How do I remove a hard water ring around the inside of a toilet bowl w

Gail Cordero
by Gail Cordero
I just bought a new home. Trying to really give it a good scrubbing. One toilet bowl in the house has a bad ring around the inside of the toilet. How do I remove that ring without replacing the whole toilet?
  23 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on May 25, 2017

    Pour baking soda followed by white vinegar,then use a pumice stone.

  • Heather McKinney Heather McKinney on May 25, 2017

    I had to use sandpaper that was made to use in water. That seemed to do the trick.

  • Leona Stocker Leona Stocker on May 25, 2017

    Take soak up water from toilet pour coca cola around and leave over night then flush

  • Teresa Wentworth Teresa Wentworth on May 25, 2017

    Pumice stone works great and doesn't damage the porcelain.

    • See 1 previous
    • B. Enne B. Enne on May 25, 2017

      Unfortunately, I scratched my old toilet with one made for toilets. I wet it and did not push hard, but it left 2 bad scratches.

  • Gen17346703 Gen17346703 on May 25, 2017

    Buy Iron Out @Lowe's or Home Depot. Comes in powder or spray. I even put in tank (powder) of toilet and let it sit overnight. Gets rid of gunk in tank which washes down when flushed.

  • Sharon Sharon on May 25, 2017

    I've used CLR, pour into toliet until above the lime ring, let sit all day if you can. You may have to repeat a few times, I buy it at Dollar Tree so its economical.

  • Sheila Sheila on May 25, 2017

    The best easiest cure ever!!! Product called Wink. We lived in an area where the white clothes came out orange till we installed a filtration system but not until all our porcelain was ruined. This stuff WORKS , first time every time!!!!

  • MaineMomma MaineMomma on May 25, 2017

    I have hasn't success using citric acid! Commonly found in lemonade or lemon kool aid. Flush, sprinkle powder on ring and just let soak. I was able to brush & flush in the morning.

  • Red Red on May 25, 2017

    There is a special scouring stone good for your problem, should find this in the cleaning section of most stores.

  • Deborah Brossett Deborah Brossett on May 26, 2017

    Mine was far worse, Lysol Rust and Lime toilet bowl cleaner. It's with the regular bowl cleaners but the label is Black. Squirt in wait 30 min. And just scrub with toilet brush. Amazing. $2

  • Deborah Brossett Deborah Brossett on May 26, 2017

    Lysol rust and Lime toilet cleaner looks like ordinary toilet cleaner except label is Black. Its at walmart with the regular toilet bowl cleaners . I shut off water supply and flushed a couple times to get water level down below ring buildup. Squirt in wait 30min. Scrub WITH regular toilet brush

    Worked first time no repeat. I was astounded. Wanted to ring doorbells and tell everyone. Mine were terrible for Two years. PLEASE try.

  • C.B. C.B. on May 26, 2017

    We have used wet sandpaper with great success! The key is making sure that the porcelain is wet at all times [to keep from scratching it].

  • Ma_pa_jackrabbit Ma_pa_jackrabbit on May 26, 2017

    Watkins toilet bowl cleaner, it's great. No long waiting and no hard scrubbing. it will clean the worst toilet. Yep men's room that no woman has stepped in. It is caustic though.

  • Kim Kim on May 26, 2017

    CLR, squirt around the bowl, at least 15 minutes and use toilet brush.

  • Suzi Suzi on May 26, 2017

    go to the Dollar Store and purchase "The works" for the toilet. Will get rid of all of it.

  • Connie Connie on May 26, 2017

    Ring-o works the best I have ever seen. I use it once a week- no more rings!!

  • I have always used a pumice stone without incident. Here's a post I wrote about it (with before and after photos) ... Hope it helps: http://www.lemonslavenderandlaundry.com/cleaning-tip-tuesday-removing-water-stains-toilet/

  • Try a product called 'Scouring Stick'. It's pumice.

  • Try a product called 'Scouring Stick'. It's pumice.

  • Janice Janice on Mar 03, 2024

    A water-like product called C-L-R will work wonders on the toilet ring. Turn the water off to the toilet, flush, and apply a strips of paper towel soaked in C-L-R to the ring. Let sit for as long as possible. Remove the strips of paper towel, place in trash, turn water back on, flush, scrub with a brush as normal in cleaning, and enjoy the fresh clean toilet.

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Mar 03, 2024

    Pour Cola into the bowl and leave it overnight before scrubbing it around and then flushing it!

  • Deb K Deb K on Mar 10, 2024

    Hello, hope this helps you

    • Pour a half-cup of hydrogen peroxide into the toilet and let it sit for 30 minutes.
    • Use your toilet brush to scrub the stains.
    • Add a sprinkle of baking soda and scrub again if the stains persist.
    • Flush to wah away stains and germs.


  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Mar 11, 2024

    Try leaving Coca Cola in the bowl overnight. Then give a good brush a round and then flush!