I am restoring a turn of the century Victorian cottage, and recently found a commode that I would like to install in the house.

Here is the problem: the commode has severe hard water, lime and rust build up in the bowl. I am not real fond of the use of chemicals if I can help it, and was wondering if I could use a power washer to remove the build up. Will the high pressure water ruin the ceramic finish?

Any one have other ideas? I am open to all suggestions, and could use the help. (I have company coming later this month and want the bathroom to look good.)

-- clovis (clovis97@Yahoo.com), October 03, 2001

Answers

Muratic acid works well and is deluted with enough water becomes harmless. Instant clean, no damage, have adequate ventalation....

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), October 03, 2001.

Clovis, I appreciate your thinking but take it from who has tried the same trick, on an old tub, the water comes right back at ya, no matter which way you turn!!!!!! And it doesn't take off the deposits! "Lime Away" is a good choice, use it in a place like the driveway where you don't want stuff to grow anyway

-- Kathy (catfish201@hotmail.com), October 03, 2001.

I read a few yrs ago that ckoe cleaned the old porcelain bowls well. I got a list of about 14 uses for Ckoe, thats the drink, LOL:):0 another was to use to clean scum off the windshield.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), October 03, 2001.

I read a few yrs ago that coke cleaned the old porcelain bowls well. I got a list of about 14 uses for Coke, thats the drink, LOL:):0 another was to use to clean scum off the windshield.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), October 03, 2001.

I don't think you'll get the scum deposits off without chemicals. Lime-Away or Works is what we use. And we take stuff like this (or big rugs, plastic dog kennels, or any other bulky things that need to be cleaned) to the do-it-yourself carwash. Costs about 2 bucks!

-- Shannon at Grateful Acres Animal Sanctuary (gratacres@aol.com), October 04, 2001.

Clovis, use an acid. You can use acid rinse products used to clean milkstone from dairy utensils, too. You might even use straight vinegar, since that's an acid, but it's going to take more elbow grease with a weaker acid like that.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), October 04, 2001.

I used HOT vinegar to remove hard water stains out of two plastic watering wdishes just this week. It took a few times as I reheated the vinegar and left it stand before using a brush.

-- Ardie from WI (ardie54965@hotmail.com), October 04, 2001.

Hi, Clove.....I've always used a block of coarse pumice stone for hard water & rust stains on porcelain. Takes some elbow grease, but doesn't harm anything. One time I helped a friend of mine; the commode had a thick crust of rust that I just pried & chipped off with a flat screwdriver! Worked fine - then I finished the job with Comet.

I also use a coarse pumice stone for taking grease stains off my oven walls & door - don't have to use chemical oven cleaners, and it just takes a few minutes.

Used to buy the coarse pumice stone in a grocery store, but they don't carry it anymore. I just looked under drugstore.com, and they have some 1.5 ounce sizes that I may try to get when I run entirely out.

Hope you are well on your way to a clean commode - good luck!

-- Bonnie (chilton@stateline-isp.com), October 05, 2001.