Bathroom cleaning tip - use acid based product

Dorado

I had two stains in my bathroom that bleach and scrubbing had no effect on. And I'm talking about straight bleach that I poured on and let soak in numerous times. One was around the toilet rim and one was under the overflow hole of the sink. One day I tried clearing the overflow of the sink with an acid drain opener and it cleaned the stain (but not the clog). Then I found an "acidic toilet bowl cleaner" and after two applications and a little scrubbing, it worked on the toilet stain! The toilet bowl cleaner isn't classified as poison like the drain opener and I'm sure it has less acid so I was surprised it worked so well.

Oh, and I tried scrubbing with abrasive powder with bleach too, mixed with more bleach (which I assume is safe since there's bleach already in it). The only thing I didn't try before the acid was an abrasive stick that I found when I bought the acid.

PoleCat

Acidic cleaners will work wonders but you need to understand the consequences too. Toxic fumes are one. Chrome degradation is another. Nix that, any sort of finished metal fixures you have can be quickly be ruined by over exposure to acid. As an avid user all I can say is be sure to RINSE well.

ToolSeeker

And do not use near marble or granite.

TarheelTerp

Try a commercial grade CLR (Zepp is sold in gallons at HD)

joecaption

Use this.
Wal-Mart has it.
http://www.bing.com/shopping/stainle...M=EGCA&lppc=16

Dorado

I'm not sure that the fumes of non-aerosol sulfuric acid are worse than for average bathroom cleaners, and I wear goggles and gloves to prevent burns. I read Health Effects of Sulfuric Acid. But I also heard about a guy and his family who passed out from using a commercial drain opener in their home so I have a strong fan aimed in the bathroom and I keep the windows open. Unfortunately, the exhaust fan for the bathroom isn't working for me and about 100 other tennents. The super is waiting for a motor. The building inspectors should check the fan because nobody but me seems to notice when it stops.

I always see the big CLR bottles but all I knew was that acid worked. I'll try the CLR when I run out of the Acidic Toilet Bowl Cleaner (which is also a Zep commercial product).

oh'mike

I have a well---and use 'the Works' toilet bowl cleaner (the cheap liquid one) to remove lime build up on a lot of things that I shouldn't----it does remove the lime and rust---but also ruined all the metal finishes on tub drains and spouts----

It's time to rebuild both bathrooms anyway----now it only I could find a good bathroom guy------

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Dorado

I heard you should put petroleum jelly on the metal parts to protect them. My super didn't and he made the chrome around the drain even worse than it was. It's mostly copper colored now. I may try the acidic toilet bowl cleaner on the sink some day, but I'll probably use petroleum jelly and make a dam of sponges around the drain. Only problem is how to dispose of the sponges safely.

r0ckstarr

Vinegar and baking soda.

creeper

Of all the commercial cleansers I've tried, including those really strong acid or bleach based ones I've found this one to be the best. No gloves required. Eats through hard water stains and leaves fixtures shiny. For some reason this spray one is better then the jug of CLR

jcrack_corn

and for bad hard water stains, think of the minerals as being in layers...

you spray the clr on, let it work for about 30 seconds, and rinse/wipe off...then you hit it again, and again , and again.....

eventually it will look new, and i find the multiapplication process much faster and less laborious ( you always have fresh clr reacting).