How To Clean a Toilet with Pumice Stone
Almost every one of us has had to deal with stubborn stains on our toilet bowls, right? Mild detergent or even harsh ones may have proved not useful. Bleach and a scrub brush may have done you not good either but have you tried a pumice stone? What is a pumice stone? Where do I get one? How do I use a pumice stone for toilet cleaning? Well, search no more as in this article, we will take you through all you need to know about a pumice stone.
What Is a Pumice Stone?
Did you know that, according to Volcano Discovery, 50 to 70 volcanos erupt every year? How is that related to pumice stones? A pumice stone is formed when lava, produced during a volcanic eruption, combines with water. It is a lightweight stone with a foamy appearance. In fact, the name pumice comes from the Latin word “pumex,” which means “foam.” Nonetheless, it has abrasive properties. In most cases, a pumice stone is light-colored. For instance, white or grey pumice stones are quite common. However, don’t be surprised if you encounter a black pumice stone. For a long time, pumice stones have been used in the beauty industry, construction, and even the early medicinal industry. It has also been used in polishes as an abrasive. It is known for its impressive ability to remove dry and dead skin and is especially useful if you have corns and calluses on your feet. This is as it helps soften them, thus reducing pain caused by friction. Additionally, pumice stone is used in cleaning. It is especially effective in the removal of notoriously stubborn stains on porcelain equipment, for instance, hard water rings, limescale, or rust. If you are suffering from these pesky toilet rings and stains on your toilet bowl, this is just the tool you need to bring it to a sparkle. Sounds messy, right? Fortunately, most pumice stones come with a handle and are easier to use. However, if your pumice stone is not on a stick, grab yourself some gloves, and it will equally do the trick. So, let’s explore the right way to clean your toilet using a pumice stone and a few tips that may come in handy.
How Should You Clean Your Toilet Bowl Using a Pumice Stone?
It is advisable that before using a pumice stone for toilet bowl cleaning or any other porcelain bowl in your house, you should first clean your toilet normally. This will remove the cleanable dirt, and thus, your pumice stone will only be used to remove the stubborn stains. After that, you should ensure that you thoroughly wet your pumice stone and the surface you are working on and ensure that they remain wet even as you clean. For this purpose, you should be well equipped with a bucket of clean water or you may as well use the toilet water. This helps soften your stone, thus ensuring that your surfaces don’t get scratched. If your pumice stone does not have a handle, you should consider wearing rubber gloves. Once your stone is nice and soft, simply scrub stains and marks directly with the stone. In the same manner, you would erase pencil marks on a white drawing paper. Rub gently, applying pressure firmly and evenly in circular motions. Back and forth motions can also trick, but circular motions are more effective. According to Hunker, gray residues will begin to develop the surface of the porcelain. This is the result of a paste formed from the worn-out pumice stone and water. It may not be pretty to look at, but don’t rinse the paste just yet; instead, continue scrubbing the toilet with the paste. Occasionally, rinse the surface with clean water to assess how much progress you’ve made on the stains and only move on to the next area if you are satisfied with the way it looks. Once you are done, flush the toilet to rinse out all the residue from your toilet bowl.
Tips To Help You Bring Your Toilet to A Sparkle Faster
When using a pumice stone, you should alternate the angle at which you apply pressure. This way, when the stone wears out, you create a flattened point that adheres to your toilet bowl’s shape, making the scrubbing action more effective. If your stone is bar stick-shaped, you should sharpen it into a chisel-like shape for easy cleaning.
Disclaimer
Hard water lines on your porcelain toilet bowl don’t stand a chance against a pumice stone. It is important the type of toilet bowl you are dealing with before using a pumice stone to clean the toilet because this stone will not be effective if the toilet is made of marble, fiberglass laminate, or plastic. If you are not sure of the type of bowl you have, you can try cleaning an inconspicuous area before cleaning the rest of the tub and assess how it reacts. If your toilet is not porcelain or ceramic, cleaning using a pumice stone may result in permanent scratches. Additionally, a pumice stone can also scratch your porcelain surface if not well moistened. Therefore, ensure that your pumice stone and toilet surface are wet throughout your cleaning. If your toilet bowl gets scratched, this may add to your cleaning problems as you will be required to clean your toilet regularly using bleach-based products. Additionally, many porcelain bowl toilets have a plastic toilet seat, and therefore, be sure not to clean this area with a pumice stone. That being said, even for porcelain bowls, a pumice stone should not be used for your daily cleaning routines it is suitable that you use it during your occasional deep house cleaning sessions. Follow these guidelines and get impressive results.
Where Can You Get Yourself a Pumice Stone?
Are you are looking to purchase a pumice stone but don’t know where to start? You can start by searching “pumice stone for toilet near me” and see the various options you have. Typically, pumice stones are sold as stones that occasionally have a string for better storage or as bar-shaped sticks that usually have a plastic handle attached to them for easier functionality. Relatively, pumice stones are not expensive. However, they wear out with time depending on how frequently you use them and should be replaced from time to time. You can get yourself a pumice stone in a pack of one, but they also come in multiple packs of up to 12 or more stones. The multi-pack is definitely your go-to if you want to purchase a stone to clean various parts of your house. This way, you can have a stone to clean your toilet bowl specifically, and you can use the rest to clean other parts of the house.
How Do You Choose the Best Pumice Stone Toilet Bowl Cleaner?
The pumice stone is a great choice for you as not only does it effectively clean your surfaces but is also environment-friendly. A good pumice stone for toilet bowl cleaning should be designed so that it breaks down easily to form a cleaning paste, is easy to use, and lasts longer. You are not short of options when it comes to good pumice stones. Here are some varieties of toilet pumice stones that will get you one step closer to that sparkle you desire.
1. Comfun Toilet Bowl Pumice Cleaning Stone
This stone is fast, easy, and effective given that it can easily give you splendid results within a matter of minutes. It is made of 100% natural pumice and won’t scratch your toilet bowl. Additionally, it has a white handle, making it easier to use and clean much more fun. The handle has a hole at the top, making it easy to store after use. The Comfun cleaning stone gently removes hard water stains, calcium build-up, and grime that other cleaning products found difficult to remove. Not only can you use this stone on your toilet but also other surfaces in your home like sinks, tiles, pools, and appliances like ovens. However, this product is soft and brittle and tends to wear away and fall off during cleaning. It is advisable to consider buying this product in multi-packs.
2. Maryton Pumice Stone Toilet Cleaner
It is a pumice toilet cleaning stone from the Maryton brand. It is made of 100% pumice that is odorless and long-lasting. It clears water rings, rust stains and calcium, and other mineral build-ups through gentle abrasive and not much scrubbing, and this way, your toilet does not get scratched. The Maryton pumice stone comes in packs containing two units each. Each stone has a strong, durable handle with the exquisite Maryton logo inscribed onto it. You can clean your toilet easily without messing up your manicure with this. The stone is great for porcelain and metal surfaces but can scratch softer surfaces like plastic, glass, and wood. This pumice stone is dense and thus, does not wear out easily. However, it might crumble out if you are working on tough stains. It fits most of your household cleaning as it can also clean your tubs, kitchen, tiles, and pool.
3. Powerhouse Pumice Cleaning Stone
Powerhouse Pumice cleaning stone is made of fine abrasive grit pumice. According to Power Stone Pumice, the stone tackles embarrassing toilet bowl rings by removing deposits like rust, hard water build-up, limescale, calcium, and carbon. Powerhouse pumice cleaning stone is 40% denser than similar pumice products and thus will last and keep its shape longer. It fits cleaning a number of household surfaces, like sinks, tiles, and grills but is especially effective when used for toilet bowl cleaning. It has a handy handle that makes it easier to use without soiling your hands and comes with a sturdy storage case where you can stash it back in after cleaning. The case also has air vents that allow drying of the stone. Additionally, it is an eco-friendly cleaner given that it is chemical-free, non-toxic, and odorless. However, the shape of the stone can make it feel awkward to use and has proven difficult to clean narrow areas, like the rim of the toilet, and sometimes the plastic handle can break if not used properly.
4. Pumie Toilet Bowl Ring Remover
The Pumice’s stone toilet bowl cleaner has been a professional janitorial aid for generations. It scrubs out toilet rings in seconds through gentle abrasive scours. It is made up of 100% pumice and is efficient in getting rid of hard water build-up, stains, paint spots, rust, algae deposits, lime scales, calcium, and carbon deposits. The pumice is shaped to fit rounded, curved, and flat surfaces. This makes it easier to clean even the notoriously hard-to-clean toilet rims, bowls, sinks, tiles, tubs, and even pools. The stones come with a convenient handle, thus protecting your hands and keeping them clean. However, the stone is prone to disintegration when scrubbing very tough stains and has a shorter handle compared to similar pumice stone products.
5. Tuodeal Pumice Cleaning Stone
It is a pumice stone for toilet cleaning from the Tuodeal brand. It is made from a 100% natural pumice stone and thus is non-scratching. It fits all your daily household cleaning as it can be used on hard surfaces like bathroom sinks, tubs, tiles, kitchen appliances, and outdoor spaces like pools. It comes with a plastic handle which makes your work easier and comfortable. The stone retains its shape while you clean, but you can adjust the shape easily by sharpening to reach narrow spaces like toilet rims. It has a hole on the handle in which you can attach a string for easier storage.
Bottom Line
Toilet cleaning is already a not-so-pleasing task as it is. What more when your toilet has these embarrassing rings and stains. Fortunately, there are ways to make the cleaning much easier, and what better way than getting yourself the pumice stone for toilet cleaning? This article has guided you through everything you need to know about using a pumice stone. Happy cleaning!
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