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  1. #1
    AnnieW625's Avatar
    AnnieW625 is offline Black Diamond level (25,000+ posts)
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    Default Does anyone have really hard water and issues with toilet stains?

    I have really hard water in my area (Inland SoCal) and my toilet even though it is clean has hard water ring stains. I have used Clorox toilet bowl cleaner w/bleach, Clorox tabs (which I know are supposedly a no no now; but they always worked for me in the past and never caused leaks or parts to corrode), and recently tried Iron Out (6000+ positive Amazon reviews) and I still have pesky rings in the toilet bowl.

    I grew up in an area (Sacramento) with really hard water that without a Brita filter (or water softener tank) looked like this, but our toilet never had water ring issues. This scene from Walk the Line where Johnny Cash insults the yellow prison water is no joke….the water where I grew up was really cloudy like this (but no toilet rings) and my mom cannot do dishes without LemiShine.

    CD813974-184C-4F62-AECE-BC719773C700.jpg

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    Last edited by AnnieW625; 09-23-2021 at 04:18 PM.
    Annie
    WOHM to two wonderful little girls born in April
    DD E, 17
    DD L, 13,
    baby 2, 4-2009 (our Tri-18 baby)

  2. #2
    ArizonaGirl is offline Sapphire level (2000+ posts)
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    Quote Originally Posted by AnnieW625 View Post
    I have really hard water in my area (Inland SoCal) and my toilet even though it is clean has hard water ring stains. I have used Clorox toilet bowl cleaner w/bleach, Clorox tabs (which I know are supposedly a no no now; but they always worked for me in the past and never caused leaks or parts to corrode), and recently tried Iron Out (6000+ positive Amazon reviews) and I still have pesky rings in the toilet bowl.

    I grew up in an area (Sacramento) with really hard water that without a Brita filter (or water softener tank) looked like this, but our toilet never had water ring issues. This scene from Walk the Line where Johnny Cash insults the yellow prison water is no joke….the water where I grew up was really cloudy like this (but no toilet rings) and my mom cannot do dishes without LemiShine.

    CD813974-184C-4F62-AECE-BC719773C700.jpg

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    We have this for sure and the only thing that works long term is scrubbing with a pumice stone. I do this every 4 to 6 months and that mostly keeps the problem at bay.
    Lindsey

    Married to DH June 2005 gave birth to Shawn December 2008 and Lilian August 2012




  3. #3
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    We've used a toilet cleaner (I can't remember if it's lime away or CLR) that has worked well.

  4. #4
    JustMe is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
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    If it is what I am thinking of, only pumice stone has worked for me. They have some types that have a handle on Amazon.
    lucky single mom to 20 yr old dd and 17 yr old ds through 2 very different adoption routes

  5. #5
    bisous is online now Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    Yes. But on our new toilet we haven't had to...Our older toilet sadly cannot get clean without a pumice stone. It is icky and gross.

  6. #6
    AnnieW625's Avatar
    AnnieW625 is offline Black Diamond level (25,000+ posts)
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    Quote Originally Posted by bisous View Post
    Yes. But on our new toilet we haven't had to...Our older toilet sadly cannot get clean without a pumice stone. It is icky and gross.
    Interesting. We were super limited as to what toilets fit in our space and ended up with a Toto Drake that has an additional coating of keep clean material on it and it hasn’t worked. I am scared of scratching the extra surface if I used a pumice stone on it. Maybe I will inquire with Toto.


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    Annie
    WOHM to two wonderful little girls born in April
    DD E, 17
    DD L, 13,
    baby 2, 4-2009 (our Tri-18 baby)

  7. #7
    trales's Avatar
    trales is offline Emerald level (3000+ posts)
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    You have an manganese problem. Try barkeepers friends. squirt the semi-liquid one and let it sit.
    Tracey

    DD1 3/07 Itching to take over the universe.
    DD2 1/14 My mellow little snuggler.

  8. #8
    Aishe is offline Platinum level (1000+ posts)
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    We dealt with this for a long time. In my experience, these scouring pads work way better than pumice and aren't as damaging.

    https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B008RHK1WU/

    Also, citric acid works wonders. Empty the toilet bowl at night, coat the ring with citric acid, and in the morning flush away. It works amazingly well. I think you can find it with canning supplies in the grocery store. If not, this is what I've used: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EYFKM32/

  9. #9
    essnce629's Avatar
    essnce629 is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    Quote Originally Posted by Aishe View Post
    Also, citric acid works wonders. Empty the toilet bowl at night, coat the ring with citric acid, and in the morning flush away. It works amazingly well. I think you can find it with canning supplies in the grocery store. If not, this is what I've used: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EYFKM32/
    Denture tablets are ridiculously cheap, contain citric acid, and can be used to clean toilet stains. You can get a box of 120 at Target for just $3. Throw 1 or 2 in toilet and leave overnight.
    https://amarcoplumbing.com/clean-toi...nture-tablets/

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    Latia (Birth & Postpartum Doula and Infant Nanny)
    Conner 8/19/03 (My 1st home birthed water baby!)
    Parker 5/23/09 (My 2nd home birthed water baby!)

  10. #10
    petesgirl is online now Emerald level (3000+ posts)
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    We have the same problem.
    Doesn't pumice scratch the finish though?
    Mama to :
    DS1 (July 2011)
    DD (Feb 2014-June 2015)
    DS2 (Apr 2017)

    "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...Until you climb inside his skin and walk around in it."
    --Atticus Finch (To Kill A Mockingbird)

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