Heavy limescaling on toilet

[Mattk]

Can anyone recommend a good product/method for removing heavy limescale deposits from a toilet ?

have seen a similar question on here but everyone was recommending something different and didnt get rated !

thx

[Denise S.]

I use Harpic 100% limescale remover.(bright blue bottle)  Leave for several hours, I leave overnight.

[mfewell]

Yes that one works well, but will need multiple treatments if you are in a heavy limescale area.

[FP]

Have invested in a steam cleaner and am thrilled with the way it cleans off limescale even from areas with a large build up.  I think the cost (approx �90.00) will soon be recovered as I am not buying chemical cleaning agents these days!

[Mattk]

silly question but how does a steam cleaner take off the limescale,FP ? it sounds interesting !

[FP]

The pressure of the steam Matt.  Steam cleaners come with a variety of tools including a nozzle that puts a highly pressured jet of steam on the infected area.  It has taken all the lime scale off my loo, plus from around the taps, etc.  Now it has gone, using the cleaner on a regular basis keeps it limescale free.  We live in a hardwater area.

I use the cleaner with different attachments to wash all our floors, ceramic and wood and was amazed at the build up of chemical cleaners on the floors that had accrued over the years.  No chemicals necessary now.

Also great for tiles and gets grout absolutely clean again.  You can use them to clean all hard surfaces and spot treat carpets as well.  Don't know why I didn't invest earlier.

I have a K'Archer cleaner as these have been used industrially for years so I trusted the brand.  A lot of companies are now getting on the bandwagon.

You can hire them as well, so that might be worth thinking about.

[nfn]

FP, would you recommend one for cleaning a whole, light coloured, patterned wool carpet?

[cherrybomb]

....and they defrost your freezer in no time....

[FP]

nfn - I am not sure, but I think you can get steam cleaners which do whole carpets but these are more expensive.  I use mine for stains on the carpet quite successfully, but it's not suitable for a whole carpet.

Cherrybomb - I had never thought of that!  Thanks.

[Bex28]

We have probs with the wonderful Belfast water turning everything pink, including the bath tiles and the water line in the toilet.  The only thing that I have found that works on a permanent basis so that I dont have to keep scrubbing and leaving stuff is one of those toilet duck blocks that clip to the edge of the bowl.  Its a liquid filled purple one, can't remember exactly what its called but we have had it on for a couple of months now and I dont have to scrub to get the pink water marks off!

The steam cleaner sounds like fun though - moving house soon so I might be able to blag one off the inlaws!

[juliely]

I asked at my local hardware store about and was advised to use spirit of salts. Which I did and it did a brilliant job. It is not expensive, try it.

[Mattk]

spirit of salts ? after a quick net search it appears that this is hydrochloric acid and maybe a tad dodgy ! is that right ? is it readily available ?

[nfn]

FP, thanks

[jimblob]

If the scaling is very thick, scrape it off with a flathead screwdriver and remove the stuff from the toilet.

the scale probably extends round the u-bend but you can make the toilet look clean with a bit of elbow grease + a screwdriver.