Loo advice please

Yes, you have to be careful not to mix different stuff as you could cause an explosion or a noxious smell!

Calliestemon21 I agree with you. I'm trying the citric acid route although, in my rush to do it, I ended up putting washing soda down the loo so I will have to try CA tomorrow.

For limescale on tap ends use half a squeezed lemon tied on overnight or a “Limey” (I think it’s called) which you fill with white vinegar and pull over the tap end.

I now live in a soft water area and it is heaven; softer hair, no grey laundry, no scale in the kettle, using less soaps/detergents, no damage to the washing machine or clogging of the shower head etc.

(I used to regularly detach the shower head and put in in a plastic bag full of white vinegar over night to descale.)

Vinegar is your friend for cleaning. In the toilet, lots of vinegar and baking soda. Pour in the vinegar, scrub, then sprinkle a lot of baking soda, let sit for quite a while, then scrub. Vinegar on cotton wrapped around taps, vinegar spritz regular on shower enclosure etc works great

Ultimately though, do think about a water softener. Saves you so much hassle about cleaning and adds years to the life span of all your appliances.

Coca Cola Works for me
Makes you wonder what happens to your insides if you drink it tho !!!!

what works for me when things get bad is spirits of salts, it really clears the lime, it is a strong acid

Trisha57

Another Herts resident here! On Ailsa43's recommendation, I've just ordered the cleaning cloths from eBay - free postage too!

If you're like me Trisha, and have tried all the vinegars, and Viacals, and bleaches, and even coke... and they just don't work, I know you'll be pleased with those cloths... , and good thinking getting them free P&P too...

Another citric acid fan. Works a treat overnight. Better than shed loads of chemicals.

Spirit of salts. I buy from Robert Dyas. It's hydrochloric acid which reacts with the limescale. Remove as much water from the bowls a possible first then add the whole bottle and leave as long as possible.

Spirits of Salts, for below the water line - marvellous stuff, cleans the bend and pipes as well. If you put it on a scrubby you can also use it around the rim, but I usually use Viakal for that.

We live on the Isle of Wight and the water is horrendously hard here. When we moved in we had a water softener installed, it has made absolutely no difference!

i was also going to suggest having a water softener installed and no water marks on the shower screen either

I live in N Herts and the only way we got over the hard water problem was to install a water softener

I’m now investigating water softeners, I should have shares in viakal.

I buy citric acid crystals and dissuolve about a dl of them in a litre of boiling water, and add about a tablespoon of washing up liquid.

Flush the toilet, pour the mixture into it and put down the lid.

Leave it as long as possible, preferably at least 1 hour.

This is the tricky part, making sure no-one needs the toilet during this hour.

Then scrub the bowl vigourously with the toilet brush and flush.

You may need to repeat the process.

None of the toilet cleaners I have ever bought, even those advertised to remove limescale work as well as this mixture.

I wait to the following day before cleaning the toilet with ordinary toilet cleaner. I don't know if this is really necessary, but not being either a chemist or a physicist I prefer not to emulate the lady in the urban myth who blew up her toilet by mixing things that should not have been mixed.

Just have to say - thanks for all these wonderful tips.

Get a water softener! Well worth it for softening water not only in loo but everything else, and it means you don't get that nasty limescale build-up. Yes it costs to to have it plumbed in and you have to keep topping up the special salt (ours costs us £80 p a.) But for us in South London, it's well worth it

nandad

We live in the same area and we had a water softener installed. Although the initial outlay cost more, we have saved money because we don’t have to use strong cleaners or limescale removers.

Yes, this is definitely the only permanent answer though it's obviously very expensive. We're doing a renovation at the moment and installing one. It also vastly reduces the need for cleaning shower screens showerheads and taps. Also washing machines and dishwashers stay limescale-free and last longer.

Spirit of Salts

We live in Oxford & the water is very hard here as well. A few years ago we invested in a water softner-one best things we ever did -the difference is amazing

Another Herts resident here and another vote for Viakal.

Another Herts resident here! On Ailsa43's recommendation, I've just ordered the cleaning cloths from eBay - free postage too!

I live in Essex and the water is exceptionally hard, I have found the only thing that comes close is a product from Turkey called Porcoz

bakkalim.co.uk/en/porcoz-750-ml-toiler-cleaner?search=porcoz

This one is for general limescale around the house too.

bakkalim.co.uk/en/porcoz-rust-and-lime-remover-1000ml.

These products are available from Turkish Shops in the UK if you have any nearby.

White vinegar mixed with soda crystals. Leave overnight then flush. Maybe a quick brush too

Vikal without a doubt

Half an hour ago, ordered three packets of Citric Acid. Accolades to the above who recommended the product.