What Can You Do About The Brown Stains In Your Toilet Bowl?
If dark brown stains show up in your toilet bowl, even after you clean and sanitize it with bleach, you may wonder if something's going on with your sewer line. Although sewer lines can back up and cause stains in the toilet, you could have a water quality problem instead. Water can build up with harsh minerals that eventually settle on the surfaces of your toilet bowl. Get rid of the brown stains inside your toilet bowl with these simple two steps.
Improve the Condition of Your Toilet Tank
The water sitting inside your toilet tank can contain different types of minerals, including calcium, iron, and magnesium. Over time, the minerals can stick to the surfaces of the tank and harden. Some of the minerals can break free from the tank and settle inside toilet's bowl. The minerals can eventually create brown, green, and even black stains around the toilet's rim or trap.
Although many homeowners rely on chlorinated bleach to clean their stained toilet bowls, you can try white vinegar and baking soda instead. White vinegar is acidic enough to break through tough stains. Some people actually use cola to clean their bowls. However, you may want to stick with vinegar and baking soda to clean your toilet.
If your toilet bowl doesn't clear up after trying the tips mentioned above, consider asking a plumber for help.
Make an Appointment With a Plumbing Contractor
Hard water minerals aren't the only things that can create brown stains in your toilet bowl. Stains can build up inside the bowl if something's wrong with the toilet's trap. The trap is a thin passageway that connects directly to the waste pipe beneath your toilet. If the trap builds up with minerals, or even feces and urine, it can allow stains to form inside the bowl. A plumber can auger the trap to see if it contains debris.
If the trap isn't the problem, a plumber can go ahead and check your sewer line for clogs and other serious problems. If the line is clogged, a contractor can take steps to clear it. Your toilet bowl should remain clear after the repairs.
You can keep your toilet bowl free of stains by installing a water softener in your bathroom or house. Water softeners help break down calcium and other hard minerals so that they don't settle on the surfaces of your tank or bowl.
For more tips on how to keep brown stains out of your toilet bowl, contact a plumbing contractor today.