A member of the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook page asked for advice on removing brown stains from the rim of their toilet, and fellow members recommended a single product as the clear favourite: Harpic black bleach. Left for an hour, it can leave the toilet sparkling with no scrubbing required.
The anonymous member wrote: "Have these brown stains all around the rim of the toilet, and I can't seem to get rid of them. I recently moved to the house, and it was worse than before, and it's driving me mad. I've heard it's because of the hard water here. Can anyone suggest anything that'll help to remove it?"
The post drew more than 100 responses from members sharing their own methods.
Recommended product
One member commented: "Harpic black will do the trick, I won't use anything else on my toilets now. Leave it for an hour and your toilet will be sparkling."
Dawn Evened commented: "Use black Harpic bleach, it's amazing, no scrubbing required." Sammie Prescott wrote: "Black Hapric down your toilet overnight, you can also buy the tablets, which are great too."
The product description states: "Say goodbye to stubborn limescale, tough stains, and bacteria with Harpic Power Plus Toilet Cleaning Gel. Its fast-acting, powerful formula delivers 10 actions in every squeeze - removing rust, urine stains, and dirt build-up while killing 99.9% of bacteria. With easy under-the-rim and underwater action, achieving a deep, hygienic, and sparkling clean has never been simpler."
Application and availability
According to the manufacturer's guidelines, the product need only be left for 10 minutes, though for a thorough disinfection, up to an hour is recommended. It is available from a wide range of retailers, including supermarkets and Home Bargains. Pricing varies depending on where you shop, though it is currently listed at £1.80 on the Tesco website at the time of writing.
Fellow Mrs Hinch enthusiasts also suggested pouring a bottle of cola down the toilet, as the acid present in the fizzy drink reacts with limescale and helps break it down.
Lisa Malonoey wrote: "Bottle of cola... leave it overnight, bought mine up a treat." Sammie Prescott said: "Cola is a good trick if you haven't tried that, you don't need an expensive brand. If not, you may need to empty the water." For the best outcome, opt for a full-fat variety and allow it to sit in the bowl overnight to do its work.
