Toilet limescale can be removed in one hour using a cleaner available at Home Bargains, with no scrubbing required, according to cleaning enthusiasts on the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook page.
The advice emerged after an anonymous group member asked for help with brown stains around the toilet rim, which they believed were caused by hard water. The post attracted more than 100 comments, with one product recommended most often: Harpic Power Plus Toilet Cleaning Gel, known as black Harpic.
Fans share their tips
One group 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.”
How the product works
The product description reads: “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.”
The manufacturer’s instructions say to leave the product for just 10 minutes, but for proper disinfection, up to an hour should suffice.
Where to buy and other methods
The product is available from several retailers, including supermarkets and Home Bargains. The price varies, but it retails for £1.80 on the Tesco website at the time of writing.
Other Mrs Hinch fans recommended using a bottle of cola to clean the toilet, as the acid in the fizzy drink reacts with limescale and helps dissolve it. 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 best results, a full-fat variety of cola should be purchased and left overnight in the bowl to work.
