If the toilet cistern is not built into the wall, cleaning is basically child's play: carefully remove the lid, clean the inside and the small parts, put the lid back on, and you're done! You can easily get to all places and the toilet box is clean in no time. However, it becomes a little more difficult when a built-in cistern needs to be cleaned. Visually, this variant is undoubtedly nicer, because the box itself is not necessarily nice to look at. But what is the best way to descale the cistern and remove any microbes? We have a few tips on how to clean the concealed cistern.
Cleaning the water tank of the toilet - why it is necessary
Only clean water from the water pipe flows into the box, so why should you necessarily clean it like you do?by the toilet bowlmight? Are you also asking yourself this question? Well, that's true, but this water also contains lime, which over time settles on the individual parts of the mechanics such as seals and walls of the box, so that sooner or later they break. Leaky pipes in particular would cause water costs to rise. Algae and rust can also contaminate the box.
In order to avoid having to buy and replace new parts again and again, you should better prevent damage and descale your cistern regularly. However, what do you do if this is installed?
Cleaning the concealed cistern – this is how you get to the cistern
You don't even need special or expensive cleaning products if you want to clean or descale the concealed cistern. Instead, simply use tried and tested home remedies and kitchen products. And that applies to bothbuilt-in models, as well as if you want to descale a normal cistern. But first of all you have to get to the box:
- The first thing you should do is turn off the water supply. To do this, close the angle valve.
- Then you can remove the cistern cover with peace of mind. This sounds more difficult than it actually is, but the procedure also depends on the manufacturer. In some cases the lid is simply pushed to the side or upwards, while with other toilet models a few screws may first have to be unscrewed and then simply removed.
- Once the lid is removed, a partition appears to which the holding frame is attached. You now have to unscrew these too, after which you can remove the wall.
- In order to be able to clean the concealed cistern, you must remove the individual parts.
Start cleaning
No matter what agent you use, it takes time for it to take effectDissolve limescale depositscan. For this reason, you should allow sufficient exposure time, but this depends on the agent used, as some are aggressive and attack the material if left on for too long. How to proceed:
- Prepare a solution from the selected home remedies in a bucket or wash bowl.
- Put the individual parts from the box in and let everything work its magic.
- You can then use the same product to clean the concealed cistern by simply adding it undissolved to the water it contains and letting it work.
- Then put everything back together again.
Useful tip: While you're already in the process of disassembling and assembling everything, make sure that the built-in cistern doesn't happen to have a small shaft in the partition wall, i.e. behind the cover. If so, consider yourself lucky because it is designed to make it easier for you to add preventative descaling tabs. This makes it even easier to keep the box clean!
How to clean the concealed cistern?
In addition to special cleaning products such as tabs or powders that dissolve limescale, there are also cheaper oneseffective home remedies, which you can try out and are often used to remove limescale from other household appliances and surfaces. These are:
- Vinegar or vinegar essence(overnight or no longer than an hour) - This wonderful remedy is suitable if the limescale deposits are not yet that severe or if you simply want to do something preventative. Before you resort to more aggressive agents, try this and brush additionally if there is stubborn limescale. Mix vinegar with water in a ratio of 1:1, while vinegar essence is mixed in a ratio of 1:2.
If you can't get rid of everything, try strengthening it a little:
- citric acid(overnight) – This comes in both powder and liquid form and can be useful if the limescale deposits are moderate. Depending on the amount of water, dissolve 2 to 3 tablespoons in it (works best in lukewarm water), after which you can use it to clean the concealed toilet cistern.
- hydrochloric acid(only allow it to take effect as long as bubbles appear) - Hydrochloric acid is a very strong agent and is therefore only recommended for severe calcification. In addition, it should only be used diluted. Dilute 25 percent hydrochloric acid with water in a ratio of 1:10 or as described on the packaging.
ALWAYS wear gloves!
