Recurring Toilet Ring - Top 3 Solutions tested - Problem Solved 

The fact that I am watching this on New Year's Eve is proof that my life has gone horribly wrong.

To help keep your toilet from getting rings this is what I do: After cleaning bowl I will drain bowl of water than dry with am old towel. Afterwards I will wax the inside the toilet bowl with Turtle wax. It will keep your bowl clean for months.

Interesting life lesson to share. Anything more than a ring in a toilet, such as excessive mold, is often a sign of high blood sugar in the occupants. My husband is diabetic and when he went off his meds, I kept having a big mold problem and could not figure it out until he got his blood sugars corrected. Just a little FYI. Thanks for the solutions to the problem.

I used LIME-A-WAY from your video on my toilet bowl over two weeks ago. First of all after applying it and letting it sit there for about 15 minutes, I took the SCOTCH BRITE Blue scouring pads and the stain ring around the water line wiped off as if it was a spill. Tomorrow will be three weeks since I cleaned it with this miracle product and still no recurring stain has returned.

For everyone who teased about the gentleman cleaning this toilet....I for one appreciate all the effort he put into trying to show us the why and wherefore of that disgusting toilet ring and the best way to combat it.

I have 2 toilets. One is 50 years old and the other 15. The 15 year old toilet developed similar problems and my blame is the newer toilets do NOT have as good of a porcelain coating. The newer toilets are designed to develop these problems as you stated every 10 years for the purpose of a need to replace them more often. My advice, keep the 50 year old toilets if you can. The 50 year old toilet is not only painted better, but is also insulated and will not sweat in the summer.

Cant believe i actually watched this entire Scientific video. I need a life. Thank you for keeping me glued to my phone for the Scientific resolve to the issue. Man , I really, really need a life.

Taking toiletry to a whole new level. You're a toilet scientist, sir!

Takes a real man to make a video on a topic many would never dream of appearing in. I think it's cool because real life includes problems like this.

I never thought I'd sit thru an entire video on toilet cleaning, 😆but you're so funny and personable it was actually fun to watch. Good job! 🌸

5 years later, Clorox finally came up with their "Clinging Bleach Gel." Let me tell you, it does work without scrubbing. My toilet was brand new and it started developing the ring after a few months. So, it's not about having old vs new. but. appreciate you taking the time to demonstrate this.

I had a friend who had a car detail business come in and he drained my toilet and applied a rubbing compound to the bowl to clean it then he applied a ceramic coating to it and let it cure overnight. Ever since he did that nearly three years ago nothing sticks to the bowl and no ring appears at all. It was the best $35 I spent.

This is actually good (domestic) science. The fellow makes hypotheses, does tests, reaches rational conclusions. Give him credit.

I keep a spray bottle with 100% white vinegar and a little Dawn. Once a day, after flushing, I spray the water line before it completely refills. No scrubbing. Works good between cleanings.

Having a sense of humor is one of the MOST ATTRACTIVE feature one can have….and it doesn’t go away with age! Love it and thanks for making so many people laugh!

If you do not have a shut-off valve: To keep the water from refilling in the bowl, don't flush the tank. Get a bucket of water (1.5-2 gals) and pour it into the bowl. It flushes the water down BUT because you didn't empty the tank, it won't refill the bowl. The float in the tank is what refills the bowl! Easy-pezzy!

I had that going on and we bought a new toilet. The black ring came back on a new toilet. So when my plumber was here to follow-up other pluming things he had done, I showed him the black ring. He said I had a hard water issue and said he could install an additional part to my water softener that would cover Iron build-up. It worked like a charm. No more black ring.

I was cleaning a Dr's house weekly. At least 3 people used one toilet. Always a black ring. My boyfriend is a diabetic who let his sugar run wild. His toilet always had a black ring too. I mentioned to the Dr maybe someone was having high blood sugars. 4 months later she got checked out and was running 700 to 800 blood sugars!!! All that sugar in urine promotes bacteria growth in the toilet and needs cleaned more than weekly.

What needs to be addressed is the inner cavity of the bowl itself by pouring a solution of distilled vinegar into the fill tube, this cleans the cavity vents around the inner top side of the toilet that fills up the toilet 😊 it could take several cleanings to kill the mold.😊

I’m convinced it because the poorer quality of porcelain they are using in manufacturing now! I never had trouble with a ring until my toilet was replaced in recent years

I must be bored... I'm watching this while being quarantined and eagerly waiting to find out the results!

17:41? Fuck that!! I can't be the only one about to cruise the comments looking for the right answer, right?

Lived in an 100 yr old house before downsizing, never had a water buildup issue. Moved into a 5 yr old condo, not only had this happening in the three toilet bowls, but also had build up on shower head and kitchen faucets. Dish drain and dishwasher had lots of funky staining. Had water analyzed and got a whole house water treatment/softener system. Within a week all bowls and faucets clean, worked like a charm! No need to often scrub, just drop a cleaner in tank and maintains bowl clean with every flush.

HAD a 40 yr old toilet, and NO probs. The building owner of my apartment decided I needed a new toilet. Now after a few months with a NEW toilet, I find I need to scrub every 3 days, and .....NOW I have a ring! The old toilet I scrubbed about once a month, but only cause I imagined it a necessity. Same manufacturer, but new toilets are now made in Mexico. Need a new toilet? Buy an old one from 'American Standard'.

A man obsessed with the cleanliness of his toilet is a beautiful thing.

Impressed with the head almost in the bowl! That is dedication.

I do understand the hard work that went into this video and appreciate you showing us the cause of the ring. My solution to getting rid of the ring and cleaning my toilet is so much easier without ever using a brush. The ring is common for all of us unless you are using a whole house filtered water supply that removes all of the lime and hardness in the water. I do not have that and use a very simple solution. So there are a few general toilet bowl cleaners and they work if you allow them to work. So before I go to bed at night I use the toilet bowl cleaner and all around the inside of the toilet bowl lip and let it sit over night and into the next day when you get ready to use it again. You will find the toilet bowl completely clean, no scrubbing is required.

I struggled with nasty toilet rings for years because we such have very hard well water. My husband scraped the calcium ring off with the pumice stone. To maintain the sparkly porcelain finish, I put a cup of powdered dish detergent in the toilet tank (not the bowl) once a week. A swish with the brush only once a week, keeps the toilet sparkling clean. If dish detergent keeps your porcelain dishes clean without scrubbing, it will also keep your porcelain toilet bowl clean.

I have to thank everyone for the comments. I have just spent about 15 minutes reading them and laughing so hard that I have tears streaming down my cheeks.

We have three toilets in our home. One has been there since the home was built in 1989. It has NO stains or pits. One is about 20 years old and has NO stains or pits. The third one is about 4 years old and HAS stains AND pits. So I think it's also the quality of the material in the toilet. The stained toilet is one from Home Depot and it's very hard to keep it clean...

As a car detailer, car paint has microscopic pores in it, that end up doing the same thing, catching dirt. So what we detailers do is to close up those pores by using compounds that wear down the paint so the pores are shallower and then polish it over. So in this application, I would add bleach to the water and let it sit for about 10 mins with water at level, then flush and clean as normal, that's just the cleaning part, now you need to fill in those tiny pits, my guess would be a some sort of ceramic filler or a ceramic coating that coats the entire bowl. Just a thought from a detailer's perspective.

I used to clean homes for a living for 25 years. I noticed that homes whose toilets contained in a small closet or water closet would develop a ring faster or worse than toilets that were not contained. I attributed it to perhaps having less airflow in the closet

I congratulate the poster of this video. You gave complete and honest information despite not getting the ideal outcome. If there is pitting, you have to put up or clean more often or buy a new toilet. That's just the way it is

I've been a registered Master Plumber for over 32 years now. Great video, my friend. One final thing you can do that may help, but not 100% eliminate, but close to it. Once you get is as clean as you can, identify the remaining pitting, Equiparts sells a substance that is for porcelain repair, such as a chip taken out of a sink rim from dropping your coffee cup on it or the like. It comes in a White-Out like bottle, except the bottle is glass. By neatly brushing over these pit marks, you eliminate them. Not forever, but for a couple, three years. Just be sure not to over do it with the product. When you dip the brush in, wipe both sides of the brush off on the lip of the glass jar , then cover each hole in the same direction while dabbing over them. Then, as to no scrub off the repair epoxy while cleaning the next time, use a Mr Clean Magic eraser, with almost no abrasive surface. Now don't laugh at me before trying this, but after lowering your water level, pour a 12 ounce can of Coca Cola into the bowl and essentially wipe, not scrub, the ring. The acidity from the Cola will remove this ring. Just try it once. If the toilet is newer and the pitting not so bad, just use the Magic eraser and cola ever couple weeks. Works like a champ

One thing that has worked for me to extend the period before a ring develops: last flush of the night as the bowl is refilling, add a small squirt of environmentally friendly dish detergent, and the action of the water will swish it around. I think it helps bacteria or whatever it is from clinging to the sides.

I just accidentally came across this video. I’m on a well and septic. Living with hard water and sophisticated filtering system. I gave up trying to remove the ring. I was just living with it. Put the seat down and forget it. Lol. I’ve never heard of a pumice stone. Thank you sir. I’ll give it a try.

I've been a cleaner for 30 years and have been through this whole routine I've also tried clorox cleaner, the problem is hard water in the home I have clients with brand new toilets that got this way immediately. Don't you love the way 90% of the clients have toilet bowl brushes right next to the toilet and they can't manage to swish that bad boy out between cleanings 🙃

If you try a little boat wax on the water line when it's clean. That fills in the pits keeping that water line cleaner loner. But you do have to reapply after every cleaning. Great for older units.

It happens with new toilets too. I use the NeverScrub device that hangs in the tank, and a hose runs into the filler tube. This keeps the chlorine tablets from ruining the rubber seals on the flapper valve. The tablets can last up to 60 days and really help to keep that calcium ring off the toilet!

Used same pumice stone you showed for years. You would be amazed how good that porcelain durability is.

Using a spray cleaner that has chlorine bleach in it will keep the ring from ever coming back after you have scrubbed the toilet. Spray every other day without rinsing, including under the rim, works like a charm. Been doing this for years and it works. The black ring is mold and mildew (sewer organisms) caused by hard water. You will find the same residue mold inside drain and sewer pipes. It’s not just pitting that exasperates the problem, new toilets can also get the same ring, know this as fact. I would tell my customers to continue with spraying after maids had cleaned, they were happy with the results. Don’t use that pumice stone, it eventually will sand away the protective enamel coating, making it more porous where mold and mildew have an easier way to hide in nicks and crannies and it will grow quickly.

Got some rentals and a renter left some “rust away behind”.I brought it home and wow. Works great on the hard water drip marks and ring. No scrubbing.

The VERY best solution is the Kaboom cleaning system. It is a small container that you hang in the tank. Not in the water, but hangs on the back edge inside the tank. You take the flush valve tube and connect to one end of the container. Then from the other side of the container you run another tube into the overflow pipe. Then you add a bleach tablet to the container. When the toilet flushes the refill water travels through the container, picks up bleach from the tablet and runs into the toilet bowl. By doing this you do not damage your rubber gaskets in the tank. I have been using this system for years and it works perfectly ! The kit comes with the tubes required.

Ok, my toilets are 50 years old. Time to get rid of them. Thanks to the Maid Academy.

I am a ceramics instructor. I make dolls and various other things. The worst thing for your toilet is to use cleanser and scrubbies. Instead, use the cleaner for glass top stoves and a "cleaning erasure". You wont pit the toilet, or remove the glaze. Also, after cleaning the toilet, put some olive oil or any liquid cooking oil on a soft cloth and rub around the water line.

The pumice stone can actually badly scratch a toilet bowl (happened to 3 of mine). Only thing that improved the bowl surface was an automotive windshield glass sealer (not RainX - you'll need a ceramic coating designed to bond to glass). Applying the sealer to my bowls has dramatically reduced their tendency to create water rings. Optimum GLASS coat is available directly from Optimum Technology.

Most realistic toilet cleaning video on RU-vid.

I aspire to be this passionate about something work-related in the future.

I cleaned homes and Businesses for years and I cleaned a store once a week..when I first started cleaning there, they had an ugly ring in the Ladies toilet in the restroom...I cleaned the toilet and got rid of the ring but to prevent the ring from coming back, I would drop by a couple nights a week after the store closed...you know what a package of powered Kool-Aid is...you know what the kids drink mixed with water...No sugar added....Get the Lemonade flavored...Pour 2 packs in the toilet and do not flush...leave overnight...someone will flush the next day...The owner asked me what I did and as long as I cleaned the store, the ring never came back...it does work!!

At first I thought ‘do I really need to watch 17 minutes on cleaning my toilet ring’? But I’m glad I did, and kudos on spending 3+ weeks gathering the research!

I had this problem and tried scrubbing the sh_t out of it. Still had the ring. Replaced with a toilet that had a stringer flush which obviously eliminated the ring issue and also has not clogged like the old one (after almost every BM) because of a wider exit hole. Best home repair I've ever done. Flush on brother!

So long story short, just get new toilets after 8 years. LOL Thanks for making this videos.

There is something wonderful and beautiful for a woman to see, that’s to watch a man who is so dedicated to cleaning as this man is. You’ll make or you’ve made a lucky woman a great husband.

We had a summer rental and the toilet was always dirty even with in the tank additives. It was very old so I asked a plumber he suggested to use hot (not boiling) vinegar soaked paper towels to line, penetrate and disinfect ring area. Then let dry overnight. Next day use silicone for fish tanks (use gloved finger to spread over ring area.) It fills the crevices but, is clear and won't show. We never got rings again. The owner even called us about it when we left and was very grateful as her whole house had same issues.

I had this happen. If the water sits in the bowl too long then mineral deposits form a ring stain. I poured CLR liquid into the bowl and let it set overnight and then lightly scrubbed the bowl in the morning and flushed toilet and ring was gone. No fuss no mess and no pumice stone scratches. Be sure not to use the CLR spray as it is diluted and infective.

Age of my toilets is the problem. You have confirmed what I thought should be done. After 50 plus years with the same toilets, that stubborn ring gives you a weekly workout. I just need not be so stubborn and purchase replacements. Like anything in the home nothing last forever and some things have to be replaced even if they still work. Thanks for the helpful demonstration.

At work the toilets are cleaned everyday, and some still have rings. I may start using the bartender's friend every two weeks. I watched this video because I was genuinely interested. I appreciate the information and the visuals.

Dr. Toilet’s passion for the science of toilet cleaning is amazing. I think he just invented a new scientific term “ceramic pitting”. His tireless scientific work into the research of toiletry should not go unrecognized. He should be the leading contender for the Noble prize in chemistry! 😂

Our toilet is made of pine wood. Never had this problem with it. It's about 75ft from the house. Never been cleaned and it still looks new. Did recently have to replace the door though.

Also after dry out the bowl, use WD 40. Keeps it very clean!

A) You can't use ANY of these harsh chemicals in a septic system. B) They will kill the microbial function of your system. C) Pumice stone removes the porcelain glaze and makes the problem worse by improving the "grip" zone for the stain. D) Stain goes to the molecular level and can be removed by a topical chemical application with the water drained from the bowl and a rag to plug the hole during application, much like bleaching out a stain in clothing or fabric. E) If your water is hard or otherwise contains high degree of minerality, probably nothing with keep the ring from reappearing short of adjusting the bowl water level to alter the water-to-oxygen contact area. If you notice, rings only form at the water-air-level contact area, or bio-zone, not above or below. Consequently, an ideal environment is created for the mineral-stain to thrive in the media the water and air provide. Altering this zone (discussed below by Franklin Thomas) deprives the staining microbes of the environment or "habitat" they require to leave their mark. However, my staining problem is compounded by the fact I have a well which is pure water, but untreated with city chlorine which otherwise destroys several bacteria which develop a slight yellowish, surface coating under the water surface in about 3 days and becomes darker over time. But, it easily washes right off, unlike the "ring" water line stain.

If you’re familiar with Moh’s hardness scale, you can see why the pumice stone will NOT scratch the porcelain. I’ve been using the stone for years. THE most effective!

I watched this video a long time ago, at least a year ago. I was amazed at how his method got rid of the ring in my toilet. It has just now started coming back. I just watched this again to refresh my memory. Many, many thanks for this. I really appreciate your advise.

I just found your video. We live in an older home. I can't tell you how many years we've struggled with our yucky toilet. I tried the sponge using the scrubbing side (plus bleach & ajax). The nasty ring came right off!! It looks like a brand new toilet! You are amazing & thank you so much for helping us!!!

I appreciate the video and the effort you put in the experiment. I've been using pumice stones in my toilets due to hard water for over 25 years. They work well with no etching, and we've never had to change a toilet because the surface was pitted or scratched. One of the main reasons for the pumice stone is our septic system. Pumice stones clean nicely and don't hurt it. Everyone needs to make sure what type of system they're on, septic or sewer, before using cleansers on their toilets. You need to make sure that any products used are safe for the system you have. Check the labels and search the internet. With our septic system, we have to be very careful with the microbial balance in our septic tank. The wrong types of products flushed down the toilet affect that balance and the parts of the system itself causing costly damage.

Great video, I have a toilet that is about 70 years old, and I have very hard water here in Whittier, Ca. It does get a ring at water level sometimes. But, I brush it every time, after I use it. It is very clean, so far. I have used every thing, under the sun, to clean it, including (Coke a Cola), which works well, by the way. But, I brush it every time, after I use it. Just the toilet brush and water is all that it needs. Keep up the good work!! BOB R

Most people are not aware that toilets are made of hard baked clay ( with a little sand and or granite - but mostly clay.) And then a ceramic coating is sprayed on. If you use pumice, eventually you'll grind your way down to the dark clay. I use a denture cleanser tablet every night before bed so it'll sit for several hours. Nine months now, and not a sign of a ring.

I like how you show the top of your barkeepers friend that you don’t open all the holes it keeps control of how much cleanser comes out. My mother taught me that decades ago.

I have to give you a great 'thumb's up' for taking the time to work on this problem that we all have in our hard-water areas like Phoenix. Great effort and results. Thank you.

I am Soo glad no you did this video! Even though I doubt seriously if any of my customers past or present will see it and and apologize to me! I have been a cleaning lady for over 20 yrs! I have tried all the things you did! One lady has the scouring bar she asked me to use..and was furious when she realized it scratched! For some folks when I explained that their toilet needed replacing..well that was the last straw and they let me go!😄Goodbye I said to the toilet that I had tried to keep clean for many years! So yes I see the lovely cleaning crews with their cute little uniforms! I started that way and they look so young! I truly feel for you and wish you the best! I retire next year! I hope I can finally be rid of toilet nightmares!👍🙋♥️🕊️🕊️🕊️🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

17 minute video without solving a problem that we needed answers regarding the prevention. Thanks a lot

I noticed this was much worse when gone on vacation. Lid closed probably held in the moisture which caused the perfect environment for a mold ring. I agree with the wax idea which I also use on fiberglass countertops. Yes, I do have an old house and toilets so it looks much better when this is done.

Hmm, I thought it was just necessary to scrub once a week. All of my toilets have needed once a week cleaning, old and new. My mother taught me to scrub once a week. EDIT: Thanks for the in-depth, high quality video. You really put your all into this video.

*_Summary_* Buy a new toilet bowl or scrub the stain “longer” and “harder” using Bar Keepers Friend brand powdered cleanser and a Scotch Brite-like scrubbing pad. 15:48 A toilet bowl that is 10 years or older might have tiny “pits” in the bowl surface at the water line which capture stains and “mold” (14:31). If you are a maid cleaning service and your customer is complaining of recurring toilet bowl stains, please do the following: 1) clean the toilet and then 2) take a photo of the bowl water line to show the tiny pits to the customer (15:22). Then recommend to the customer to buy a new bowl. In the interim, you can keep the stain at bay by scrubbing the bowl “longer” and “harder” (15:48). “Longer” and “harder” means to scrub for a significant amount of time well AFTER the stain has disappeared to the naked eye, and to put all of your strength into the scrubbing process. First, however, you should turn off the water supply to the toilet, then flush the toilet so that there is little to no water in the bowl before scrubbing so as to allow the Bar Keepers Friend paste to stay in contact with the bowl stain longer. Originally, the videographer tried four methods to clean the bowl stain. All the methods below will remove the ring from the bowl as a temporary “solution”, but after 2 weeks, the ring returned for all methods used. Minimal effort was used during this test. The videographer believes that by scrubbing longer and harder (than in his first test), however, that these “microscopic” stains will be removed and will keep the stain away for longer than 2 weeks. However, the stain will eventually return regardless. ========== *Method 1* PUMICE STONE: Scratches away the stain, but might also scratch the finish of the bowl. Videographer does not recommend this method because he thinks it will scratch the bowl finish. *Method 2* LIME AWAY: Worked "instantaneously" with little effort. *Method 3* BAR KEEPER’S FRIEND (powdered cleanser) worked with some “elbow grease”. Videographer believes this to be the “best” method. *Method 4* Comet brand powdered cleanser with a squirt of bleach for mold.

What a charming, pleasant presenter. As a person who lives in eternal sunshine (Hawaii), I have a real problem with these rings. I have been using natural pumice that we get from our volcanoes (it's everywhere) and now realize that I have been injuring my toilet bowl. My toilet is now 13 years old. It's time for a replacement, but before I do, I'm going to find some transparent seal to paint around my ring line and see if that helps. Thank you, sir, for your informative video. God, I hate that ring.... Hey, looking down at the comments I see that "mattheviewer" had the same idea. Optimum glass coat, hmmm. Very expensive (online $49.99 for 3cc spray plus $10 shipping and tax... but I have a special toilet that would cost over $300 to replace.

Muriatic acid - pool cleanser worked for me. Pour about a cup into the overflow tube tube in the tank. Let it be for about 5 minutes. Then a light scrub and flush several times. It stinks and it is extremely acidic.. Use gloves, eye wear. Flush several times after.

I think you should scrub the toilet more often than every 2 weeks!

I had this problem for quite a while, then realised that the water in the cistern also had a ring plus small black debris on the bottom. I found out that the inflow hose had started to decay and was shedding tiny black rubber particles. I changed the inflow hose and solved the problem. No more bowl ring.

I love this video. So I figured after your inspection with the magnifying glass the issue is mold. So I scrub and scrub, used the pumice stone and wala a sparking bowl. Then I coated the bowel with Graphene ceramic wax, then I installed sparkle and flush-(system)with BLEACH, plus a bleach tab in the tank. After 2-weeks the bowl is staying sparkling clean. I think bleach works best as a maintenance additive to kill the sticking mold and bacteria. I’ll wax the bowl with Graphene ceramic monthly to see if this is in fact the solution plus continue to use the sparkle and flush system.

I just pour a little bit of white vinegar into bowl after each flush. I have a solution of liquid dish detergent & white vinegar sitting on my toilet tank and just squeeze a little into bowl each time. Hardly ever have to clean rings. It works like a charm!!

The tank needs to be cleaned with muriatic acid. The tank has a fungus growing in it. The fungus needs air , so that is why you see it coming back at the water / air line.

I'm trying to understand about myself, why I'm apparantly committing to watching this entire 17 minute video. I don't even have this issue in my toilet.

Have a person who treats water do a mineral analysis of the water. This will tell you if the ring is iron or just a clay problem. Than a treatment system can be designed for your water quality. Even if the porcelain is pitted from the water quality the color of the stain can be removed with proper water treatment.

i have hard water, a septic system, and three toilets. my best weapon is my stainless steel scour pad- made with heavy-gauge stainless- not the wimpy ones that are hairy like steel- wool. works like a charm and doesn't mess with the septic digestion.

You just addressed a problem I've been having with one of our toilets. And I've tried everything, I thought. Bleach seemed to do the best. But, then it comes back. Well, now I know about the pitting. Thanks...

I worked at Lowe's and can not tell you how many angry people came back because they ruined their toilets with those pumice stones!

We live with a well, and frequently get hard water deposits... not bad for a well, but we get them. The toilet was awful. Not just the ring, but basically stained everywhere the water was. So, I tried Dr. Pepper!! I poured a 2 liter bottle into the bowl slowly, no prep before hand. Left that overnight, maybe even 24 hours. Then I used the toilet brush (old, worn, but still useful) and scrubbed it out. Not only did it come clean, it's been so much better over the last year! Because of the septic, I really don't like having to ever use any chemicals. But the Dr. Pepper did a fabulous job!

Just about all powder that doesn't dissolve in water is abrasive so I have used baking soda with good results, and when you used the lime-a-way it would have stayed in place had you soaked some paper towel and laid it over the ring. For hard water build up that we have in Arizona I use citric acid either applied directly or diluted with water on paper towel, it's safe to use just be careful if you have open cuts on your hand because this will sting like getting fresh lemon juice on the cut. The nice thing about citric acid is it's a great household cleaner plus you can make nacho cheese from block cheese with it.

I keep a spray bottle with straight white vinegar in the bathroom. Couple of squirts around the ring line every day or so keeps the ring away.

All the people on here talking about using bleach to clean the toilet need to be careful because over time the bleach can eat out the wax seal in the floor and cause the toilet to leak at the base

I drain the water down low enough to apply a wax layer 1 inch above to 1 inch below the ring area. A bar of soap or even car wax will wash away in a short period of time. I use candle wax, bees wax is preferred. You must apply a good pressure to get the wax deep into the pores. If you miss any spots then they will reappear very quickly. As of this writing,the ring has not returned for almost a year now.

SOS Pad and I scrubbed that ring relentlessly and with Bar Keepers Friend for like 15 minutes. It’s the only thing I used that actually worked.

Our toilet ring problem was actually in the tank! It had moldy mildewy stuff in it along with red algae. We just scrubbed it good and followed up with a couple of toilet tablets. The tank was clean and it also stopped the reoccuring ring in the bowl as well. It's been months since, but now we know what to look for if it returns again. Usually happens in the summer when the incoming water is warmer etc. We have a treatment system/softener on our water supply and there is no chlorine left afterwards. We started putting a cup of bleach in our toilet tanks every couple of months. Seems to work very well.

Very informative, describes the problem I had. After scrubbing it with Barkeepers friend, about every 2-3 days I spray it with Clorox Cleanup. KEEPS it clean until I scrub again to get hard water marks off. Water softener sometimes helps.

i use that ZEP on my toilet...keeps it clean for a loooong time...walmart sells it, but you generally won't find it amongst regular household cleaners...look over by the hardware/paint area as this is industrial strength stuff...they have other ZEP products there too, but i just use the toilet bowl one...cuts through shower soap scum fast, and easy, along with those rusty hard water stains

I would recommend that before anyone uses an abrasive such as pumice to clean their toilet bowl they find a good website that details how toilets are made. The smooth, shiny surface of the toilet is a glaze incorporated in the manufacturing process. It is usually less than 1 mm thick which makes it easy to remove with an abrasive. Glaze is what keeps liquids (water) from being absorbed into the more porous material of which the toilet is made of. Same principle as china dinnerware. I would suggest you don’t use any kind of abrasive since continued use will result in toilet replacement.

Clean the tank too. For hard water stains I like the Lysol lime and rust remover in the black bottle. It's with the other bowl cleaners and Target usually has a pretty good deal.

Since all three of my "water saver" toilets had the "recurring rings", I purchased flush kits that had adjustable components ("flapper" flush valve and bowl fill tube valve). By adjusting the "flapper" for a short interval flush time and the bowl fill valve for a more limited fill time, I achieved a "random" bowl water level result, thus rarely allowing the water level in the bowl to remain at the same level. After months now, the rings gradually faded with each cleaning and are now gone. It SEEMS that the rings MAY have involved organisms that live in the pitting. It SEEMS that they can't survive without the CONTINUAL critical balance of air and water that apparently occurs only with a consistent water line. It SEEMS that having a water line that is inconsistent destroys the "habitat" for the "little microbial monsters" accordingly. (Note: This adjustment requires "skillfully" holding the flush lever a bit longer when you do a "big job" & shorter for "little jobs". It also seems to save water & thus $$$.)

Thank you for taking the time to explain what is going on that creates the toilet ring. I am going to experiment with an essential oil antimicrobial spray in my toilet bowls on a daily basis once I get it cleaned pristine!

The comet quadrant actually looks the best. My mom used comet once a week when we were kids every weekly cleaning day. Man those old timers sure knew what was up. Personally, I 1 it up it by using zep toilet bowl cleaner at first and let it sit about 15-20 minutes.Removes larger deposits fast and then after sitting a few minutes, I throw my moms "old go to" of Comet on top of the toilet bowl cleaner. Swish it around with the brush and wham ! all gone !! no scratching ,no nothing. I have really nice retro toilets in my house i specifically bought because I want the 1920's goose neck look. Works like a charm ! As anyone who is into retro plumbing knows, usually, the year made is fired (stamped) under the bottom base of most old toilets. Mine are variations from the 20's and perform and look like new. Thanks mom for a great lesson in life that still applys....