Don’t be alarmed if you’ve ever spotted dark brown stains at the bottom of your toilet. It’s just limescale build-up, which can be scrubbed away without resorting to harsh chemicals.
Limescale is a natural substance composed of minerals that accumulate when water evaporates or heats up, leaving behind a hard chalky residue that clings stubbornly to surfaces. You might think pouring bleach down your toilet would solve the problem, but it won’t.
Bleach lacks the acidic components necessary to dissolve the minerals in limescale. In fact, it could exacerbate the issue as the potent chemicals can react with the limescale, causing discolouration and making cleaning even more challenging.
Instead, Kate, a sustainable cleaning guru known as My Plastic Free Home on Instagram, swears by citric acid for tackling these tough stains.
In a video, she explained: “Here is how I clean the toilet without using bleach! I use citric acid, a naturally occurring organic compound that works amazingly on limescale.
“Did you know that the build-up at the bottom of your toilet is just limescale? Bleach only bleaches the limescale, citric acid dissolves it.”
Citric acid is found in citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges, but a more concentrated, crystallised version can be found in the cleaning aisle of most supermarkets, reports the Express.
When citric acid meets limescale, it kicks off a reaction that breaks down the deposits, effectively eradicating stains without the need for intense scrubbing or harsh chemicals that can damage your toilet.
Citric acid is the natural, elbow-grease-saving solution for spick-and-span toilets. To tackle limescale, first whip up a mix of two tablespoons of citric acid with a litre of warm water – steer clear of boiling water to protect your porcelain throne.
Then give your toilet a quick plunge with the toilet brush, pushing it around a few times to lower the water level and leave more limescale in the open.
Kate shared her wisdom: “A great tip is to plunge your toilet a few times using a brush which reduces the amount of water in your toilet.”
Let the citric concoction work its magic for at least 10 minutes or ideally overnight for maximum limescale-busting action.
Once the wait is over, swish away at the limescale with your toilet brush and watch those stains vanish with ease. A final flush will leave your loo sparkling clean.
And as Kate put it: “Leave overnight and your toilet will be sparkling!”
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