"So what happened next really threw me for a loop. People wrote in asking if I really expected my readers to "do their own tests?" Others demanded brand names because they didn't have time to look things up themselves. Most of the letters were very nice and sincere, but the bottom line was that people were not doing their homework."

That is crux of 99% of all of today's problems! Welcome to the real world ... sigh

"I never mention any brand names in this column; that's what keeps it commercial-free and credible."
It's not the brand name it's the active ingredients that make the product. I too use mild abrasives & other toilet cleaners.

How to keep your toilet clean? I keep a bottle of ivory dish soap in my bathroom. With a few drops and a toilet brush every few days keeps it beautifuly clean... No harsh cleaners needed...

Always! do your own homework... it doesn't take that much time if you are computer literate. More importantly, never take one source as gospel anyway (no offense to Ed, this is just my general internet research rule). In my case, caustic cleaners of any kind can not be used as we are on septic. I have found baking soda or washing soda (good old fashioned Borax, Borateem, etc) works well to remove minerals, etc and per the label is safe for septic (use it in the wash all the time)and non-abrasive....

Say Ed, we live in an area that has a lot of iron in it's water, have a well, & septic system, & a 5 year old manufactured home that we love. But the 3 bathrooms all have the red ring in the toilets. We get them out with the pumice stones. But only when out of the area company comes, as they are the only ones who would not understand. Yes, we are not using toxic chemicals anymore, to leach into our drinking water. Some may think we have lowered out standers, I think we have raised them. We never did want to keep up with everyone else. We always were ahead of our time, and proud of it. So there may be scratches in bowl... thats why we don't do it so often, but we can live with it, at least we are trying to help ol Mother Earth.crs

For pete's sake!!!! I'd use the word "LAZY" for those people that need the brand name, as they didn't want to read the labels, try out ones, etc. What has this country gotten to??We want all the handouts and brand names so we can relax and do none of the work ourselves. That first women must have put all her power into it!!!

i asked an expert what to do with my toilet. he did mention the pumice stone, which i have done and even used single edged razor blades, both will scratch off accumulated guk. but he also advised those blue thingies you stick in the back part of toilet tank, follow directions on pkg. at worst you don't see it as bad when it's blue... lol

Baking soda has worked for me over the years. I use it in the toilet mixed with vinegar. The dollar a gallon kind of stuff. No problems. Will the baking soda scratch?

I have cleaned both apartments and houses for a living. Believe me, I have cleaned some horrible toilets! The hard water and rust build-ups were unreal and I firmly believe, no one had ever cleaned them. I found this stuff called black mesh. You can find it in every hardware store and Walmart, in the paint department. It takes elbow grease and you must keep it WET, but it will make your toilet look like new! It can be used on porcline tubs and sinks as well. I am never without it.

Actually I'd be looking at the bigger picture and address my water quality. Seriously, rust stains that bad need to be looked into. If you are on a well, then a chemical feed can be added to filter, and if its public water? I'd be on the phone with the PUC.

You can't get upset by the masses. People are lazy, and if they go by something they read somewhere and it fails, it's "not their fault" and the finger of blame can be pointed elsewhere. What people forget is, that when you point the finger at someone else, three are still pointing back at the guilty party.

Thanks for your honest hard work, I appreciated the fact that you didn't commercialize your column. I agree with you 100% about doing it "YOURSELF"

ARE YOU KIDDING ME ???? WHY WOULD YOU CLEAN YOUR
TOILET WITH A STONE ???? I GUESS SOME OF THE WOMAN DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WERE SAYING BUT
HERE THE THING ANYONE WITH ANY KIND OF BRAIN
KNOWS YOU DON'T CLEAN YOUR TOILET WITH A STONE !!
OR MAYBE THEY JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO CLEAN !!!!
I HAVE BEEN CLEANING TOILET FOR 52 YEARS AND EVEN
WHEN I FIRST STARTED CLEANING I KNEW BETTER THAN
TO CLEAN A TOILET WITH A STONE AND I WAS 12 WHEN
I STARTED CLEANING HOUSES !!!!!!!!
Thank you, Bev Klaus

I work where we sell the stuff...people want the one that does the job...it depends on the job!!
Like you said, each case may be different, try this one first and see if it works..then you may want to try this next...

the info was informative. as for the woman who cleaned with a stone c'mon how dumb can you get ??? so sorry but get real there littl lady little brain. as you can tell most people want things done for them...as we have become very lazy in this country. just for some of these people to go and read further on their own is a asking way to much of them

You couldn't be more right on this one. All it takes is a little research and a few dollars to try different products and see what will work with your water and problem. I had a rust problem with my bowl and the third product I bought worked like a charm.

FYI - I have read a number of cleaning "experts" who recommend using pumice stones to clean toilet bowl rings and under the rim.

I had the same problem with the toilet. Many of us in this situation also have septic systems. I have not found an industrial product that works and is safe for my septic. I found the trick to preventing the stain is to clean often and flush often. The more use, the less staining.

This has to be a "First" - Advice on cleaning a toilet! You'd think people would simply go to a store; purchase a cleaning product geared for the job and give it a try. How lazy can people be? And we talk about teens being lazy.

Good for you! Anyone that uses a pumice stone on china of anykind is just plain stupid. What was she thinking---or was she at all? I have never heard of anyone using anything abrasive on any kind of china---be it a toilet bowl or a piece of china.

Your advice was great---research and see what best works for you.

I wouldn't worry to much about these emails that are faulting you---it just goes to show the laziness, stupidity, and arrogant of people--and if they can't find what works best--try a little bleach!

Not to worry, I am on your side!

Keep up the good work!

I have to laugh at your article about "toilet cleaning". We older people that have been cleaning toilets for "years" and other household items have to remember that these are the "I want it now" generation. When I buy articles be it clothes, cleaning products, etc I always try to read how the items will affect how I wash or clean or how sensitive I or those people or pets around me will be affected. This is not "rocket science". Apparently these people have no mentoring in how to live life or how to cope with everyday problems. I hope they never have to fix a plugged toilet!!

Scrubbing bubbles. good brush every day , never had a problem!!!

I think the problem is that we HAVE tried everything and NOTHING does a good job. I have tried everything on the market shelves and my toilet still looks crumy within a few days.
The best thing i have been able to come up with is i pour a bucket of water in (quickly) and that it empties the toilet. Then I use "Bartender's Friend" (no other product does as well) with one of those green scowering pads. I have to do this at least once each week to keep up. But none of the "drop-ins" work.
You wont be able to help without using brand names. Thanks for trying though.
Avon Shields

We have a cabin in mountains of North Georgia and it is built on a slab. The builder didn't put in the second bathroom. Their is no sign that it has been stubbed out. The small room is off the bedroom,I am assuming it was supposed to be a master bath. Is there any chance the pipes are under the slate tile on the floor? Tell me how to look for a master plumber?

Sorry Ed that this has taken place. People now a days are just lazy and expect others to do their work for them and a great many lack common since. I to have hard well water and have never had a problem CLEANING MY OWN TOILET.

That sounds great, however, where we currently live I have tried numerous cleaners and methods without any really good results. It's not that I can't do my homework- I'm not getting good results and I've even consulted some of the professionals I am acquainted with. I can see why people are harassing you for a more detailed answer, oh well. Thanks, anyway.

You know what--these are the same stupid people that are out voting today--what a scarey thought. Just tell them where to go and they show up and vote for who they were told to vote for--knowing nothing. God save our country. You are more polite than I. I have to no patience for stupidity--oh yeah and laziness.

Although there are indeed many commercial toilet cleaners, I have found that plain chlorine laundry bleach and a brush work as well as anything else. It's cheap and keeps your toilet fresh and clean for a long time.

i know u don't want to be nagged about cleaning toilets-i have a closet full of toilet cleaners and none of them work--needless to say i am not happy-i cab clean the ring but i live in an apartment house and the water is treated a rusty far too much(cold water)i get yellow lines down the back part of the bowl-nothing works-very embarrassing-when i lived in my house i never had this problem. i am really at a loss as what 2 do-can i mail u a sase and would u tell me??? after years in the business i am surprised that women do not ask u about this problem--oh!!!! could it be that my toilets are 40 yrs. old???

Ha, ha, ha.... well written. I don't get it though. I am sensitive to most cleaners so use mostly borax, vinegar (never those two together), baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and, yes, a pumice stone. I've never had the pumice scratch the interior of the toilet bowl.

What thinking person would use it on the seat? Perhaps she used a stone that was not for toilet bowls.

My husband is in maintenance, in New Orleans. He's had to clean his share of toilets. Someone in housekeeping told him to use oven cleaner. I don't know how eco friendly it is, but it does work. I live in Vancouver, WA, due to Hurricane Katrina. I used the blue things in the tank. They left terrible stains in the bowl. After several hours and many products, I had to call my husband in New Orleans for this tip.

WELL THIS DOESN'T TELL US ANYTHING AT ALL NO HELP AT ALL EITHER. BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN A HOUSEKEEPER FOR THE UNITED STATES ARMY. AS A HOMEMAKER FOUND THAT CLEANING A TOILET IS NOT AS EASY AS ALL THAT, FIRST YOU GOT TO MAKE SURE THE TANK IS NOT DIRTY TOO. BUT DOWN HERE IN THE SOUTH UNLESS YOU USE A BLEACH CLEANER EVERYDAY THE WILL BE A BAD RING AROUND THE BOWL,THERE IS A COMPANY THAT MAKES A BLEACH EVERYDAY CLEANER THAT YOU DROP INTO THE TANK.BUT THIS WILL FADE COLOR TOILETS.

Hi Ed; Our rule of thum is to clean once a week with a good brush and don't forget under the rim,those little holes can cake up with scale.You have to get in those holes to remove that scale with a tiny brush or wood piece so as to not scratch. Never use course materials.If a person would clean once a week very good no discororation would build up.there are good solutions to help maintain the surface of any bowl, it takes some common sence and a good routine to keep any toilet in great shape.Always check with the mfg for any sugestions and don't be lazy.Thats me opinion !

Now that's what I call going above and beyond the call of duty! I really enjoy reading your tips every month. Thanks.

I can sympathize w/ your toilet cleaning dilemma as I sell cleaning products and plumbing supplies. One of the things I pride myself on is giving tips to people to help them with their maintenance needs. These tips are ways to do things w/ what's around the house, not necessarily going out to buy a cleaning product, such as adding a small amount, 10%, of bleach to remove a stain. I also add some vinegar to the tank from time to time to prevent lime buildup. Maybe this is what people are looking for, a male version of Heloise. Well good luck, enjoy reading your advise and the foibles of others.

Good grief! Don't people clean their toilet bowls on a regular basis? What have they been doing all these years? YUCK! I don't want to know. I was taught to clean toilet bowls at a young age. Part of the chore thing in the '50's.

We have bad water and I found a cup of bleach over night does the trick. In the bowl not the tank.

Unfortunately, Ed, you tapped right into part of what is going on in our nation: people REFUSE to do their homework. No matter how "poor" some people consider themselves, in the annuls of humanity, we are the aristocracy - even those collecting government checks are better off than kings of 200 years ago. Now this seems off subject but its the heart of the subject. People now think they need to have "people" to do stuff for them. Get a bill, no need to look at it, just call customer service to explain every tiny detail. Taxes? Pay an overpriced national consortium to do them. Consumer purchases? Refer to a magazine to supply you with their opinion, which you take as the honest-to-goodness truth. So the fact that you did NOT report the specific results of your experimentation caused a whole lot of "can't-do-its" to cry foul.
Funny thing, though, all this depending on your "people," is that the time it takes to burn out an email or berate a CSR over the phone could have been spent educating yourself, making yourself into a more knowledgeable & wiser person. Guess that makes us a nation of fools.

I have been A custodian and A training supervisor for 24 years for A large midwest city.
In our buildings we clean 60+ toilets and urinals A day and that is the secret. In my opinion you should clean your toilet every day in order to prevent rings and stains. If our crew of 5 can clean
5 dozen toilets every day 2 or 3 in the average house should be A cake walk!
If you have A serious rust problem A rust filter
using A potassium permanganate solution should be looked into.