How To Remove Hard Water Stains From Toilet – Ultimate Guide For 2023

Last Updated on March 2, 2023 by Mattias

When you use water with a high hardness level in your home, you are bound to notice mineral deposits and unsightly hard water stains in the different areas of your apartment, including your toilet. 

The formation of mineral buildup in your toilet due to the use of hard water causes you to notice rust stains on different surfaces and could cause damage to these surfaces and your plumbing system.

These tough stains, which are difficult to remove, on the other hand, add to the dirt already present in your toilet and make cleaning them a nightmare. 

To help you eliminate this nightmare, I will show you different methods of using natural ingredients and chemical cleaners to get rid of these stubborn stains and get a sparkling toilet look. 

You will also discover ways to prevent these hard water deposits from forming on your toilet seat and other toilet fixtures.

Ensure you read this article to the end to get a full glimpse of all the methods.

How To Remove Hard Water Stains From Toilet

Use White Vinegar 

White vinegar is one of the best natural cleaners to remove stubborn hard water stains from your toilet bowl.

The good news is that vinegar is also used for domestic cooking, so it is readily available whenever you need it. 

To use white vinegar to remove toilet stains, remove all the water in your toilet bowl. 

The best way to do this is to use a plunger. However, any other method will also be acceptable, as it removes the water.

Next, use an old cloth or towel to remove the water inside the toilet bowl. Failure to remove this water will lead to it excessively diluting the cleaning solution and reducing its efficiency. 

You can then apply the white vinegar on the entire toilet bowl and then cover all the areas containing mineral stains, and wait for a little while for the acid content in the vinegar to get rid of the stains. 

Now, apply vinegar to the outer parts of your toilet tank and then use a cloth to clean underneath the rim of the bowl and other places where your hands can’t reach easily. 

However, suppose you are dealing with stubborn and extremely hard stains. In that case, you can apply the vinegar to toilet paper or paper towels and use them to cover the affected areas all through the night so that it can break down the stain and make it less stressful to remove when you clean the bowl the next morning. 

While cleaning the toilet bowl, ensure to use warm water and clean the toilet seat when you are through. 

And hence the smell of vinegar isn’t favorable to kids and pets. You can carry out this cleaning process while they are asleep to keep them away from the bathroom.

Note: Ensure you wear gloves while handling and applying vinegar. 

Use A Toilet Cleaning Stone 

Using a pumice stone is one of the ways of removing hard water spots from your toilet and is often used when your toilet brush fails to remove the stains effectively or when the water line is clogged with stains. 

To do this, pour vinegar gently on the stained area to soften the mineral buildup, then use the stone to scrub the stain slowly until it is eradicated.  

You can use this stone repeatedly until it wears down and consider getting another one. 

Also, you do not need to worry whether using it to scrub will scratch your porcelain toilet because it won’t. 

Use Borax

Add a half cup of Borax to your toilet bowl for this method. 

Ensure it touches all the areas with stains, then use a toilet or scrub brush to scrub the entire bowl and let it stay for the whole night. 

You can scrub it again in the morning and then flush the toilet to regain its shiny look. 

Use A Baking Soda and Vinegar Solution

The mixture of vinegar and baking soda is a natural solution that can help remove the stains in your toilet bowls, tank, and surfaces effectively. 

Aside from eradicating the hard water buildup in your toilet, you can also use this solution to clean several areas in your home. 

To get the best results from this method, add 1 cup of white vinegar to the toilet bowl, then use a brush to scrub the entire surface and allow it for 10 minutes.

After the 10 minutes have passed, you can add 1 cup of baking soda over the surface of the toilet bowl and then add 1 cup of vinegar to it again. 

This will cause it to make a hissing sound and react frizzly, do not be afraid. This reaction is harmless. 

You can now use a toilet brush to spread the solution over the toilet surface, allow it to stay for 30 minutes, and watch how effective it will be. 

If it isn’t effective enough and there are still stains visible in the toilet bowl, then do not flush the toilet. 

Instead, repeat the process until the stains are eradicated and you can flush the toilet. 

Use Borax Paste

Just like in other stain removal methods explained in this article, you will need to turn off the valve, drain the toilet bowl, and then use an old cloth or towel to remove the excess water remaining after the bowl has been drained to make the stubborn and pesky hard water stains easily visible before starting the removal process.

To make a borax paste, add a reasonable amount of vinegar and a half cup of Borax together and then mix it.

When mixing it, continue adding small amounts of vinegar until you get a thick paste. 

When the paste is formed and in its fresh form, add it to the scale stains in your toilet and allow it to stay there for like 20 minutes.

Now, use a stiff-bristled nylon brush, remove the paste with the stains, and flush the toilet. 

Note: If you mix this solution and allow it to stay for too long, it will become too hard for you to use, and you will need to make another paste, so ensure you apply it to your toilet immediately after you make it while it is still fresh.

Use A Mixture Of Borax and Vinegar 

The first thing you must do when using this method is to pour a 3/4 cup of Borax into a bowl and then over the toilet. Then use an old cloth or toilet brush to scrub and clean the affected areas. 

After that, pour 1 cup of vinegar into a spray bottle and spray it over the stained areas, and allow it to stay there for 20 to 30 minutes.

If there are still stains remaining after that time frame, you can use a toilet brush to clean them off, then flush the toilet.

Use A Heavy-duty Homemade Toilet Bowl Cleaner

To make a heavy-duty homemade cleaning solution that can remove the stains in your toilets, mix 1 cup of vinegar, 5 drops of lemon juice or lemon oil, and a 3/4 cup of Borax and 10 drops of lavender oil. 

You can mix the solution in a container and then add it to a spray bottle or mix it in a spray bottle directly. 

After you have added it to the spray bottle, flush the toilet to wet the bowl, and then pour the entire cleaning solution into the bowl.

You should do this at night so the solution can stay in the bowl overnight without using the toilet. 

You can use a toilet brush or an old toothbrush to scrub the surfaces.

Use Commercial Chemical Products 

Using commercial chemical products is a renowned and great way of removing stains from your toilet surfaces. 

Before applying commercial chemical cleaners to your toilet, you should follow the conventional steps of draining the toilet bowl and using an old cloth or towel to remove the remaining water after the bowl has been drained.

After doing this, apply the cleaner to the toilet bowl and scrub it gently with a toilet brush. 

After cleaning it, ensure you rinse the cleaners off immediately and flush your toilet multiple times to help remove some residue of the acids that might be left behind. 

Note: An acidic cleaner and chemical product contains toxic chemicals that can cause harm to your skin and eyes, so ensure you wear gloves when handling and applying them, and also cover your eyes. 

These chemicals can also cause harm to your floor tiles, so if they spill on your tiles during the cleaning process, ensure you use a wet cloth to clean them off immediately. 

How To Prevent Hard Water Stains From Toilet

Make Sure Water Spills Do Not Get Dry On Your Toilet Bowls and Fixtures

To prevent hard water stains from forming on your toilet bowls and surfaces, clean your toilet regularly and clean off the water spills on these surfaces before they get dry and develop pesky stains. 

Install A Water Softener

While the hard water supply in your home has its benefits, there are also significant issues that it can cause to you and your home, and these toilet stains are a typical example. 

So, to help reduce the hard water in your home, you should install a water softener. 

A water softener produces soft water for your home and prevents the formation of soap scum, hard water marks, and other effects of hard water on your home. 

How To Remove Hard Water Stains From Toilet Summary

These methods can remove hard stains and deposits from your toilet bowl and other surfaces. 

Note that sometimes, after carrying out these methods, the removal of these hard water stains might not happen immediately. In these cases, ensure you repeat the process until you notice that the stains have been removed. 

Remember not to use harsh chemicals like hydrochloric acid or any toilet cleaner that contains hydrochloric acid to clean your toilet surfaces, as it could cause harm to your toilet surfaces. 

Also, do not use metal bristle brushes to scrub your toilet, as they could damage the surfaces of your toilet bowl.

Hard water stains are a very common problem on graniteand glasssurfaces, which is why we always recommend a water softener.