Cleaning the toilet is without a doubt one of the most unpleasant household tasks. For this reason, we often tend to postpone the annoying cleaning task until another time, because the toilet will be dirty again tomorrow, right? However, regularly neglecting this cleaning task can have dire consequences. Particularly in areas with hard water, urine scale forms and becomes more difficult to clean with each passing day. To save yourself the trouble and have a clean toilet at all times, you can use a simple home remedy. Read on to learn how to remove urine scale with citric acid - without the hassle of scrubbing.
How does urine scale form in the toilet?
If you take a look into the toilet bowl and see some yellow-brownish spots in the drain andaround the edge of the toiletnotice, then it is most likely urine stone. But you may be wondering how these spots came about in the first place?
Urine stone is formed by the chemical reaction between the uric acid in the urine and the lime in the rinse water. The harder or more calcareous the water is, the faster the deposits form. The bond that forms between lime and magnesium is initially soft and hardens over time. Regular cleaning with the appropriate products is therefore the best prevention to prevent the formation of urine stone.
The deposits are not only unsightly, but also a breeding ground for many germs and bacteria. In order to improve hygiene in the bathroom and free the toilet from bad smells and yellow-brown stains, you need to remove the urine scale as quickly as possible.
Does citric acid dissolve urine stone?
Not all cleaning products are suitable for removing urine scale. Some common cleaning aids such as bleach or the popular dishwasher tablets should never be used in the toilet as they can only make the problem worse. To effectively remove urine scale, you should only use non-alkaline cleaners.
Acids are known for their ability to dissolve various stains and deposits. Therefore, various acids that we use in the household are a good solution against urine stone.
With a pH value of 1.8, citric acid is an ideal remedy for limescale and urine scale in the toilet. In addition, compared to other home remedies such as vinegar and hydrochloric acid, it is milder and protects surfaces. Citric acid can be used for both removing and preventing urine stone and works perfectly for mild to moderate build-up. However, if the urine stone is very old or strong, it is powerless.
Remove urine stone with citric acid: this is how it works
When you notice the first traces of urine scale in your toilet, you can remove them quickly and effectively with a little citric acid. If you don't have the home remedy at home, you can find it in both the drugstore and the supermarket. We recommend that you get a large package and not the small 5 pack ones you use in the kitchen. TheCitric acid is a real helperalso for other cleaning tasks in the household and it's worth having more on hand.
And now, to remove urine stone with citric acid, do the following:
You can start cleaning in the evening, before going to bed and when you are no longer going to use the toilet. First, pour hot water into the toilet, for example with a bucket or directly with the shower. Then add 3-4 tablespoons (5-6 measuring spoons) of pure citric acid and leave it to work overnight. The next morning, simply clean the toilet as usual with the toilet brush and the drain will look almost like new.
The trick for the toilet rim
But what should you do if urine scale has formed not only in the drain, but also on the edge of the toilet and in other places in the toilet bowl? Then you can try the kitchen towel trick. Simply cover the brown stains with a piece of kitchen paper and moisten the paper with citric acid dissolved in water or with a little lemon juice to make it stick to the stain. Leave for a few hours or overnight, then remove the kitchen towels and brush away the stains with the toilet brush.
Also interesting:Toothpaste is a real insider tip for cleaning the toilet rim.
Can you replace citric acid with lemon juice?
Do you have a few lemons in the kitchen and are wondering if you can use them instead of pure citric acid? In the kitchen, 40 grams of citric acid can be replaced with 200 milliliters of squeezed lemon juice. To remove urine stone with citric acid, you need three to four tablespoons, or about 70 grams of crystals. To replace the acid with juice, you need just under 400 milliliters of lemon juice, which is about 3 to 4 lemons. It is therefore entirely possible to replace the citric acid with lemon juice, but since the juice also contains other ingredients in addition to the acid, it would be less effective against hard urine stone.
