Some terrible things about the toilet are obstacles to keeping it clean. An orange or pink ring in the toilet bowl is such an issue. If you have faced this problem and want a quick solution, you must know its reasons first.
Why is the orange or pink ring on the toilet bowl surface?
Hard water and mineral buildup are responsible for the toilet bowl’s orange ring. There is another reason, which is that bacteria are causing the problem. There is a type of bacteria whose name is Serratia marcescens. These bacteria grow best in humid environments. Moreover, hard water and waste are their feeding equipment.
- Are Serrata Marcescens bacteria harmful to our health?
If our bodies do not come into direct contact with Serratia Marcescens bacteria, it cannot cause any harm to our bodies. But, urinary tract infections and respiratory problems are caused by bacteria. So, it is harmful when it stays inside our toilets.
- Does the same thing cause both orange and pink stuff?
Yes, the orange and pink-colored toilet stains are for the same reason: the Marcescens bacteria. So, if you get pink stains on your toilet, you must apply the same process to remove them as you did for removing orange stains.
How can I get rid of orange rings from my toilet bowl?
There are several ways to remove orange rings from a toilet bowl. Now, we are discussing them.
Deep cleaning the toilet
If you can clean your toilet bowl properly, bacteria cannot grow inside it. Applying the deep cleaning process is not an easy task. You must know how to clean properly; otherwise, you must follow the user manual.
Remove humidity
If you keep your entire bathroom clean, it will not be humid. Significantly, sunlight is very effective in removing humidity from anywhere. So, sunlight can enter inside whenever the bacteria gets a sunny weather window. Maintain proper bathroom ventilation at all times, and use a fan to quickly remove the humidity.
If you can go through the tasks mentioned above, your bathroom surface will not be orange.
“Prevention is better than cure.” We have discussed preventing the humidity issue. But now we are going to discuss the solution to the issue when your toilet has already turned pink.
Disinfect
We have known that bacteria cause orange-colored toilets and humidity issues. But if you can kill all of the bacteria by applying only one ingredient, your problem will be solved. Disinfectant is an excellent solution to the problem.
Borax and vinegar solution
Vinegar is common and excellent as a cleaner. Borax has a 9.5 pH level. It is also considered an effective cleaning ingredient for removing stains from a surface that is not easy to remove at all.
When you want to prepare the solution, you should remember that the ingredients’ measurements should be correct. Generally, a quarter cup of borax and a cup of vinegar are necessary for the mixture. First, you have to sprinkle the borax and then pour vinegar into the toilet bowl. Mix it by scrubbing the surface with a toilet brush. Leave it for 20 minutes, and finally rinse it with water and flush the toilet.
Chlorine bleach
It is one of the most effective solutions for cleaning anything. Chlorine has a burning power. So, the bleach can burn the outside germs of the toilet, including the orange-colored ring.
Applying chlorine bleach is an easy task. You should dip an old toothbrush into the bleach, then rub the toilet surface with it. Leave the surface for several minutes, and finally, flash it with water.
While using chlorine bleach, you must be very careful. It can burn the outside skin of your body, so wear protective glasses, masks, and hand gloves before applying the solution.
Baking soda and vinegar solution
The mixture of baking soda and vinegar is considered the best nontoxic cleaner. It does not react with any part of your body, as the other solutions can.
First, you have to pour 1 cup of white vinegar into the toilet bowl. Now, sprinkle about three cups of baking soda on the same surface and rub it with a toilet-cleaning brush. The cleaning process must be longer than the regular cleaning experience because you have to carefully remove the orange ring. Now, take a sufficient amount of clean water and pour it into the toilet bowl, and rub the places with orange stains again.
Finally, you can flush the toilet and notice whether it is perfectly clean.
What can I do when all solutions fail?
Try many cleaning solutions, including baking soda, vinegar, bleach, borax, disinfectant, and others, but cannot get a result? You may be the most frustrated person at the moment. But you should not lose hope because there is such a product that will not fail to remove any bad stain from your toilet. But you must be careful about using a pumice stone to clean a toilet. If you use it randomly, your toilet will get very old soon. Moreover, you must submerge the stone before starting the cleaning process, as it softens it and makes it perfect for the toilet surface.
Final thought
Several types of color stains are seen on the toilet surface, and different methods are used to remove them. Suppose you want to remove the blue stain from your toilet. You must check whether there is any pregnant woman in your house. Likewise, removing Serratia marcescens bacteria from your toilet is necessary to eliminate the orange or pink rings.
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.