Clean toilet jets – A simple and effective guide

Toilet rim jets are designed to bring better rinsing effect on toilet bowl when flushing, as well to safe water. Despite these great benefits, the jets also are trickier to clean, as there is no easy way to reach to the area underneath the rim as well as the runway built inside the wall of the toilet bowl. Thus, to clean the toilet jets, you will need some special guide.

How to clean toilet rim jets

Toilet rim jets are small holes underneath the rim of the toilet bowl that allow water from the tank to flow down into the bowl to not only flush out the waste but also provide some cleaning actions with the clean water flow. 

Over time, especially if left unattended, the rim jets may get hijacked by mold, mineral deposits, and accumulation of debris, causing them to clog. Also, as the area is blocked from light, the uncleaned jet can become infected by bacteria and fungi. This may cause the flush to become weak or clogged entirely, and cause the toilet to be severely bacteria-infested.

So, when cleaning the rim jets, the two primary objectives would be to kill bacteria, mold, and fungi, and to remove the limescale deposit. As for how to clean toilet rim jets, you will need the cleaning agents that could do this job; you will also need methods that allow the cleaning agents to stay on and work on both the surface of the holes and inside the jets. And in this article, we will provide you with a good set of methods to do just that.

How to clean toilet rim jets with vinegar

For toilet rim jets, vinegar can be a great cleaner, since it both disinfects bacteria, kills mold, and breaks down mineral deposits. And in this article, we will show you how to use vinegar to clean the toilet rim jets, using a couple of different cleaning routines.

Simple cleaning routine with vinegar:

For this routine, you will need to prepare the following tools:

• A handheld mirror
• Protective gear; rubber gloves, goggles face mask, etc.
• White vinegar
• Cleaning detergent /disinfectant
• A scrubbing brush
• A spray bottle
• A funnel

Follow these steps:

• Step 1: Put on the protective gear. Use the handheld mirror to check under the toilet rim to inspect the degree of buildup on the rim jets.
• Step 2: Boil one and half a cup of vinegar. Let it cool down
• Step 3: Open up the toilet water tank, and use a funnel to pour a cup of the solution into the overflow tube in the tank
• Step 4: Use the remaining vinegar solution to fill a spray bottle.
• Step 5: Lift the toilet seat and spray the vinegar underneath the rim; be generous with the spray on the outlet of the jets.
• Step 6: Let sit for about 30-60 minutes.
• Step 7: Gently scrub under the rim with a brush.
• Step 8: Flush your toilet

After finishing the process, use the mirror to recheck the jet holes to see if there is any remaining dirt. If there is, repeat the steps until the small holes are clean.

As a note, you may also replace the vinegar in this routine with bleach solutions, lemon or other citrus juice, or any other form of acid.

Deep clean routine with vinegar

For a deeper clean with vinegar, you may want to use this cleaning routine using duct tape. The duct tape is meant to block the rim jet holes and keep the vinegar inside the jets as long as possible.

You will need the following tools:

• Vinegar
• A bucket
• Rags, sponges or towels
• Duct tape
• A brush

Follow these steps:

• Step 1: Turn off the water supply to the toilet tank by shutting the main valve under the toilet.
• Step 2: Flush the toilet to empty the tank and get rid of any leftover water in the tank by using rags or sponges to absorb it.
• Step 3: Scoop out excess water in the bowl, especially around the siphon jet openings. Use a towel to quickly dry the bowl.
• Step 4: Tape the area underneath the toilet bowl rim, make sure that the tape adheres firmly to the porcelain, and fully cover the water jets.
• Step 5: Fill the water tank with vinegar and flush the toilet. The vinegar will be blocked from escaping the holes by the duct tape, allowing the rim and the jets to soak in the vinegar until the tape is removed.
• Step 6: Let it sit for an hour. After the wait, remove the duct tape to release the vinegar and dissolved residual from the jets into the toilet bowl.
• Step 7: Use a stiff-bristled brush to scrub away any remaining dirt on the rim and the jet surfaces.
• Step 8: Reconnect the water supply to the tank by opening up the main valve at the back. Step 9: Flush so the clean water would run through and rinse inside the jets. Gently scrub again then flush once more.

As a note, the mineral deposit might have gotten inside and clog the jets, and in that case the vinegar might not be able to reach every parts of the jets. So you may need to help it a little by using a wire made from a cut wire hanger to jolt in and out of the jet holes and break down large deposition.

How to remove limescale from toilet jets

Limescale is the hard, chalky deposit that consists mostly of calcium carbonate; it is basically the mineral deposit that happens because of the high mineral content in the water. As for how to remove limescale from toilet jets, acids are definitely excellent answers.

As we discussed earlier, vinegar is already a decent solution for both disinfecting the toilet and breaking down limescale. So before anything else, you may want to try the methods using vinegar first. But if vinegar can’t take care of your limescale problem, you can definitely switch to cleaning agents more potent and specialized for the job. Here are some of our suggestions:

Cleaning toilet jets with Muriatic acid

Muriatic acid might not be as commonly available in typical household, but should be commonly found in supermarkets, home centers or pool supplies store. Despite being a strong acid, with porcelain being particularly resistant to acids, muriatic acid is actually safe for being used on porcelain unless you let it sit for too long. The acid is particularly good at breaking down mineral deposits within the jets.

While you don’t need to be concerned as much about the porcelain, you may need to be cautious with your own protection. Put on rubber gloves, respirator, eye goggles and full-coverage clothing as the acid itself may burn, and the process may produce toxic fumes.

To clean toilet jets using Muriatic acid, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Duct tape the area underneath the rim to seal the toilet jet holes just like in the vinegar method above.
• Step 2: Fill 1 cup of muriatic acid into the toilet tank and the fill-valve. Using a funnel, also pour a small amount of muriatic acid into the fill tube.
• Step 3: Half-flush the toilet (either by pressing the half-flush button or pull the flush level half way) to release the muriatic acid solution into the jets. Let it sit at least 10 minutes.
• Step 4: Remove the duct tape and full flush the toilet
• Step 5: Scrub off any remaining stains using the brush.

Cleaning toilet jets with delimer

Delimers are industrial-strength liquid toilet bowl cleaners specialized in removing lime, rust, scale, and stains. It contains several types of acids, among which are hydrochloric acid. One of the best rated delimer is CLR. However, as delimers are extremely strong acid blends, you will need to put on your protective gears (for the same reasons as when working with Muriatic acid). Put on rubber gloves, respirator, eye goggles and full-coverage clothing.

To clean toilet jets using CLR, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Do the bucket trick to lower the water level in the toilet.
• Step 2: Pour CLR into the overflow tube in the toilet water tank. The CLR liquid will enter the rim jets and quickly break down the lime inside, and run out of the rim jet hôles into the toilet bowl.
• Step 3: As the CLR liquid flows out from the rim jet holes, brush the toilet bowl to give it a full clean, as CLR acts as a toilet bowl cleaner as well.
• Step 4: Pour some water slowly into the toilet bowl to raise the water level back to normal. This will allow some of the toilet cleaner to be pushed into the siphon jet at the bottom of the bowl and break down limescale inside the siphon as well. Let it sit for 25 minutes.
• Step 5: Flush the toilet.

More toilet cleaning tips from Sparkling and Beyond

Love this guide to clean toilet jets?, Sparkling and Beyond have even more cleaning tips and guides for the toilet, the bathroom, or any other part of your household. And on top of assisting your DIY cleaning effort, we also provide cleaning services for all parts of the house, and for all levels of need, whenever you need professional help. We’ll help you keep your home sparkling and healthy.

admin

As the admin of Sparkling & Beyond, I bring a wealth of knowledge and passion for excellence in the cleaning industry. With years of experience in providing top-notch cleaning solutions, I am dedicated to sharing valuable insights and tips to help maintain pristine and healthy living environments. My mission is to ensure every home and office we service sparkles with cleanliness and comfort.

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