Expert's 'vigorous' method to eliminate toilet stains using household items

It's the household chore we all dread - but when you're down on your knees scrubbing stubborn stains from the toilet bowl.

It can feel like a battle of brawn over brains, leaving you wondering if there's a smarter solution. Limescale, that unsightly scummy residue, can build up in no time, particularly in hard water areas - and while you might turn a blind eye, your visitors surely won't. This pesky deposit, typically off-white or grey, seems to cling on for dear life not just in toilets but also showers, taps and even on glasses.

But fear not, Chris Wootton, managing director of domestic cleaning company Poppies, has come forward with his "golden rule" for tackling those persistent toilet bowl stains - and it's both quick and simple. He advises: "The golden rule for cleaning toilet bowl stains is to use non-alkaline products. Most toilet bowl stains appear in hard water areas, so it's important to remember that bleach won't work, and you will need to use an acid-based product such as limescale remover."

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Mr Wootton also warns that bleach merely camouflages the limescale, making it 'blend in' with the toilet bowl, which explains why the problem reappears post-bleach - because the limescale was never truly eliminated. Chris shared a top tip for tackling limescale with a natural solution that won't just mask the problem.

He advised: "Making a vigorous acidic solution is best done by using white vinegar. Pour a half cup of bicarbonate of soda into and around the bowl and let it sit for at least 15 minutes. Then, apply white vinegar over the baking soda. This produces a fizzing reaction that activates the acid and can break down the most stubborn build-ups of limescale. After about 10 minutes, scrub the toilet bowl thoroughly with a scouring pad."

Bargain hunters will be pleased to know that white vinegar can be snapped up for a mere 29p in Tesco. And for those pesky remaining marks, Chris suggests: "lemon juice after you flush" as it's great for lifting "stubborn stains" and will "deodorise the toilet bowl."