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How to clean toilet stains
A clean toilet is part of a welcoming bathroom. Urine stains are more than just a cosmetic problem: They also provide a breeding ground for bacteria to thrive and proliferate.
Our tips will help you learn how to how to clean toilet stains – and effectively prevent them.
Urine stains and limescale in toilets: How deposits form
Yellowish-brown urine stains in the toilet bowl, on the rim and around the U-bend: Urine scale can be an unpleasant and stubborn problem. But what exactly is it? Urine scale is a mineral compound created by chemical processes: The calcium in the toilet water reacts with substances in the urine. A high pH value means that urine scale is as hard as mineral stone.
The high pH value is caused by bacteria, which break down the urea in urine. Urine scale forms more quickly in some toilets. This is due to the high lime content of local tap water. Lime develops as rainwater seeps through various layers of calcareous rock. Before rainwater reaches the groundwater, it absorbs the lime, which then builds up.
Lime in water is not a problem as such, but it can cause annoying limescale deposits – including in coffee makers and washing machines. The extent of limescale also depends on the hardness of the water: The lime content of tap water can vary from region to region, due to different soil conditions.
However, regular cleaning and descaling can quickly remove superficial limescale deposits.
How to remove stubborn urine stains in toilet bowls?
The longer urine scale has to settle in the toilet, the more stubborn it becomes: It forms multiple layers and gets harder over time. If you buy an old house, you will often find extensive urine scale deposits in the bathroom.
Acidic cleaning products are needed to remove stubborn urine stains in toilet bowls. Allow the cleaner sufficient time to act. You can soak paper towels or toilet paper in the urine scale remover and apply them to the stained areas, letting them sit overnight. The next day, rinse the toilet with water and scrub it with a brush.
You can repeat this procedure several times if necessary.
Household remedies for urine scale
You can buy special urine scale removers, but household remedies also work very well. They are often better for your health and the environment than chemical cleaners, and many are things you probably already have at home.
Preventing urine stains
If you use a rainwater for sanitary water, you do not need tap water to flush the toilet. As rainwater does not contain limescale, urine scale cannot form in the toilet. Likewise, urine scale has no chance of forming if the toilet is cleaned regularly and limescale deposits are removed.