Whether you are a meticulous parent or a college student navigating their first apartment, toilet hygiene is a big priority. Cleaning and scrubbing your toilet becomes a part of your weekly chores, as you do not want to contract any unknown waterborne disease.
You must have noticed that, at times, there is grey sediment in toilet bowl. If you have ever encountered this nuisance or will inevitably cross paths with it, you can read this article to have a comprehensive idea about why grey sediment forms and how to deal with it.
Why Is There Grey Sediment in Your Toilet Bowl?
Your water supply may contain chemicals and minerals that may cause various forms of sediments to form. Grey sediments usually form due to the existence of orthophosphates in your water supply.
The orthophosphates are useful in preventing corrosion in the water pipes, but it comes with the hardship of getting off grey sediments off of your toilet.
At times, grey sediments may form because of calcium carbonate in the water supply. Usually, hard water scales use calcium carbonate in their supply. Furthermore, not cleaning your toilet for a while may cause sulfur bacteria to grow, creating a grey coating on your toilet bowl.
How Do I Get Rid of Grey Sediment in My Toilet?
Here are some solutions I’ve found effective for removing grey sediment.
Vinegar
The easiest way to get rid of sediment from your toilet is by using vinegar. Vinegar is mainly comprised of acetic acid, and it can neutralize or react with most of the phosphate, calcium carbonate, or sulfur residue that may be stuck in your toilet.
First, put a little bit of vinegar in your toilet water and flush it. Then re-flush your toilet with fresh water.
Bleach
Normally vinegar should do the trick, but it does not always help with bacterial growth. In that case, try flushing your toilet with a few gallons of bleach water. Word of caution, bleach water should be mixed in a large gallon to avoid the creation of toxic fumes.
Solvent Drainer/Bacteria Treatment
If none of the aforementioned preliminary tricks work, then you should go to your nearest hardware store and acquire some commercial solvent drainer or bacteria treatment.
Usually, following the instructions within the product should do the job. However, if your toilet sediments are too stubborn, you should immediately contact a sanitary engineer to take a closer look.
How to Get Rust Stains Out of Toilet
For this, this simple trick should suffice. Add vinegar to the place of rust and apply a few sprinkles of baking soda.
After a few minutes, wash it off, and the place of rust will be sparkling clean. Baking soda and vinegar create a neutralization reaction that carries off any iron oxide (rust) that is formed.
You may check the easy methods of how to get rust stains out of toilet bowl, HERE!
What Causes Black Sediment in Toilet Bowl?
Black sediments are usually caused by molds or the accumulation of minerals such as manganese. If you have black mold, it will form above the waterline of your toilet, and if you have any manganese deposits, it will form black sediment below the waterline.
What Does It Mean When You Have Sediment in Your Toilet Bowl and Have Public Water?
It means that the public water line has large contents of iron, manganese, calcium carbonate, or other minerals, that are causing sediments to accumulate in your toilet bowl.
Usually, sanitation regulations require public water lines to contain some essential chemicals and minerals to keep the water free from bacteria and other harmful waterborne disease carriers.
Why Does It Look Like There Is Dirt in My Toilet?
The dirt-like coating on your toilet may have been caused by iron deposits from water or the rusting of parts of your toilet tank. The rust from the tank may be transferred to your toilet when you flush.
What Does Limescale Look Like in Toilet?
Limescale is usually the result of calcium carbonate and may take various color forms, including pink, brown, or orange stains. Do not confuse rust or dirt with limescale, and immediately treat the limescale to avoid accumulation.
How Do I Remove Grit from My Toilet Bowl?
Grit is formed due to any sort of pumping sediments. You can brush your toilet bowl with a toilet cleaner to easily get rid of grit from the toilet bowl.
Can You Put Vinegar in Your Toilet Bowl?
You can! Make sure you let the vinegar sit overnight and thoroughly rinse it off before sitting on your toilet bowl.
What Does Vinegar Do to Your Toilet?
Vinegar is slightly acidic and will neutralize any metal or alkaline substance that can cause sedimentary deposits in your toilet.
Can I Put Bleach in My Toilet Tank?
It is advisable not to put bleach in your toilet tank. This is because the bleach will corrode the internal parts of your toilet tank, and this may make your toilet and flush dysfunctional.
If you want to clean your toilet with bleach, use bleach water, and then rinse off the excess bleach water to take off any bleach that may harm your toilet infrastructure.
You can also read the article on: How To Clean Toilet Tank Perfectly
Why Is My Toilet Water Still Dirty After Flushing?
Some sediments require external chemicals to be neutralized or washed off. Normal water not only does not contain these chemicals, but the water itself may be the reason for the inception of the sediments. This may make your toilet water murky and dirty, even after flushing.
Is Sediment in Water Harmful?
Not necessarily. However, if your toilet bowl is unclean and contains harmful bacteria, it may transport some unwanted waterborne diseases into your bathroom vicinity. This may cause unwanted and unsolicited sickness.
Final Words
Grey sediment in toilet bowl may be elusive and stubborn, but they are not undefeatable. Using the correct combination of chemicals and the right skills, you can easily get rid of unnecessary and unsightly grey sediments from your toilet bowl. Say no to stain!
