How to prevent toilet bowl calcification

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Rikkitic

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#232135 31-Mar-2018 15:37

Our water comes from a spring with very high mineral content. Every few months ugly calcification builds up on the toilet bowl and has to be scraped away. This scratches the porcelain, which just makes the problem worse. Softening the water is not really a practical option. Are there any local application products that can prevent/get rid of/reduce or otherwise ameliorate the calcification issue?

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#1986412 31-Mar-2018 15:45

Could try shower witch (from wet and forget shop).

Would mean you wouldnt be able to flush for a day but if you did this often, you wouldnt need to wait so long after the first spray (no pun intented).

Check it out.

Rikkitic

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#1986415 31-Mar-2018 15:56

I'll give it a try. Thanks.

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Aredwood

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#1986418 31-Mar-2018 16:09

Try a product such as CLR. Otherwise a weak acid such a vinegar or citric acid.

Tinkerisk

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#1986427 31-Mar-2018 16:34

We occasionally put in the remaining vinegar of gherkins and let it there until the next flush (you should maybe check it before your guests arrive).

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#1986436 31-Mar-2018 17:04

Tinkerisk:
We occasionally put in the remaining vinegar of gherkins and let it there until the next flush (you should maybe check it before your guests arrive) .....

.... because any ‘floater’ gherkins in there might cause a double-take.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

FineWine

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#1986450 31-Mar-2018 17:24

30 Sec Water Spot Remover - cleaned my calcified glass shower walls up very nicely when we bought the place. Used with a glass scouring pad. The glass was nearly opaque but after 3 efforts it was clear as glass

or 30 Sec Calcium, Rust & Lime Remover

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

jonathan18

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#2228523 1-May-2019 10:39

@Rikkitic: I was wondering whether you had a successful outcome to this problem?

We’ve got a similar buildup on one of our toilets (no idea why - the other toilets are fine, and we’re on standard reticulated water), and before I go pick up some LCR to see if that sorts it I thought I’d check on how you managed to sort it.

Thanks!

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trig42

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#2228563 1-May-2019 10:44

jonathan18: @Rikkitic: I was wondering whether you had a successful outcome to this problem?

We’ve got a similar buildup on one of our toilets (no idea why - the other toilets are fine, and we’re on standard reticulated water), and before I go pick up some LCR to see if that sorts it I thought I’d check on how you managed to sort it.

Thanks!

We rented our house out for a year, and when we got back into it, the toilet had some pretty severe (and dirty) calcification, scraping wouldn't work to remove it.

We were about to replace the toilet, but thought we'd give Vinegar and Baking Soda a go - poured most of a bottle of White vinegar in, and a tablespoon of baking soda. It foamed up as expected, we left it for half an hour, came back and flushed the loo - most of it was gone and the rest came off easily with a scrub.

jonathan18

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#2228571 1-May-2019 10:53

Great to know! That’s a cheap solution (pun not intended).

I was thinking of forcing much of the water out of the s bend to allow the cleaning product to sit undiluted - did you do this or was it added to the water in the bowl?

trig42

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#2228572 1-May-2019 10:57

Just added to water in bowl.

I wasn't expecting it to work, but it came out perfect.

Rikkitic

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#2228604 1-May-2019 11:53

I have nothing to improve on that.

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ShortyNZ

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#2235074 11-May-2019 17:21

Yep, agree with the vinegar answer.

We've had calcification in our toilets ongoing for 20 years - just had a toilet replaced for the THIRD time, as I have never found CLR or any other product that worked.

Was really dismayed when I discovered the NEW toilet had a rough build-up in the bowl only months after it was installed, so spent a whole afternoon Googling.

That night, I emptied as much of the water as possible out of the bowl - about one quarter left - and put what I though a reasonable amount of white vinegar in and left it overnight. It was as clean as a whistle the next morning - just like new. I'm absolutely amazed it has taken me 20 years and 3 new loo's to find a solution, but vinegar really does work.

TwoSeven

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#2235116 11-May-2019 19:38

As already pointed out - limescale is soluble in cold water so lemon juice or white vinegar may do the trick.

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blackjack17

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#2235119 11-May-2019 19:50

trig42:

jonathan18: @Rikkitic: I was wondering whether you had a successful outcome to this problem?

We’ve got a similar buildup on one of our toilets (no idea why - the other toilets are fine, and we’re on standard reticulated water), and before I go pick up some LCR to see if that sorts it I thought I’d check on how you managed to sort it.

Thanks!

We rented our house out for a year, and when we got back into it, the toilet had some pretty severe (and dirty) calcification, scraping wouldn't work to remove it.

We were about to replace the toilet, but thought we'd give Vinegar and Baking Soda a go - poured most of a bottle of White vinegar in, and a tablespoon of baking soda. It foamed up as expected, we left it for half an hour, came back and flushed the loo - most of it was gone and the rest came off easily with a scrub.

I would skip the baking soda, it would just neutralise the vinegar.

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raytaylor

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#2235167 11-May-2019 21:29

Switch to Napier City reticulated water.

The chlorine seems to be fixing many problems like this.

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