6 Techniques to Remove Encrusted Tartar from Toilets
Whether you live in an old house or not, tartar often makes its way into your toilet bowl. You don't know how to descale a toilet? Good news, through this article, we offer you six valuable tips to make it clean, shiny and sparkling in the blink of an eye!
1. Descaling a toilet with white vinegar
The first solution to try to descale a toilet is inexpensive and eco-friendly. It's white vinegar! This versatile product will also be your best companion if you decide to adopt a 100% natural cleaning for the rest of your home. Its main advantage? It has disinfectant properties and is therefore ideal for cleaning toilets. Here's how to descale a toilet with white vinegar:
- Flush the toilet;
- Line the inside of the bowl with toilet paper or paper towels;
- Pour the equivalent of two cups of white vinegar evenly over the paper;
- Let it sit for about 6 hours;
- Remove the toilet paper or paper towel soaked in white vinegar;
- Remove any remaining scale using a toilet brush;
- Flush the toilet.
We recommend that you repeat the operation every three months so that your toilet remains as new all year round.
2. Descale a toilet naturally with citric acid
Are you a fan of natural solutions? Citric acid is known to work wonders when it comes to household chores. It has the advantage of being bactericidal, descaling, non-polluting and fungicidal: it will therefore be perfect for cleaning your toilets in depth. Follow these steps if you want to descale a toilet with citric acid:
- Get a bucket filled with boiling water;
- Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of citric acid;
- Mix the preparation;
- Using a brush and a sponge, scrub the entire bowl, paying particular attention to the edges;
- Empty the contents of the bucket into the toilet;
- Rinse everything by pulling the flush.
3. Descaling a toilet with baking soda
Baking soda is particularly interesting when used with white vinegar. Its powers are numerous since it is whitening, deodorizing, cleaning and even unclogging! Here is how to descale a toilet with baking soda and white vinegar:
- Flush the toilet;
- Equip yourself with a sponge soaked in white vinegar;
- Using the sponge, scrub the sides of the bowl;
- Sprinkle a little baking soda on the walls you just scrubbed;
- Leave everything to stand for a few hours: an effervescent reaction will then occur in order to eliminate the tartar;
- Remove residue with a brush;
- Flush the toilet to rinse everything.
4. Unusual way to descale a toilet with soda
Descaling a toilet can quickly become child's play thanks to the method we are going to present to you. If you don't have any household products on hand, look in your refrigerator. A can of Coca-Cola could be very useful:
- Pour the contents of a can of Coca-Cola into the bowl;
- Leave to act for about an hour;
- Flush the toilet;
In fact, this soda contains phosphoric acid, which is effective in removing scale, dirt and even small plugs.
5. Descaling a toilet with soda crystals
While washing soda works similarly to baking soda, it is known to be much more corrosive and powerful. It is particularly useful for whitening the bottom of your toilet. To use this product, we recommend that you wear household gloves to protect your hands. Here is how to descale a toilet with washing soda:
- Bring a liter of water to the boil;
- Take a basin and put 3 tablespoons of soda crystals in it;
- Pour in the boiling water before mixing everything together;
- Empty the mixture into your toilet bowl;
- Let it sit for a quarter of an hour;
- Scrub the inside of the bowl and its walls vigorously using a brush;
- Flush the toilet.
Descaling a toilet with soda crystals is a popular method since it remains safe for the pipes, the septic tank and the ceramic of your toilet.
6. Ultimate solution: descale a toilet with hydrochloric acid
You've tried everything and you no longer know how to descale your toilet? One last trick exists, but it is not ecological and more dangerous than the advice mentioned above.
Hydrochloric acid is essential if your toilet is very scaled. Before resorting to it, we recommend that you test the natural methods presented in this article several times. If white vinegar and citric acid really don't work, you can carefully follow the following steps:
- Wear long, covering clothing;
- Wear safety glasses and put on household gloves;
- If possible, ventilate the room where the toilet is located or open a window near the toilet,
- Carefully pour the hydrochloric acid into the toilet (to limit splashing);
- Close the toilet seat and close the door securely if you have children;
- Let stand for 4 hours;
- Flush the toilet.
Although delicate, this solution is infallible for descaling a toilet.