Good DIY Website...

[Norminn]

If ever y'all are stumped with a project and the advice you got from your father turns out to be bunk, here is a site with real common-sense help:

[Mayayana]

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I usually just do a search. most things have been discussed at various forums and addressed on various DIY sites. Though the information provided is not always accurate or useful. :)

I was dealing this week with a problem of what seem to be tiny rust spots in a toilet bowl (under the water level) after a tenant moved out. There's all kinds of advice about various acid treatments that work. I've had no luck so far, but I had no trouble finding a lot of information.

[philo]

My dad was not much of a handy-man and as I kid, when I was building my ham radio equipment I'd drill the holes in the chassis with a hand-cranked drill.

One day my dad came home with a Black & Decker 1/4 drill for a project he was doing and when he got done...to my great surprise, he turned it over to me.

That was in 1964 and the darn thing still works great.

It's been disassembled once in that period of time.

Cleaned the commutator and lubed it.

Of course I use my Milwaukee cordless about 98% of the time now.

[bob_villa]

No doubt you have an older Milw that's made here...I have a DeWalt that is US made. ;^) It's about 17 yrs old.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Since porcelain does not rust, chances are they are mineral deposits. Depending on the age and prior care of the bowl, it can be scratched so they get a good hold.

My first choice for toilets is bleach, second is brush, third is a razor blade.

[Mayayana]

| Since porcelain does not rust, chances are they are mineral deposits. | Depending on the age and prior care of the bowl, it can be scratched | so they get a good hold. |

The bowl is not worn at all, but actually rust stains are not unusual. I was on a job awhile back with a sloppy plumber who'd cut out a cast iron stack pipe and got dust on the tub. The owner was unable to get the stain out. Rust can also show up around drain flanges in sinks and tubs. (Stainless steel can sometimes give off a bit of rust.)

But I don't actually know if rust is what I'm dealing with. It looks like the tenant put something in the bowl that they shouldn't have, before they left, and it sat there for days. Now there are just these tiny rust-color specks.

| My first choice for toilets is bleach, second is brush, third is a | razor blade.

So far I've tried "CLR" and scrubbing. Before that I tried ammonia. I read that bleach is bad if it's rust and that leeching the rust into an acid is the trick. But you might be right. It's possible that I'm dealing with specks of something stuck to the bowl and not a stain at all.

[philo]

I live in Milwaukee so it would be unpatriotic to have anything else... however before I bought it...I was told that it was the one to get by many people.

It's damn good.

I have a total of three batteries and even though when I was working...it got very hard use...I never had a job so tough that I needed the 3rd.

Plus the battery is small and charges very fast.

It's absolutely indispensable.

[Jerry.Tan]

Most every grocery store and dollar store has some stuff called "The Works". You can buy a bottle for $2 or less. Buy a bottle, follow the directions. You'll be amazed how well it works.

I have a well, and my water used to make a ring in the toilet that was probably calcium and iron, and would require heavy scraping to remove. Someone told me to get "The Works". It removed all that crud from the bowl with little effort. Pour (squirt) it in the bowl, let it sit for 5 minutes or more. Then use the toilet brush and everything comes off. Flush the toilet and it's done.

If the toilet has had deposits built up for years, you may need to use it twice to get everything off....

[Mayayana]

| | I have a well, and my water used to make a ring in the toilet that was | probably calcium and iron, and would require heavy scraping to remove. | Someone told me to get "The Works".

Thanks. I've never heard of that but it's worth a try.