Toilet stains are often believed to be caused by urine, but they are usually caused by limescale and there is one simple method to remove them
Scrubbing the loo is a dreaded yet essential task to maintain bathroom hygiene, but nothing proves more infuriating than a stubborn stain that refuses to shift, regardless of how vigorously you clean it. Toilet stains are commonly thought to stem from urine, but they’re typically the result of limescale, a naturally occurring substance found wherever water is present.
Hard water carries dissolved minerals, and when the liquid evaporates, these minerals remain behind and begin to solidify, creating limescale. Limescale frequently manifests as a yellowish or brown mark inside a toilet, and it’s particularly persistent as it’s difficult to reach with a scrubbing brush, whilst most cleaners prove ineffective.
However, the specialists at Seattle Green Cleaning Fairy have revealed the secret to eliminating toilet stains isn’t bleach or another harsh chemical, as you simply need lemon juice to dissolve them, reports the Express.
They said: “The citric acid in lemon juice dissolves hard water stains and leaves your bathroom smelling fresh.”
Most commercial cleaning products fail to remove limescale as the stain consists primarily of a mineral known as calcium carbonate, which only responds to acidic substances.
Numerous people attempt to use bleach to tackle these stains, but it’s not a descaler and will merely lighten the limescale marks whilst the bacteria and crusty layer persist.
It’s preferable to use lemon juice, as it contains citric acid, an organic compound that produces a fizzy reaction when it encounters calcium carbonate. Lemon juice will break down any tough stains in just a few minutes and soften the limescale, making cleaning the loo an incredibly easy and quick task.
Here’s how to use lemon juice to remove stubborn loo stains:
All you need to do is cut a lemon in half, as fresh fruit is more potent than the lemon juice from a bottle. Don some gloves and use the lemon to scrub any stains above the water line or on the seat of a loo.
Ensure to keep squeezing the lemon as you clean to release as much juice as possible.
If you prefer, you can also place the fresh lemon juice in an empty spray bottle and spritz the solution all over any loo stains.
Then, resist the urge to wipe the lemon juice away and let it sit on the stains for at least 10 minutes. This allows the citric acid time to break down the limescale.
When the time is up, the limescale should be soft and will easily dissolve. Simply flush it away or use a loo brush to lightly scrub at it if you still see any marks.
Your loo should now be completely sparkling clean. Make sure to regularly descale your loo to prevent limescale build-up in the future, but remember that bleach cannot be mixed with any acidic substances, so avoid using them together.
