Limescale is a common problem in the UK, especially in hard water areas. The pesky substance appears when hard water, which contains minerals such as calcium and magnesium, evaporates, leaving behind deposits.
Over time, these stains build up and can form a crust in your toilet. Sometimes, the stains are just below the water line, but they can also appear around the rim.
Removing limescale from toilets can be difficult as most people don’t fancy putting their hands inside the toilet to scrub it.
Chemical cleaning solutions are an option, but they can be costly and often quite pungent.
If used incorrectly, chemical solutions can cause further staining and can even cause damage.
With this in mind, cleaning expert Manish Jain, the founder of the Ministry of Cleaning, has shared exclusively with Express.co.uk two easy ways to remove limescale from toilets without resorting to harsh chemicals.
The cleaning expert suggested using baking soda and white vinegar to remove the unpleasant stains.
He said: “Vinegar works well with baking soda to remove limescale from the toilet.
“Pour baking soda into the toilet bowl, add some vinegar and allow to fizz for 30 minutes. Then scrub and flush.”
Vinegar should never be used with bleach-based products as this can create toxic fumes, so make sure you’ve removed any bleach from your toilet first.
If you’ve tried this hack, or perhaps can’t stand the scent of white vinegar, you could try an alternative method – cola.
Full sugar cola contains phosphoric acid, which can break down the calcium carbonate that makes up limescale.
Mr Jain continued: “Or you can use cola. Pour a can into the toilet bowl, leave overnight, scrub and flush. Cola contains a specific type of acid that breaks down limescale without needing bleach.”
Full sugar cola can be bought from most supermarkets or online for less than £1. Morrisons and Tesco own-brand cola costs 70p.