My house has slightly hard water. If I go more than a week without cleaning the toilet bowl, there’s a noticeable film caused by mineral buildup. I usually stay on top of this by giving the bowl a quick swish with a toilet bowl brush at least a couple of times per week. My upstairs bathroom is a different story, though.
I have three kids who exclusively share the upstairs bathroom. Since I’m not in this bathroom much, I don’t stay on top of the cleaning like I do in the common spaces. The combination of hard water and kids who don’t flush the toilet enough leads to a stubborn toilet ring at least a couple of times a year.
I used to have a horrible time getting rid of these toilet rings. But, in the eight years I’ve lived in this house, I’ve discovered two products that work like a charm.
A Pumice Stone
After trying numerous toilet bowl cleaners, vinegar, and home hacks (like dumping coke in my toilet), I finally ordered a pumice stone. These stones come on a wand that’s long enough to reach into the toilet bowl without getting your hands dirty.
All you have to do is wet the pumice stone and start rubbing it up and down against the ring. The stone forms to the shape of the toilet, making it easier to scrub as you go. While this method takes some elbow work, it’s a surefire way to rid your toilet of unsightly rings. For a while, it was the only effective method I found for cleaning my toilet bowl.
The Toilet Bowl Cleaner that Dissolves Toilet Rings
I had almost given up on liquid toilet bowl cleaners until last year when I tried Lysol Power toilet bowl cleaner. It eliminated a tough toilet bowl ring with only light scrubbing. Since then, it’s remained my favorite toilet bowl cleaner and my go-to for hard water deposits.
I squirt it under the rim and coat the toilet bowl ring and any buildup. I let it sit for five to ten minutes and then use a toilet bowl brush as usual — it works like magic every time. I’ve tried dozens of toilet bowl cleaners, and this is the only one that’s been able to dissolve the toilet rings in my house.
