be used when removing plaque from the toilet

When the above methods of getting rid of limescale do not help, some owners resort to too radical methods, without thinking about further consequences.

1. Some hope that excessively hot water can corrode lime deposits. But, firstly, the boiling water itself, without the addition of any chemicals, is not able to clean the toilet. Secondly, a sharp temperature difference will provoke cracking of ceramics, which will sufficiently shorten the age of plumbing service.
2. Sulfuric acid corrodes everything, and limescale is no exception. Together with dirt, the coating of the walls of the toilet will fall under the influence of acid. But this is not the worst. Well, if the sewer pipes are made of cast iron - they will withstand the effects of sulfuric acid. And if there is plastic, you can say goodbye to it.

So do not “hurt” the equipment with harsh measures if you want the toilet to serve you as long as possible. Therefore, do not “shock” him with boiling water or with electrolyte from batteries.

Preventative measures

To prevent limescale deposits in the toilet, try to take preventative measures.

1. It was said above that one of the reasons affecting the formation of plaque on the walls of the toilet bowl is a leaking tank. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly monitor its quality work. If you notice a malfunction, adjust the valve position or bend the lever on the float. Perhaps a more serious repair will be needed, but it must be done without fail (or completely replaced the tank). Constantly flowing water into the toilet bowl is also an extra expense if you have a water meter.
2. On sale there are special tablets for drain tanks, which are able to neutralize all kinds of deposits (including calcareous). One tablet added to the tank will protect you from problems with the toilet for 2 weeks. And as an additional bonus - a pleasant aroma and color of water flowing from the tank.

None of the above means will help if you ignore the simple rules of hygiene. Do not wait until the toilet is too dirty. Sanitize him at least once a week. And this will protect you from excessive stress associated with the removal of limescale.

Video: how to wash the toilet