Kitchen hacks to combat limescale: Expert tips for a sparkling toilet

Limescale on the toilet bowl and unsightly streaks are significant problems. Eliminating this issue without scrubbing is usually challenging. Expensive caustic detergents are not always the right solution for stubborn dirt. Surprisingly, products that we commonly use in the kitchen are often more effective.

Limescale and streaks do not only result from daily toilet use. They primarily result from rinsing the bowl with hard water, which contains a lot of calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese salts. Hanging special blocks and scrubbing the toilet don't always yield results. However, you don't need too much effort to clean the dirt. You only need to use the right product, which you likely have at hand.

Baking soda is an excellent ally in the fight against limescale in the toilet. If the stains are not too severe, you can combine it with citric acid, which has antibacterial properties. Mix 75 ml of baking soda with 60 ml of citric acid and sprinkle the substance on the bowl's walls. Leave the powder for 30 minutes, then thoroughly rinse the toilet with a large amount of water. The streaks should disappear immediately.

A mixture of baking soda and vinegar is worth using for more robust stains, including heavy limescale deposits. The combination of these two kitchen products has an additional advantage: You will get rid of the unpleasant smell coming from the bowl. Mix two tablespoons of baking soda and two tablespoons of vinegar to prepare a homemade toilet cleaner. Apply the thick paste to the stains with a sponge. After 15 minutes and thorough rinsing, the toilet will be sparkling clean again.

Apple cider vinegar is an excellent cleaning agent. It has strong disinfecting properties, so you can use it not only to remove limescale but also to maintain freshness in the toilet. It also removes harmful microorganisms, especially when combined with lemon.

To achieve the desired effect, combine 120 ml of apple cider vinegar with the juice of one lemon. Clean the toilet with the solution and leave it on the surface. After a few minutes, rinse the substance with warm water. Repeat this process once a week. This way, you will maintain cleanliness and a pleasant smell in the bathroom.

Interestingly, a popular soda drink can be useful for cleaning the toilet. For instance, cola can tackle the dirt. The substances in it effectively disturb the structure of the limescale. In this case, pour the drink into the toilet and leave it for an hour. Then, clean the bowl thoroughly with a brush and flush it with water.

The phosphoric acid in cola will also work on other dirty surfaces. Pour some of the drink into the area you want to clean, and wait 15 minutes. Then, wipe the rest of the liquid with a sponge. This is a great way to clean with minimal effort and cost.