Best Ways to Use WD 40 to Clean Toilet
Did you know that you can use WD-40 to clean a toilet? Everyone finds cleaning the toilet a hard job and sometimes, no one wants to take the job. It’s a tedious process made more difficult by the existence of hard water stains, rust, and black stains created by bacteria, all of which can accumulate and be tough to remove. However, no matter how inconvenient it is, toilets must be cleaned on regular basis to avoid the accumulation of the said issues. Admit it, you don’t want to bend over for hours scrubbing your loo but with WD-40 formula, it will be an easy task and we are here to give you the how-tos of using WD-40 to clean the toilet.
This water-displacing spray has been in the market since the late 1950s. Aside from being the go-to product for squeaky hinges, preventing rust from metal and preferred moisture displacer of mechanics and DIYers, little did some of us know, we can also use WD-40 to clean toilets. It is indeed a multipurpose product and one of the best choices to remove hard water stains.
The said product is used specifically for corrosion caused by water but using WD-40 to clean toilets might be surprising and it really works!
In this blog, aside from step by step tutorial on how to use WD-40 to clean toilet bowls and other hacks, we will also provide guides and on how to use WD-40 to clean stainless steel and discuss WD-40 ingredients that you might want to know in case you are curious about the chemicals used in the product.
Here is a tutorial on how you will apply WD-40 to clean your toilet bowls.
4 Easy Steps to Clean your Toilet Bowls using WD-40
- Get your WD-40
WD-40 can be bought at every hardware store or you can also buy it online. Choose a bottle with a broad spray option so that it can cover more of the surface of your toilet bowl in a single spray.
- Spray it on your toilet bowl
Spray the WD-40 on the affected areas. One spray would be enough to remove the stains. If you want to get rid of the water line in your toilet bowls, spray it directly, it should be sprayed straight into the bowl’s water. If there are any hard water stains on the inside of your bowl, a simple sweep around the inside will ensure that they are removed.
- Time to wait
Let it soak and wait for about 10 to 15 minutes for the chemical to work. Tough stains may require a longer waiting time and if you wish for greater results, you can also let it sit overnight.
- Start scrubbing
Using a toilet scrub, start thoroughly scrubbing your toilet bowls to remove all the stains. Once done, flush the toilet to show your gleaming new toilet bowl.
WD-40 works well with hard water stains because it also rust and that is what it is for. It is specifically intended to dissolve and eliminate rust, as well as to prevent rust and corrosion by applying a thin film of fine oil to metal.
By applying WD-40 to clean your toilet bowls, you can save time from endless scrubbing and it can clean your toilet bowl in an instant.
What Causes Stains in your Toilet Bowls?
We can have hard times cleaning our bathroom and toilet bowls especially if the toilet bowl has unsightly brownish or yellow rings at the bottom of the bowl and also stains that can extend from below the rim to the water level. So to know what is the most applicable way to clean your toilet, it is also important to know the type of stains you will be against to.
- Yellow Stains
Yellow stains are made up of limescale formations. A buildup of minerals from hard water causes these stains. As the hard water dries, it takes up any dirt particles it comes into contact with, and the stain gradually builds upon the interior of the toilet bowl, layer by layer. As a result, if you can prevent minerals from forming within your toilet bowl by eliminating even the tiniest formations early on, you’ll save yourself a lot of trouble later.
- Rust Colored Stains
You may encounter this problem if the toilet bowl has brownish or reddish-colored stains. Corrosion from the pipe might be the root of the problem but the iron from the water may also result from red spots when the iron reacts with air. As toilet bowls are made from porcelain, these kid of stain needs a lot of work to clean and of course, it is not a pleasant sight.
- Green or Black Mold Stains
This stain occurs on what we are flushing down to the bowl or simply, what goes out from our bodies. The pure residual water leads us to believe that everything has been flushed away, yet the murky water is still flowing through the pipes. Scrubbing will help to get rid of the stains but eventually, this kind of stain keeps recurring because of the toilet’s nature. That’s why we put in additional water to flush and flush again so that these stains would not form.
- Blue Stains
These stains mostly occur in areas with highly acidic water that is rich in copper. Unfortunately, because the water will continue to flow, eliminating the toilet bowl stain once will not prevent it from reappearing. However, there is something you can do, which is to clean the toilet more frequently than usual or talk to a plumber.
- Pink Ring
The pink rings or also called the “bathroom rings” are a type of bacteria that can be found in toilet bowls, sinks, and showers. It’s made up of a combination of air pollutants that are settled with bodily waste and water. The pink bacteria can be produced or formed when you flush urine, feces, dead skin cells, sweat, and soap all combined but leave marks in the form of rings.
Keeping your Toilet Bowl Clean
There are several ways to prevent these stains from forming on your toilet bowls. So always keep in mind that a clean toilet is a way to distinguish your hygiene. Here are some simple tips you can follow in keeping your toilet bowl clean and white.
- Clean your bathroom including the toilet bowl regularly especially when you already encounter having hard water stains which can easily build up.
- You can opt to use chlorinated tablets that can help the toilet becomes free from urine pigmentation.
- Always flush the toilet after use.
- Call a plumber if issues still occur even you are regularly cleaning your toilet.
Using WD-40 to clean toilets is a great hack to use not only on your bowls but also in your sinks and tubs if they have similar hard water stains.
WD-40 to clean Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is a popular choice in bathrooms and kitchens because of its ability to resist rust and corrosion. The surfaces of your stainless appliances are prone to fingerprints and water stains and can rust if they are exposed to dust, filth, and grime. Cleaning your stainless steel kitchen equipment with harsh chemical solutions may help, but they seldom deliver on their promises. The reality is that cleaning stainless steel appliances is simple, and you don’t need any of those high-priced solutions. One thing you can try is to use WD-40 to clean stainless steel.
Many people use the multipurpose water dispersal spray to eliminate rust and lubricate bearings, it can also be used to clean metals. Using WD-40 to clean stainless steel is quick and easy, but it leaves an oily residue on surfaces that come into touch with food. Make sure to clean your appliances thoroughly.
Spray directly the WD-40 into a fiber cloth or rag. Wipe your stainless steel appliances along with the grain. It’s necessary to keep your strokes going in the same direction to avoid swabs and fingerprints. If you do this regularly, your stainless steel will always seem new and shining. WD-40 also adds a layer of protection and can prevent stains from forming in the future.
Remember that WD-40 is a petroleum-based chemical, so don’t use it in the kitchen without cleaning it out afterward. Even so, learning to use WD-40 to help clean stainless steel is a great way of preserving your worktops and in cleaning your fridge, or in keeping your sink clean.
Do’s and Don't s of Cleaning Stainless Steel
Having stainless steel appliances makes your home kitchen achieve a modern look. However, with the usual fingerprints, water streaks, watermarks, and worst of all, rust, these can damage the handsome character of appliances that are made of stainless steel.
Here are the dos and don’ts of cleaning stainless steel effectively.
DOs
- Always use a microfiber cloth when cleaning your stainless steel appliances.
- Start by wiping the appliances with warm water before applying a cleaner.
- Use a stainless steel cleaner that works best with your preference.
- Using a dry cloth, wipe all the remaining water streaks along with the grain after cleaning.
DON’Ts
- Don’t use the rough sponge when cleaning stainless steel. It may leave scratches on your stainless steel appliances.
- Avoid using bleach. It contains harsh cleaning components and may damage your equipment.
- Wipe the dirt away or any kitchen grease as quickly as possible to avoid its hardening that may lead to stains and streaks.
- Don’t scrub, just use the wiping technique and always follow the grain of the steel.
WD-40 Ingredients
It has been decades since WD-40 first released in the market and with its promising results, the product can now be found in every household and used by many. WD-40 is so successful that many tried to copy the product and release their own and even the WD-40 ingredient or original formula itself wasn’t disclosed and kept in the bank vault in San Diego.
The water displacement spray was tested and reached up to 40 attempts hence the name. WD-40 exact ingredients were a secret. However, research reveals that it is primarily made up of petroleum-based hydrocarbons. As a spray propellant, every aerosol can have about two to three percent of carbon dioxide. It also contains less than 35 percent of petroleum base oil, less than 25 percent of aliphatic hydrocarbons which is flammable, and about 45 to 50 percent of low vapor pressure alkane. Other ingredients were the “secret” that wasn’t released by the company.
The product was not patented even it was introduced in 1953 to avoid exposing its composition, and the window for patenting it has also been closed.
Safety Points to Consider
The WD-40 Safety Data Sheet warns that WD-40 is a highly flammable aerosol and that if heated, the can might explode. Furthermore, WD-40 is very toxic and, if swallowed or breathed, may be deadly.
For safety precautions:
- When not using, place the can in a well-ventilated area and away from oxidizing products.
- Store out of direct sunlight, away from open fires, and at temperatures above 50°C.
- Avoid spraying it on eyes so always keep a safe distance from your face when spraying.
- Properly dispose of the cans after use.
Conclusion:
Having WD-40 in your household can mean that you can also fix many things in your house. The product can do wonders not just in fighting rust and corrosion but also in eliminating spots and stains in your home like using WD-40 to clean toilet and appliances in your kitchen that are made of stainless steel. All you have to do is to spray a small amount and scrub or wipe the product to get rid of the stains easily.
But like any other chemical product, WD-40 needs to be stored in a safe place because it is highly poisonous and flammable. You also need to learn the safety precautions when using the spray.
This water displacement spray is a multipurpose product and true to its claim that it can help with its many uses. Learning the hacks and tips in using WD-40 can be an advantage that can save you money from buying different kinds of chemicals. And you’ll never know, you can also discover new ways to fix something using the WD-40.
