The rust stains on a toilet bowl are mainly caused by water with a high iron content, and the problem occurs most often when you get water from such a system. Most household cleaners are usually not effective in removing porcelain oxide stains. Some cleaning products, particularly those that contain chlorine, can even make the problem worse. However, some common household ingredients can help eliminate rust from an easy and inexpensive toilet bowl.
Instructions
1 Pour 1 to 2 cups of distilled white vinegar directly into the rusted toilet bowl. Let the vinegar hold for at least two hours, or overnight for very stubborn stains. Concentrated vinegar can disappear or even eliminate rust spots, according to the University of Florida IFAS.
2 Sprinkle with a layer of soft lemon drink mixture over the stained areas of the toilet bowl and in the water. Allow the powder to remain for at least an hour, then scrub with a bath brush and flush. The citric acid in the mixture neutralizes the oxide, says Linda Cobb in her book "Dirty Talk with the Queen of Cleanliness" (2004).
3 Pour 1 to 2 cups of bottled lemon juice into the rusted toilet bowl, and let it sit overnight. A natural, mild, lemon juice works similarly to white distilled vinegar to gently remove rust stains from porcelain toilet bowls. Scrub the container with a brush toilet the next day and flush.
4 Add two or three denture cleaning tablets to the toilet bowl, and allow them to stay overnight. The tablets effervescence when dropped in the water. Scrub the container with a brush toilet the next morning and flush. Repeat if necessary to remove the most difficult spots.
5 If other methods to remove stains fail, use a commercial rust remover made specifically for porcelain fixtures. Read the instructions on the label, and use the product according to the manufacturer's instructions to obtain the best results.
Tips and warnings
- Washing the toilet bowl with a pumice stone or steel wool can help loosen the rust.
- Do not use bleach to remove rust from the toilet bowl. Chlorine bleach establishes rust spots, explains Washington State University, which may be even more difficult to eliminate.