Home Cleaning Bathroom Cleaning How to Clean Hard Water Stains in the Toilet Learn how to clean and prevent hard water stains with products you have on hand. By Mary Marlowe Leverette Mary Marlowe Leverette Mary Marlowe Leverette has over four decades of experience and has been writing and consulting for more than 20 years sharing her knowledge on efficient housekeeping, stain removal methods, and textile conservation. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 19, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article Before You Begin How Often to Clean Baking Soda and Vinegar Bon Ami or Bar Keepers Friend Laundry Borax Additional Tips FAQ Close Photo: Hector Roqueta Rivero/Getty Images Project Overview Working Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes Skill Level: Beginner Estimated Cost: $5-10 You clean your toilet regularly, and yet it still looks dirty because of hard water stains in the bowl. Water from many municipal systems and wells contains minerals like magnesium, calcium, and iron. If the mineral level is high, they can cling to surfaces as rusty or chalky white stains leaving a ring or streaks in the toilet bowl. You can remove hard water stains from the toilet with toilet bowl cleaner, however, with a bit of elbow grease and patience you can opt for other methods with cleaning products you likely already have. Keep reading to see how to clean these stains and discover some tips on how to prevent them from reappearing. 14 Design Choices to Avoid for a Cleaner Bathroom Before You Begin Make sure the bathroom is well-ventilated and all cleaning supplies are out of harm's way while you wait for the solutions to clean the stains. How Often You Should Clean Hard Water Stains in the Toilet You already know that you should clean your toilet every week. Turns out, weekly cleaning not only freshens and sanitizes a toilet, but also helps prevent hard water stains from building up and requiring extra effort to remove them. If you've missed a few cleanings or your water source is exceptionally high in minerals, tackle the stains as soon as possible when you see a ring or streaks forming. What You'll Need Equipment / Tools 1 toilet brush 1 set measuring cups 1 pair rubber gloves 1 small bowl Materials 1 bottle distilled white vinegar or cleaning vinegar 1 box baking soda 1 box laundry borax 1 container Bon Ami or Bar Keepers Friend Instructions Remove Toilet Hard Water Stains with Baking Soda and Vinegar Start with Distilled White Vinegar Flush the toilet to remove any debris. Add two cups of distilled white vinegar or cleaning vinegar. Use a toilet brush to swish the vinegar and water around the bowl. Make sure you reach all of the hard water stains. Step away for 5 minutes to give the acetic acid in the vinegar time to work. Add Baking Soda and More Vinegar Add one cup of baking soda and two more cups of vinegar. There will be foaming! Step away for 10 minutes or until the fizzing stops. Scrub and Wait Some More When the foaming is over, use the toilet brush to scrub the toilet bowl. Be sure to scrub under the rim and all of the surfaces above the water line. Step away for 30 minutes. Give the bowl one final scrub and flush to rinse. Remove Toilet Hard Water Stains with Bon Ami or Bar Keepers Friend Bon Ami and Bar Keepers Friend are effective commercial cleaning products that contain gentle abrasives that can be used to remove hard water stains from porcelain. Bon Ami uses powdered limestone and feldspar as abrasives while Bar Keepers Friend relies on felspar and oxalic acid. Do not mix Bon Ami and Bar Keepers Friend as you clean. And do not mix either with any other cleaning product, including vinegar. Flush the Toilet If there is a significant ring, turn off the water valve to keep the water level below the ring.Flush the toilet to remove debris and wet the bowl surfaces.Slip on a pair of rubber gloves. Add the Cleaner and Wait Sprinkle the bowl heavily with one of the cleaners (about 1/4 cup).To be sure the cleaner is reaching all of the stains, you can make a paste with a few drops of water in a small bowl.Wearing rubber gloves, apply the paste to the worst stains.Step away for 5 minutes. Scrub the Bowl Use a toilet brush to scrub the bowl using extra elbow grease on the worst stains.Flush to rinse (be sure the water valve is open) and repeat if stains remain. Remove Toilet Hard Water Stains with Laundry Borax Turn Off the Water Valve and Flush Turn off the water valve and flush the toilet to remove debris and wet the bowl surfaces.Put on a pair of rubber gloves. Make a Borax and Vinegar Paste and Wait In a small bowl mix 1/2 cup of laundry borax and 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar. Wearing gloves, spread the paste on the hard water stains. Don't forget the apply it under the rim. Step away and allow the paste to work for 20 to 30 minutes. Scrub and Rinse Scrub the toilet bowl with a good toilet brush or a scrubbing sponge.Turn the water back on and flush to rinse. Tips to Prevent Hard Water Stains in the Toilet Clean the toilet weekly with an acid-based cleaner.If you live in a hard water area, step up your cleaning game by using the baking soda and vinegar method twice a month to keep stains under control.Install a water softening system to your home water supply lines.Upgrade rusty plumbing pipes. Frequently Asked Questions What is the best cleaner for hard water stains? The best all-natural cleaner for hard water stains in a toilet is vinegar. This safe household product works to quickly clean limescale buildup and is an affordable option for a cleaner. Can you put a dishwasher tablet in the toilet? While it should not be the first choice to clean with, you can use a dishwasher tablet to clean your toilet bowl. Dishwasher tablets take time to dissolve, so you will likely have to leave it in the toilet overnight and then clean hard water stains the next morning. Dishwasher tablets often contain sodium percarbonate, which helps to remove oxidizable stains. How to Clean the Toilet to Keep It Sparkling and Germ-Free