By ERIN TURNER
The kitchen sink and the toilet…both of these household necessities are the key to a clean home. Any housekeeping article you read tells you if you keep your kitchen sink and your toilet clean then it helps make the rest of the house feel clean. I think there is some truth to that and I do try to adhere to that simple housekeeping principle.
But there are times when that darn hard water ring in the toilet interferes with my efforts to keep the toilet bowl tidy. Over the years, Missoula’s water has taken its toll on my toilets. Between the hard water deposits, lime scale and the occasional mineral/rust stains, I get pretty frustrated with trying to keep those white porcelain bowls sparkling.
My new best friend–for cleaning toilets.
I’ve tried various methods and cleaners over the years. Some have worked but the fumes were enough to melt the paint off the walls while others did absolutely nothing. The only one which made me semi-satisfied was the method of using borax. Making a paste and letting it sit on the stain for a few hours before scrubbing it off. It wasn’t a perfect solution but it made a difference. Deep down though I knew there had to be a better solution. One which didn’t expose my family to toxic fumes, wouldn’t hurt our septic system, like the one on this useful source, and most importantly, one which was effective. I was even willing to devote a lot of time and elbow grease for a method if it promised a successful end result. If you discover any issues with your septic system, you may have to call septic tank services who can provide professional commercial septic repair and septic tank pumping service.
What I recently discovered was nothing short of a miracle. It is non-toxic, environmentally safe, easy, frugal AND completely effective. Some of you may already use a Pumice Stone for stubborn stains but this was all new to me. Imagine my utter surprise and ultimately delight when I barely had to scrub on my aggravating hard water stains. A few scrubs and a few swishes and right before my eyes, those stains disappeared! No damage to the porcelain or anything.
I found my Pumice stone in the toilet section at Lowe’s for $2.97. This should last me a good year or more…depending on how fast those stains return. I’ve read that once the mineral/lime scale is gone, it keeps your toilet bowl cleaner and less chance of stains returning! So, this stone may actually last me even longer.
My son Ethan is ready for the task at hand!
The day I bought it, I came home and in 15 minutes, I scrubbed all 4 of our toilets which all had stubborn hard water deposits. Now that I have sparkling new-looking toilets, I plan on gently using the Pumice stone bi-monthly just to stay ahead of the potential build-up. It’s so easy to use and so effective. The key is to get the stone wet first and then begin to scrub away at the stains.
Not only is a Pumice stone effective for toilet bowls, but it also claims to be super for sinks and other areas where hard water deposits build up. I have a few rust stains in my sink, which I can usually get rid of with a little bleach. But I’d be happier using the Pumice Stone and a few little scrubs.
I also liked that when you were done with the stone, you simply rinse it in hot water to clean it then let it air dry. Although, I think I will get a separate one for my kitchen. The idea of scrubbing toilets and then coming into the kitchen to scrub the sink kinda freaks me out honestly.
I am always so excited to find super frugal and super effective household cleaning ideas. I’m surprised I haven’t discovered this little gem before but I am grateful to have stumbled upon it now. It has renewed my toilets to almost brand, spanking new. No more hard water rings for me. And my family won’t have to break out the gas masks!
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Erin’s got tons of tips for saving money, couponing, sticking to a budget, and living sustainably in her blog archive.
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Erin Eisenman-Turner is proud to be a native Missoulian. Along with her husband and three sons, they raise chickens, pigs, rabbits, and vegetables at Turner Family Farms in the Orchard Homes area. When the farm chores are done, the coupons clipped, and the blog written, you can find Erin exploring Montana, collecting antiques, and trying to maintain a well-run, happy, and organized home for her family.
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