Should you spot brown stains spreading across your toilet bowl, there’s no need to panic; it’s not filth but rather mineral build-up known as limescale. These deposits, which include elements like iron, calcium, magnesium and lime, gradually cause the limescale to adopt a brownish tint.
Limescale is notoriously tough, akin to concrete in its tenacity, and ordinary scrubbing with a bog-standard toilet brush won’t shift it. And when it takes on an unsightly brown colour, your lavatory looks dirty despite frequent cleans. It’s worth noting that bleach doesn’t actually dispatch limescale; it simply whitens it, making it less noticeable. However, TikTok user Jottie from @jottiesjournal has shared the “perfect” natural solution for tackling toilet limescale: citric acid, which she says is also potent against mould.
She details: “Citric acid is a great naturally powerful product to remove both limescale and mould, making it perfect for our toilets.”
“I simply diluted two tablespoons of citric acid in warm water and poured it into an empty spray bottle.
“I also placed two teaspoons in the toilet; you may need more depending on how bad your limescale is. I left for 15 minutes, but if bad, leave overnight.”
Citric acid is often hailed as a highly effective natural cleaner, superb for refreshing your toilet.
Its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, de-greasing and whitening properties have cemented its status as a favourite among cleaning aficionados globally.
Limescale, that stubborn household nuisance, meets its match with citric acid, which effortlessly transforms it into calcium citrate, a soluble salt that washes away easily without the need for any hard scrubbing.
Cleaning aficionado Lynsey Crombie champions citric acid as a top-notch solution for toilet maintenance, praising its effectiveness and non-toxic nature compared to standard cleaning agents.
She recommended, “Using citric acid to clean your toilet is not only an effective but also a safe alternative to commercial cleaners.”
For the best results, Crombie advises letting the citric acid sit in the toilet bowl for “at least one hour” or even better, “overnight”.