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paulz
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# Posted: 3 Mar 2017 01:56pm
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I have two toilets in the same house, there when I bought the place, both get equal use. Yours truly gets to clean 'em. One gets a stain ring at the water level and also staining towards the bowl bottom. I can scrub it clean but in a week the stains are back. The other toilet doesn't get these stains.
My question is, can porcelain become etched or corroded with age such that the minerals and what have you stain it more than a fresh surface?
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MtnDon
Member
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# Posted: 3 Mar 2017 03:18pm
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Does the one that gets stained quickly sit with urine in it for a time? I ask because someone in our household used to pee in the night and not flush. That toilet showed staining more than the other that was always flushed immediately. Have you tried drying the stained area so you can see if there is any surface difference, roughness whatever?
A new toilet would also save you water as well as give you a clean new bowl. 
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Just
Member
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# Posted: 3 Mar 2017 05:38pm
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ls the one that stains serviced by iron pipe ?? If so could be iron bacteria in the pipe .a water softener my help..
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Smawgunner
Member
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# Posted: 3 Mar 2017 07:25pm
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Man I have the same issue! I think it's just an old toilet and somehow the finish on the porcelain has worn off maybe?
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 3 Mar 2017 08:17pm
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Thanks for the replies. We do conserve water so use the 'if it's yellow let it mellow' principle but on both toilets. One thing I just realized, the stained toilet's tank is also stained brown on the inside throughout, while the clean toilet's tank is not. So maybe it has something to do with plumbing, however the two bathrooms are back to back with only one wall between the two toilets. The plumbing is ancient cast iron circa 1955. I don't see any rusty metal parts in the tank itself.
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bldginsp
Member
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# Posted: 3 Mar 2017 08:38pm - Edited by: bldginsp
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If your water supply pipes are iron, installed in 1955, they are at or beyond their life expectancy. Don't know why it happens with one toilet and not the other, but I bet you have badly rusting pipes just waiting for the first opportunity to cause you great inconvenience. My crystal ball sees a full plumbing replacement in your near future.
-Swami Plumbalottawattananda
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MtnDon
Member
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# Posted: 3 Mar 2017 09:45pm
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same brand toilets??
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 4 Mar 2017 10:52pm
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No, the clean one is a Kolher, the other American Standard. Did some reading though, I may have exacerbated my own problem. I've been using Comet to clean it, and from what I'm reading it's a no-no, scratches the porcelain and makes stuff stick to it.
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Steve_S
Member
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# Posted: 5 Mar 2017 06:52am
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Comet = THAT'S IT ! Never ever use anything abrasive, be it steel wool - SOS Pads included, comet or anything like that on porcelain. It will leave micro-scratches and only get worse everytime it's used... once scratched, there is surface for staining to stick to. There is NO REPAIR that can be done to porcelain. So your options are to replace or live with it as function is not affected.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 5 Mar 2017 11:06am
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Yes I'm sure that didn't help...but, this photo shows the brown staining inside the tank, the other is not. Also, I have scrubbed the entire bowl area with Comet yet the area from the ring at the water line down to the stained area around the output hole stays white.
The staining in the tank indicates rusty pipes no? But the sink and tub right next to it are fine.
I suppose I should change it out but toilets are like spouses, you find one you're comfortable with and it's hard to let go. Plus if it's the pipes that won't help.
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Steve_S
Member
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# Posted: 5 Mar 2017 11:22am
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Yeah, that's a rusty bit of pipe or fitting somewhere if the sink & tub in same room aren't affected then you have to trace the line that feeds this one toilet. Hopefully you have access to the lines.
Once that's found & replaced, maybe dump some CLR type stuff in the tank when it's full and let that remove the iron staining which should effectively stop it from re-staining the bowl.
Well, maybe not CLR but something that will remove that stain in there... Vinegar may be a good 1st try and let it sit overnight in the tank.
I suppose I should change it out but toilets are like spouses, you find one you're comfortable with and it's hard to let go. Plus if it's the pipes that won't help.
LOL... or one might say, better to stick with the devil you know, than to change to one you don't.
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Smawgunner
Member
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# Posted: 6 Mar 2017 11:29am
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Not so sure about the plumbing theory. Our older toilet does this and the newer one does not. Same plumbing throughout the house. I think the porcelain is old, scratched, worn etc. Although that doesn't explain the tank...unless you're cleaning the inside ;)
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Steve_S
Member
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# Posted: 6 Mar 2017 11:52am
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if you want to verify if it is Rust and coming from Steel/Iron it's too simple. Pop a reasonable sized magnet in the bottom of the tank and leave it there for a week or two and take it out. IF it is indeed rust, there will be a coating all over the magnet. Just affix the magnet so it does not get sucked down into the toilet plumbing. It may not be iron/rust but likely is.
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Just
Member
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# Posted: 6 Mar 2017 12:16pm - Edited by: Just
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Google ... iron bacteria. .. its not iron its alive and lives in ground water
it will stain your plumbing.. it needs iron to live the stain has iron oxide in it
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 6 Mar 2017 01:29pm - Edited by: paulz
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I was looking inside the tank today hoping to find a piece of iron I accidentally dropped in there or some such. The only thing I noticed is the two screws that hold the tank on are brass and they are corroding. There is some green on them and some black flakes coming off. Don't see how that would cause rust though. They are probably brass on all toilets.
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Salty Craig
Member
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# Posted: 6 Mar 2017 10:05pm
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When you flush and it leaves circular marks, I call it pot art.
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Borrego
Member
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# Posted: 9 Mar 2017 09:50pm
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You can get the stains out with pumice stones.....you can find them at pool supply stores....
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 26 Mar 2017 11:34am
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Update: I've had a spare toilet (not as comfortable, the smaller rounder type) in place for a month now, and no stains. So I guess it's not the plumbing. Weird. I can't find any iron in the old toilet tank that would lead to the staining of both the tank and the bowl. Oh well, gives me something to ponder while I'm in there.
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