Learn how to remove hard water stains from your toilet using this quick and easy method! Guaranteed to remove even the worst built-up hard water rings in less than 5 minutes – without scratching the porcelain! Watch the video below to see it in action.
You can also check out, how to remove hard water stains from glass shower doors.
Hard water can be found all over bathroom surfaces including showers, sinks, faucets, and, worst of all, the toilet. Unattractive and extremely frustrating, the last thing any one of us wants is to host a holiday party with a toilet that looks as if it hasn’t been cleaned for months.
You’ll find countless cleaning products available and even more blogs and websites out there claiming that such and such solution or product will rid your toilet of the dreaded ring; some even without the use of chemicals at all.
Most of these claims are false, I’m sorry. I know this from personal experience because I promise, before learning about this trick from my friend at The Home Depot, I had literally tried everything.
This trick works so well, in fact, that it will almost look like you went out and bought yourself a brand new toilet! But don’t take my word for it,
I run an apartment complex, where unfortunately people don’t know how to clean their toilets, I thought I was going to have to replace the toilet, but I was able to clean the toilet and it looks brand new. This will save me tons of money, and time, it literally only took me two minutes to clean the hard water stains. -Kali
Difference Between Hard and Soft Water?
Hard water: that which contains an appreciable amount of dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium.
Soft water: that which contains less dissolved minerals. Or, when treated, the only ion it may contain is sodium. Naturally falling rainwater is soft water, for example.
How does water become hard? Water becomes harder as it makes its way through the ground and into our waterways. Along the way, this water picks up minerals like chalk, lime, calcium, and magnesium.
Given that hard water contains essential (and super important) minerals one may wonder why we soften our water when it’s hard.
Hard water is tough on appliances (dishwashers and washing machines, for example) and is hard to clean. Making it less effective and uses more energy due to the mineral buildup that is left behind.
Supplies Needed to Clean Hard Water From Toilets
Before I say anything else, I thought it important to mention that the toilet that you see pictured in these images is “clean”. This includes the before and the after images.
In other words, I cleaned the toilet with actual toilet bowl cleaner before removing the hard water ring.
Anyway, I Googled, “how to remove toilet bowl ring” or “how to remove hard water stains from the toilet”. Everything I found led me to some cleaning product or a pumice stone.
Since Home Depot is Octavian’s favorite store in the world, we headed there. So that we could spend as much time as possible in the gardening equipment aisle, I asked a nice man who worked there where I could find the pumice stones. Then I asked him pumice stones actually remove hard water rings from toilet bowls.
He stopped me right there.
No no no no no pumice stone, he said. Too much risk of scratching the porcelain.
Thank goodness, this toilet angel from Home Depot had a better idea – Fine-Grit Drywall Sanding Screens. YOU GUYS, this man saved my toilets!
Here’s how you can save yours.
How to Remove Hard Water Stains from Toilets (Step-By-Step)
- Gather all of the necessary supplies.
- Put on a pair of rubber or latex gloves and cut 1-2 small square pieces from a sheet of Fine-Grit Drywall Sanding Screens. Set them aside.
- Carefully open the Barkeepers Friend and sprinkle it inside of your toilet.
- Wearing the gloves, gently yet firmly, begin to scrub away at the hard water buildup in a circular motion with the Drywall screen. Don’t press TOO HARD. Our goal is to remove hard water stains, not destroy the porcelain.
- Continue until all of the built-up hard water stains have been removed.
- Flush.
Removing Hard Water Stains from Toilets – What Doesn’t Work?
- Bleach
- Toilet bowl cleaner
- Vinegar solution overnight
- Those tabs that turn your toilet water blue
- Baking soda
- Borax and vinegar
None of the above worked. In fact, I later learned that bleach may make toilet rings caused by hard water worse – or even permanent!
Yay! Sparkling CLEAN toilets!
Seriously, though, that’s all it took. So easy.
If you loved learning how to remove hard water stains from toilets, you may also enjoy these other useful posts:
- DIY Upcycled Toilet Paper Seedling Pots and Painted Stone Garden Markers
- DIY Instagram Photo Display: Wall Grate
- How to Remove Hard Water Stains from Glass Shower Doors
Have you tried using this method to clean hard water from your toilets?
Tell me about it in the comments below! I always love to hear your thoughts. And don’t forget to tag me #theforkedspoon on Instagram.
How to Remove Hard Water Stains from Toilets
Equipment
Materials
Instructions
- Gather supplies.
- Put on gloves and cut 1-2 small square pieces of Fine-Grit Drywall Sanding Screens. Set them aside.
- Carefully open the Barkeepers Friend and sprinkle inside your toilet.
- Wearing the gloves, gently yet firmly, begin to scrub away at the hard water buildup in a circular motion with the Drywall screen. Don’t press TOO HARD. Our goal is to remove hard water stains, not destroy the porcelain.
- Flush and be amazed!
Video
Watch my youtube video to see me removing my toilet bowl ring and hard water stains:
Keith says
This does indeed work very well! I have also found that you can use 1500 to 2000 grit wet sandpaper like they use in body shops to get rid of just about anything too. You can find it on Amazon for next to nothing.
LadyJazz says
Thank you so much for this trick. I have lived in my home for 10 years and have tried everything. I have always been embarrassed when company comes over. Not anymore due to this wonderful trick. Thank you for sharing, providing the instructions, and product links. I truly appreciate it!
Jessica Randhawa says
Thanks for the feedback, I am happy to hear this fixed your ten-year-long toilet ring problem 🙂
Kim says
Thank you—this worked like a charm! I didn’t have fine Sheetrock screen, so I gingerly used a medium screen instead. The bowl looks new again!
Gabe Crutchfield says
I tried everything before and nothing worked. This method worked like a charm and looked like new again! I went very light on the pressure because I was still concerned about scratching up the surface. Thank you for sharing.
Jessica Randhawa says
Thanks for the feedback Gabe 🙂
Julie M McDonough says
I tried everything else but this worked so well with very little effort.
Jessica Randhawa says
I am happy it worked for you Julie, thanks for the kind feedback 🙂
Brianna says
Omg omg omg! It absolutely worked and with little to no effort. I used this method in my sink and bathtub as well and worked just as great! Thank you so much!
Jessica Randhawa says
I am happy to hear that this worked for you Brianna, thanks for the positive feedback 😀
James a Salva says
I had tried baking soda, vinegar and TOFIX in cleaning the hard water stains in my toilet. Instead of clearing the hard water stains, it left a dark blue stain where the hard water stains used to be. Do you have any suggestions on how to clear this “CHEMICAL STAINS”.
Jessica Randhawa says
Hi James – if the stains are the blue dyes from the chemicals on the hard water, then the stains will come off by following the directions in this post 🙂
Kathleen says
How do you prevent the toilet from restaining? We have well water. I have removed the stains in the past, but shortly afterwards it restains.
Jessica Randhawa says
Great question Kathleen! I have not found a way to prevent hard water stains from forming. All the many different types of products I tried that went in the toilet tank did not work for me.
I wish I had a solution, but for those of us with really hard water, there doesn’t seem to be any good fix or hack short of setting up an entire house water softening/filtering system.
Bethany says
Can I use liquid bar keepers friend? Or just the powder? (Trying to not have to buy a bunch of new stuff)
Jessica Randhawa says
Either liquid or powder will work great, Bethany 🙂
Kali says
Thank you thank you thank you, I run an apartment complex, where unfortunately people don’t know how to clean their toilets, I thought I was going to have to replace the toilet , but I was able to clean the toilet and it looks brand new. This will save me tons of money, and time, it literally only took me two minutes to clean the hard water stains . Again thank you
Marty Moneygreen says
I tried this and it worked ! I had tried bleach, ajax, commet, etc nothing worked. So for $1.74 at walmart I purchased the Bar Keepers Friend powder and in less than two minutes all the stains were gone! It loooks amazing, thank you so much !
Jessica Randhawa says
Thanks for reporting your results Marty, I also love how easy and cheap this fix is 🙂
Marla says
AMAZING!! I have tried so many things for my toilets to look brand new and this was perfect! Took hardly any time to remove the hard water buildup and now all 5 toilets sparkle. I even cleaned my kitchen sink with BarKeepers Friend and it removed some minor stains. It looks brand new too! What else can I clean?!? Lol! THANK YOU!!
Naomi says
Wonderful advice, it worked amazingly! Thank you
Janet says
Thank you! I now have 4 clean toilets!
Jonathan Coron says
Simple instructions. Was not sure of Dry wall Sanding Screens but will ask at Lowes for it. Very interested to try the process as I have tried all the other things listed in the summary with no success.