How to Remove & Prevent Rust Stains in Your Toilet

Wondering about those orangey stains that show up on your toilet? Those are rust stains and they can be hard to get rid of if you don’t know the best way to tackle them. Follow these simple, quick tips to get rid of rust stains inside your toilet bowl or on the porcelain.

How to Remove Toilet Rust Stains

Many people try using bleach to clean rust stains, but you should avoid bleach because it can actually react with the rust to make it stain further. Instead, try these easy techniques.

Use a pumice stone to scrub the rust away. Simply wet the pumice stone with water and scrub the stain directly. The texture of the pumice will gently remove the rust without scratching the surface of your toilet.

Use a mix of water, baking soda, and vinegar to get rid of stains. Spray the mixture onto the stain and allow it to sit for 15 minutes before gently wiping it away–the rust should come with it.

For stubborn stains, make a paste of baking soda and vinegar, apply it to the stained area, and let sit for 15-30 minutes, then scrub with a firm-bristle brush.

How to Prevent Toilet Rust Stains

Now that you’ve gotten rid of all those rust stains, let’s keep them from coming back! Rust stains occur commonly because the iron content in water oxidizes naturally, producing rust. Here’s what you can do to prevent rust stains from developing in the first place.

1. Regularly clean your toilet so that rust stains don’t have time to build up. Keeping up with cleaning your toilet thoroughly at least once a week will remove any trace amounts of rust before they become difficult stains.
2. Don’t leave metal-bottomed containers, such as hairspray or shaving cream, sitting on your toilet. These types of containers can cause rust stains because the metal on the bottom of the containers oxidizes when it gets wet. Keep products with metal bottoms in a basket or shower caddy instead of placing them directly on the porcelain.
3. Upgrade your plumbing. If you find that you are getting a lot of rust stains, the problem might be that you have old, rusting pipes. Replacing your pipes can make a huge difference in the amount of rust you see in your toilet bowl.

Need a plumber? Get in touch today!

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