It can be very annoying to keep your toilet bowl looking shiny and clean. You might tend to get a water ring right where the water sits, especially with older toilets. If you do a few easy things, it’s possible to keep your toilet looking great with minimal effort.
1. Flush your toilet regularly.
The most important thing you should always do is keep the toilet flushed after use. Make sure nothing stays in the toilet bowl, since it can easily lead to staining.
2. Pay attention to the toilet water.
Water stains are often caused by poor water quality. Water rings are sometimes caused by the breakdown of components in the back of the tank. They can also be formed due to bacteria. For example, I’ve been in homes where pets are used to drinking out of the toilet. The bacteria in pets’ mouths will eventually lead to staining in the toilet bowl.
3. Don’t place cleaning products in the tank itself.
You should never use tablets that go in the back of the toilet tank. Most of them are chlorine-based, and chlorine is a chemical that breaks down the rubber parts in the back of the toilet. Once those parts break down, they’ll cause the water to become dirty and eventually create stains at the water ring level. If you do like to have a toilet agent, I’d recommend using one that goes into the toilet bowl itself. That way, it won’t expose parts in the tank to any harsh chemicals.
4. Go easy with abrasives.
Lots of people go crazy with abrasive brushes, pumice stones, and other cleaners for the porcelain in the toilet bowl. What you might not realize is that the porcelain has a shiny glaze finish on its surface. Abrasives will scratch away this finish, which will in turn make it much easier for stains to develop.
People that are obsessed with keeping their homes clean might think it’s always better to do a thorough job. Of course, I’m not saying you shouldn’t clean your toilet bowl. Just make sure you don’t use something that’s harsh enough to scrub away the shiny finish. Once that protective layer is removed, it’s very hard to prevent and remove stains.
5. Wink the iron away.
In our area, it’s common for homes to have well water that’s high in iron. Iron in the water will lead to red stains, which can be very frustrating when it comes to your toilet bowl. It’s very noticeable, very ugly, and difficult to remove by scrubbing. We have a product called Wink, which is also available at online and brick and mortar retailers. It’s a non-scrubbing iron removal product. All you have to do is put it on the toilet bowl, let it set, and then rinse it off. If you use Wink regularly, it will break down the iron and prevent it from coming back.
The bottom line is, good water quality is what keeps your toilets and all your fixtures looking nice. If you invested the time and money in remodeling a bathroom and installing new faucets, sinks, and toilets, make sure you have good water quality to match. It’s a tiny price to pay when it comes to caring for your home. Don’t let your fixtures become slowly damaged by something entirely preventable.
If you want to make sure that your home’s water quality is up to par, contact us online or give us a call at (540) 685-0366.
