Are you disgusted by a toilet ring that forms inside your toilet bowl from time to time? Worry not, as you can quickly get rid of the ring with some everyday home products. Some people confuse the toilet ring with poor toilet cleaning practices. That’s not the case, as this line is regular in homes where there’s hard water.
Although there are many commercial toilet cleaning products that you can use, there are also a variety of home products that can get the job done well. These products are not abrasive, meaning that you will maintain your porcelain look even after getting rid of the toilet ring.
Reasons For Toilet Rings: mold, bacteria, fungus, iron, calcium, and magnesium
| Toilet Bowl Ring Types | Causes |
| Brown ring: | Calcium & magnesium |
| Black or green ring: | Mold & bacteria |
| Pink or red ring: | Serratia Marcescens bacteria |
| Grey or cloudy ring: | Lime buildup |
| Yellow ring: | Hard water & tannins |
| Orange ring: | Anaerobic bacteria |
Note:
-Chlorine bleach is not recommended for septic systems.
-Don’t mix ammonia or vinegar with bleach directly.
-Wear protective glasses and hand gloves while cleaning.
Safe Solutions:
| 1 cup baking soda+1 cup vinegar | Leave 15 minutes |
| ¼ cup borax+ 1 cup white vinegar | Leave 20 minutes |
| Pumice stone | N/A |
| 1 cup borax | Leave 1-2 hours |
| 1 cup bleach | Leave 30 minutes |
| Magic eraser | Leave Overnight |
| Abrasive sponge | N/A |
| Steel wool | N/A |
What causes the toilet bowl to ring?
Page Contents
Toilet Bowl Rings- one of the most common toilet problems house owners face. Before we get into how to get rid of the toilet ring, it’s essential to understand what causes it in the first place. There are two main culprits for this. A toilet ring can be caused by either hard water or mold/bacteria.
Hard water consists of dissolved minerals like iron, calcium, and magnesium. Even though water usually consists of these minerals, hard water consists of excess amounts, which causes your toilet to stain or form a ring. The ring forms as a result of the minerals leaching out.
Related article: Step-by-step guide to fix a leaky toilet tank and base
On the contrary, bacteria and mold form a ring by building up at the water surface and sticking to the porcelain. It would be great if you got rid of bacteria quickly, as they multiply very fast. Regardless of what’s causing a ring in your toilet bowls, you can quickly get rid of them with different home products. These include
How to clean the toilet ring?
Cleaning the toilet ring is an easy process, and you can do it yourself by following the simple steps given below.
Use white vinegar and baking soda
The mixture of Baking soda and vinegar solution can remove the toilet ring caused by hard water. These two substances do wonders when combined. They are used to cleaning almost all bathroom fixtures. Besides, they are non-toxic and harmless. Start by pouring one cup of vinegar and swishing it into the bowl. Give it a few minutes before adding a cup of baking soda. You will hear a fizzing reaction that you should leave for at least 15 minutes. Baking soda is also very effective in unclogging a toilet.
Using the toilet brush again, swish the mixture to reach the ring and other stains on the bowl’s surface. Give the mixture another 30 minutes and scrub again before flushing the toilet. The ring would have disappeared by this time.
Use vinegar and borax
If you don’t have baking soda in your kitchen but have borax and vinegar, you can combine these two instead. Borax is very useful in getting rid of stains. Pour ¼ cup of borax into the toilet bowl and swish it using a toilet brush. Next, add a cup of white vinegar into the bowl and swish again. Let it sit for around 20 minutes, then scrub the toilet and flush it after adjusting the water level in the bowl.
Use pumice stone
If the toilet ring is stubborn and vinegar, borax, and baking soda cannot remove it, you should try a pumice stone. This product is beneficial but should be used with caution. Also, it should not be used regularly as it may end up damaging your porcelain. The best product to use is the pumice toilet bowl ring remover. This pumice stone is soft and can be reused several times.
Use only borax
Some rings on your toilet bowl are not stubborn or may be starting to develop. If that’s the case, using borax alone should do the trick. To remove the toilet bowl ring, pour one cup of borax into the bowl and swish it using a toilet brush. Give it at least a few hours before scrubbing your bowl. Flush the toilet and see if the ring is gone.
Use bleach
If you’re sure that the ring is caused by mold or bacteria, using bleach will remove it. Flush one time, and the water in the bowl will wet the surface. Pour one cup of liquid chlorine into the bowl. Allow it to sit for 30 minutes before scrubbing the toilet. This will allow the bleach to suffocate bacteria and mold, forming the ring. Avoid using toilet cleaners with bleach as they may make the ring to be permanent. Scrub the toilet and flush it. Wear rubber gloves before applying the bleach powder.
Clean regularly
The best way to keep your toilet clean is by cleaning the toilet tank and bowl regularly. You don’t need costly chemicals to keep your toilet clean. Home substances such as vinegar, borax, and baking soda should help you keep your toilet in pristine condition. Use these substances when giving your toilet a thorough cleaning every week. 
If you stay in places with hard water, clean your toilet thoroughly at least twice a week to avoid stains and toilet rings forming on your porcelain.
Magic eraser
Like its name, the “magic eraser” can do many wonders and is used in many applications. Besides, you can as well as utilize this tool to remove toilet rings in your bowl. Cut down a small piece of magic eraser and let it stay in the bowl overnight. When you wake up in the morning, don’t flush the magic eraser; instead, you should remove it and flush the toilet. You can also utilize a magic eraser to clean your toilet tank.
Abrasive sponge
One of the easiest and most common ways of getting rid of the toilet ring is by using an abrasive sponge. But for it to be effective, you will have to combine it with a cleaner and then rub the ring off your toilet bowl. You will have to wear gloves when you decide to use an abrasive sponge.
Steel wool
Another effective way of removing a toilet ring is by using steel wool. This product is beneficial for stubborn stains. Nevertheless, it would be ideal if you did not use coarser steel wool as it may end up damaging your smooth surface. Moreover, you can combine it with vinegar or baking soda for exceptional results.
Summary
Use one of the above products to get rid of the toilet ring in your bowl. You don’t need to use commercial products as most of them are abrasive. Additionally, maintain acceptable cleaning practices and clean your toilet regularly. If you reside in areas with hard water, you may have to clean your toilet with some of these substances twice a week. This will prevent rings from forming in your toilet bowl.
Related Toilet Cleaning Tips:
We are really lucky to have a hard-working, multi-skilled plumber on our team. Collin D. Gallegos, a professional plumber who has worked with us since 2012, is an expert in vent, septic, and drainage systems. He is a Certified Master Plumber and has worked on various commercial plumbing projects. He usually helps our readers resolve plumbing and pipe-related issues with a proper DIY troubleshooting and repair guide.
The baking soda and vinegar didn’t work.