We moved into a rental that has stains in the porcelain toilet and sinks. Looks like dirt but just won't come clean. Also, the tub has been refinished and it needs a more gentle cleanser since it's finish could be removed by a strong cleaner. Anyone have a "miracle" product to try?? Thanks for your help!!
Depending on what the stain is in the toilet, some things don't work. Nothing worked to clean the rust stain from old pipes in my toilet until I tried The Works. I squeezed it on and it cleaned it without even scrubbing! I was so shocked after all the soda, vinegar, bleach, etc. that I had tried, not to mention all the scrubbing...
The best part about The Works is that I found it at the 99 cents store!
Vinegar is a great cleaner. Borax is good too.
Try "C.L.R." - I've have pretty good luck getting tough stain out with it. I also really like the the Lysol toilet bowl cleaner that comes in a black bottle, it does a great job too!
I'd try the CLR first. Good luck!
Have you ever tried baking soda? I find it very pleasant to clean with. I pour it in the bath and since it is non toxic (unless they eat it) I let my kids 'help' me clean the tub and they love it! It makes the tub shiny and clean and works like comet.
Pumice stones are awesome. It's like a scrub brush for porcelain. It's perfect. We used these when I worked for a housekeeping company. I'm not sure what is on your toilet, but it could be worth a try. I've seen it scrub some amazing things off. And if you are cleaning the toilet and drop it, you don't have to worry about it going down, because pumice floats in water. I know E. said you can find them at Lowe's and Home Depot. I have been able to find them at Wal-mart in the foot section. Not sure if you've ever used one of those scrubby stones to get the dead skin off your feet, but that is a pumice stone. Just go look in the foot care section. Some of them are colored, but try to get one that is not colored.
For the toilet and sinks, you can't beat a pumice stone. They sell them at Home Depot and Lowe's for the purpose of cleaning toilets and sinks. After using every cleaning product under the sun, and none of them making a dent in the hard water stains, I hired a cleaning lady. First visit, my toilet and sinks looked brand-new. I asked what she used, and she showed me the pumice stone. It looks similar to the type you'd use for your feet, but it's not as porous. Anyway, works great, and no chemicals.
Obviously you couldn't use it on the refinished bath tub... for that, you already have some good suggestions below.
The super cleaning ladies that used to have a show on tv that went into really gross homes and cleaned them swore by generic cola. They would put it in the toilet and scrub, and it would take it all off after a few hours soak.
I would try a spray product (Scrubbing Bubbles, Liquid Spic and Span, Kaboom, etc.) on the new tub. I go for just bleach and water on the old toilet and sinks. (Let them soak and see how it goes). I have a very old sink, for the first few years the bleaching worked well, now 11 years later, not so good the building is very old.) So I just use cleanser and hot water and while it might not look so clean...I know it is.
We pour cheap shampoo in our tub and smooth it around. Leave it overnight and rinse it off the next day. Our very old stained tub comes out looking much better. You can drain the toilet and try shampoo there too.
There is a pumice type stone that may work in the toilet. I find it in the cleaners aisle at the grocery store.
My only suggestion is those Oxiclean products. Something gentle for the tub might come from Seventh Generation.
