Limescale Removal

[John]

Hi Guys, I rent out a property and the toilet bowl is heavily limescaled in the pan below the water line. What is the best product/solution to remove it?

Cheers

John

[Sarotrob]

I use DILUTE!!! Hydrochloric acid. Use rubber gloves and eye protection. Open the window first. Chlorine gas is given off as it reacts with the limescale. Leaves the pan as clean as a whistle. I'm not sure where you get it in the UK, builders merchants perhaps. In France you can get it in any supermarket.

[James Salisbury]

Try harpic power liquid and tablets at most good supermarkets.

[Phil L]

limescale is alkaline, so any type of acid will remove it eventually, depending on how thick it is. You can try brick cleaning acid available at b&q or any bm, or one of the proprietary cleaners, which usually don't work and are expensive

[Andy Dingley]

ily limescaled

Go to Pattersons in Bristol, or your local wholesale supplier of cleaning stuff to hotels etc. They have stuff far pokier than the domestic retail grade.

Basically you want sulphamic acid to dissolve the scale. Hydrochloric (brick acid, muriatic). will do this too, but is likely to develop black crazing if the glaze was already invisibly less than perfect. Sulphuric drain cleaner isn't much use on scale, but is useful on blockages.

You shouldn't have any problem with heat, gas or explosions, but don't mix cleaners or you can do.

[PeterC]

In Wilkinsons t'other day there was Harpic descaler for 97p; it hhas hydrochloric acid in and is also quite viscous so easier to handle.

[James Salisbury]

As I said the power version has hydrochloric acid and has the nossle to squirt round the rim. You may need the tablets to help, or bail out the pan.. It may take several applications and a very good brush..

[Andrew Gabriel]

Yep - I use Furnox DS-3 which is sulphamic acid with a colour indicator added so you can tell when it's exhausted. Used to be available from plumbers merchants in large tubs, but few stock it now (although they will order it in). I get it from BES.

[stuart noble]

That's what I use, but IME milder acid works just as well. Block the bowl with some plastic bags and fill to the brim. Tip in a couple of small packs of citric (50gms?) from the chemist and leave overnight. No elbow grease required. Don't go to the pub that evening

[The Medway Handyman]

Don't you have a sink then?

[AJH]

ily limescaled

Maybe give the tenants a treat and buy a cheap new one?

[stuart noble]

We have to consider the female of the species. Well, up to a point...

[Dave Liquorice]

[stuart noble]

Says it banishes bare bottoms. Can't sanction that I'm afraid