Mold Growing Below Water Line in Toilet Bowl

[InTheBowl]

I can't figure it out. There's a mold growing up to the water line in the toilet bowl (not in the tank). I initially thought it was the valve, flapper and toilet bolts braking down as it looked like a black powder rubber residue. I rebuilt the whole thing, new: bolts, fill tube, tank flange gasket, flapper etc. and put in a new valve system...but the mold came back. I'm currently soaking it with bleach. It's my wife's toilet and she has the habit of not flushing at night so as not to wake the kids. hmm..Should I snake it out, I'm thinking just a general build up of crud in the trap might be feeding the problem? Thx.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Urine has lots of solids in it that will precipitate out. It is best to flush and the kids will not be bothered anyway.

A few treatments of bleach solution should get the trap cleaned as well after a few flushes. It can also be a high mineral content in the water adding to the residue. Ed

[Eric Tonks]

You may have mould growing inside the rim where the water is channelled around inside the rim to come out multiple holes in the underside of the rim. If mould is growing there, the spores will be released with each flush and re-establish another colony at the waterline in the bowl. Try pouring a little bleach down the overflow inside the tank, you may need to use a funnel to get the bleach directed down the small opening of the overflow. This should clean out this area.

[InTheBowl]

I'm going to continue with the bleach in the mornings, I've turning off the water source so it doesn't get diluted. Thx Ed.

[InTheBowl]

Ahhh. This could be. I've poured about a half a cup of Javex down the fill tube now also. I've also read of people using muriatic acid to "speed up" bowls this way. The other thing I forgot to note is that this bathroom has a tub which is rarely used. I sent some bleach down the drain there too just in case the mold was resident in the trap of the tub and creeping back toward the toilet via the pipe. Thx.

[default]

Just keep tossing a bit of bleach in there every couple of days. Then your problem will be keeping the part ABOVE the water line as clean as the part below it.

[InTheBowl]

The crazy part is I lived in another house as a bachelor and needless the say the toilet bowl wasn't high on the list of priorities when I came to cleaning, but that toilet almost never had any problems. I get married I move into a new house (circa 1970s) and it seems these toilets are more suspectable to the problem.

[Greg]

Must have something to do with the seat being down :-)

[Joe Bobst]

1) Make her take an antibiotic pill to produce sterile urine.

2) Install a high powered UV lamp to operate on the bowl when the lid is down.

You know I'm kidding, right?

Joe

[SteveB]

Get some bromine tablets at any pool/spa supply store/department. They have them at Wally World. Put one in there. Should last about two weeks. Put it in the corner away from the drain hole.

I know the problem is in the bowl, and not the tank, but by putting brominated water in there, it MIGHT help. It will cost you about $8 to find out. If you know someone with a spa, get a half a dozen from them. You'll know in the first week.

Steve

[SteveB]

Sorry I was unclear. Put the bromine tablet in the TANK, and the brominated water will then pass down into the bowl with every flush.

Steve

[William W. Plummer]

Discoloration in this area is caused by permanganates in the water. Bleach and normal stain removers will not help. Oxalic acid is what I use. It is in "Bartender's Friend" and "Stainless Steel Cleaner". Also, diswasher detergent works. Throw a bucket of water in the bowl to cause it to drain by syphon action.

[Greg]

I'm gonna try that right now ... thanks

[Bob]

store/department.

It would be a lot easier to just flush it after use.

Bob

[rck]

I flush mine after each use and the mold problem persists. I put tablets in the tank, clean with bleach or ammonia (not at the same time), scour with pumice. Neighbors tell me it's the water. Aside from a complete scrubbing every two weeks during the summer months, I haven't found a solution. The problem exists only during the summer when incoming water temperature is above 70 degrees.

Bob