Toilet rings can have your “throne” looking a little unappealing. Yet, it doesn’t take much effort to get your toilet sparkling again.
Hard water or water that has been standing in the bowl for a time is the main cause of toilet rings.
If your toilet suffers from a case of the ring, we will give you 10 ways to remove it. So, put on your gloves and get yourself ready to take care of the ring.
There may be affiliate links in this article. You can read more about this in my disclosure.
1. Coca Cola
Cola is such a versatile cleaning product. Around the house it can be used to remove rust, pen marks off your carpet, mold from your grout, and the ring from your toilet.
Here is how to remove toilet ring with coca cola:
- Grab a 500 ml can of Coke. Pour the cola over your toilet bowl and the ring.
- Leave everything for several hours and then flush the toilet.
- You will find that the ring has been dissolved by the Coke.
2. White Vinegar
White Vinegar has two benefits going for it that make it an ideal cleaner:
The acidic nature of the vinegar can easily work to remove mineral deposits. It eliminates microbes such as bacteria and germs.
- To use white vinegar to rid your toilet of the ring, pour a cup of vinegar into the toilet tank.
- Allow the vinegar to mix with the water and then flush the toilet.
- Take your toilet brush and gently remove any residue of the ring that’s left over.
- Repeat the process if you want to.
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3. Pumice Stone
Pumice is a gentle volcanic rock that you can use on your toilet ring. The non-abrasive nature of the pumice stone is ideal for removing the mineral buildup without harming the toilet porcelain.
If you want to try this method, here is what to do:
- Soften the stone by having it soak in water for a quarter of an hour. Attach the stone to a handle so that you can easily rub at the ring.
- You can empty the water from the bowl by turning off the water-feeding faucet of the toilet. Then flush it to remove the water.
- Work the pumice over the ring using small circular motions. When finished, give the bowl a wipe using paper towels and detergent to remove any residual debris.
- Turn on the faucet and let the tank fill up. Give the toilet a flush and then see if the ring has gone. If not, go through this method one more time.
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4. Alka Seltzer
Okay, so Alka Seltzer is known primarily as a way to ease stomach upset and heartburn. But it can also take care of that nasty-looking toilet ring.
If you can’t get your hands on Alka Seltzer, you can use any other tablet that is made from sodium bicarbonate.
- To take care of your toilet, drop a couple of tablets into the water and then close the lid.
- Let the tablets fizz and bubble and release their carbon dioxide.
- Wait for 5 to 10 minutes and then lightly scrub the bowl. You will see the ring disappearing.
- Give the toilet a flush to finish off the task.
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5. Baking soda with vinegar
Baking soda and vinegar always make a powerful cleaning combination. The soda offers a slight abrasive nature in its particles as well as acting as a natural bleach.
The vinegar provides acid to dissolve any mineral deposits. Use these to say goodbye to your toilet ring.
Here is what to do:
- Pour some vinegar into a spray bottle. Spray the vinegar into the toilet rim and over the bowl.
- Use your toilet brush to lightly scrub over the bowl. This allows the vinegar to be spread evenly over the surface of the bowl.
- Leave the vinegar to sit for 3 minutes.
- Combine a cup of baking soda with an equal measure of vinegar. Allow this to react and fizz for a couple of minutes.
- Pour this solution over the toilet bowl and then close the lid.
- Wait for an hour and then give the bowl a rub with your toilet brush.
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6. Vinegar and Borax Paste
Borax looks similar to baking soda. It is a salt compound that has been used for cleaning for many years.
Add this with vinegar and you have a solution that will cause the toilet ring to melt away.
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If you want to try this method, follow these steps:
- Turn off the water faucet or valve of your toilet. Give the toilet a flush to remove any water.
- Borax works best on dry surfaces, so give the toilet bowl a good wipe-down to remove all the water.
- Take a bowl or container and mix your vinegar and borax. You want to create a paste that is thick yet runny. Apply this paste to the toilet ring.
- Wait 20 minutes for the solution to do its thing. Take your toilet brush and then lightly brush away the paste from the bowl.
- Flush the toilet a couple of times and see if the ring has gone. Repeat the process if you have to.
7. Steel Wool
Steel wool can quickly eliminate any stains without a lot of effort. However, you want to avoid using coarse wool.
This can cause scratches in the bowl in which dirt and germs can be trapped.
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To remove the ring from your toilet with steel wool, it’s best to get wool that is graded as 0000. This will take care of the job without damaging the porcelain of the toilet.
- Before you start attacking the stain with your steel wool, you can make the job easier by applying a baking soda or borax paste.
- Apply the paste to the ring and then rub over the area with the steel wool. Use small, circular motions.
- Once you have finished, give the toilet a flush to remove the debris.
8. Lemon Juice
The acid within lemons is a natural way to disintegrate the chemical bonds formed within the toilet ring. You can either use the juice of a lemon or drink powder that contains lemon.
- Pour the juice evenly over the bowl of the toilet. If you are using a powder, you will need to have the bowl wet before sprinkling the powder on the bowl.
- Use your twitter brush to evenly distribute the juice or powder across the bowl. Leave everything for an hour.
- Give the toilet a quick going over with your brush and then flush.
9. Bleach
The corrosive nature of bleach makes it a great candidate for removing any dirt or grime build-up.
- To use bleach as a way of removing your toilet ring, give your toilet a quick clean first.
- In a container, mix your bleach with water. The ratio is to add 3 tablespoons of bleach for every 500mls of water.
- For example, that would be 6 tablespoons of bleach if you are using 1 liter of water. Pour half of your bleach solution over the bowl.
- The rest of the solution can be added to the tank.
- Wait for 20 minutes and then lightly brush over the stain with your toilet brush.
- Flush the toilet when finished.
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10. Magic Eraser
Magic erasers are an amazing piece of household equipment. You only have to add water to them and then they are ready to eliminate any dirt, grime, and marks around your home.
With that in mind, have you ever thought about using them to rid your toilet of that horrible ring?
If not, you can try. Here is the method (you will have to ensure no one uses the toilet overnight):
- Cut off a piece of magic eraser and drop it into the toilet water. Let it stay there during the night.
- In the morning, fish out the magic eraser and then have a look at your toilet bowl. The ring has gone!
- Place a piece of magic eraser into the toilet tank to prevent the ring from coming back.
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Preventing the ring from returning
Once you have eliminated the ring from your bowl, you can take measures to stop it from forming again. We have already mentioned adding a portion of magic eraser to the tank as one prevention method.
But there are several other things you may like to try to keep the ring from coming back.
A regular clean with borax or vinegar
Once a week sprinkle some borax over the toilet bowl, leave it overnight and then scrub the toilet clean.
You could use vinegar instead. Pour a cup of vinegar over the bowl, wait for 15 to 209 minutes and then flush the toilet.
Don’t use the toilet so often
Granted that this could be hard. Reducing the number of times the toilet is used, decreases the number of stain-causing microbes making their way from the water tank to your bowl.
Get a toilet that is dual flush
There are many toilet options available on the market. Some dual flush toilets provide the ability for the toilet to clean itself after every use.
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Sodium Bicarbonate tablets
Pop a couple of these into your water tank. They will react with the water and give it what it needs to keep your toilet bowl looking fresh with each flush.
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Conclusion
You don’t have to live with toilet rings. They can be easily eliminated.
We have given you 10 ways to take care of the issue. Which one you prefer is a matter of personal opinion.
Try all the methods to settle on whichever is your favorite.
Enjoy your clean, sparkling toilet.