How To Remove Iron Stains From The Toilet

There are certain aspects of house cleaning that are disgusting enough to make a maggot gag, and cleaning a toilet is certainly among them. A toilet that has nasty, brown looking iron stains can be especially problematic, and can make a million dollar home look like the men's room at a gas station. Cleaning iron stains from a ceramic surface such as a toilet can be difficult beyond belief simply because most common toilet cleaners will not budge a tough iron stain. A statement of warning should be given here - do not take an overly aggressive approach to cleaning iron stains from a toilet, as in most instances the ceramic coating is thin and can literally be "scrubbed of". A piece of steel wool can remove this coating in less than 30 seconds in most cases, so it is necessary to use due caution.

Iron stains on toilets are caused by water containing a high iron or other hard mineral content, and this is especially present in homes using well water without a water softener. Old metal hardware in the toilet tank itself is another leading reason for iron stains in the toilet bowl. Rusty galvanized water pipes in the home is yet another culprit of iron stains in the toilet.

One of the best ways to remove iron stains from the toilet is to utilize a pumice scouring stick or paste. This is simply applied and very, very gently rubbed using a soft cloth. While this may or may not work dependent upon the depth of the iron stain, resist the urge to go crazy rubbing - you'll know in less than 1 minute if this will work.

Another good way to remove iron stains from a toilet is to cut a lemon in half and apply liberal amount of regular table salt to it. A few drops of hot water are applied to the salt, and then the lemon half serves as a scouring pad to attack the rust stain.

Yet another excellent way to remove iron stains from a toilet is to soak the iron with a coating of Hydrogen Peroxide and then sprinkle the stain with cream of tartar. Allow the mixture to dry, then rinse well to remove the stain.

In any instance, in order to remove iron stains from a toilet requires patience and experimentation. If the iron stain comes back quickly once it is removed, a homeowner may consider looking at potential causes and making corrections.