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Does vinegar damage rubber seals?

blackrose

By blackrose
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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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Posted (edited)

I've got a rather thick crust of limescale around the bottom of my toilet bowl where the water stands. I won't go into detail about the colour it's stained... I've tried to remove it using the apprived Sealand toilet bowl cleaner which I believe is an abrasive alkaline which looks rather like Jif (Cif), however the limescale is very stubborn.

 

I often use vinegar to remove limescale - which is acetic acid. If I filled the bottom of the bowl with half a small bottle of vinegar and left it for a couple of hours would it be ok for the rubber bowl seals?

Edited by blackrose
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Ryeland Collaborator

RyelandDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

I had the same problem leading to water loss past the seal, so before buying a new seal (over £30), I thought 'kill or cure' and used Harpic to dissolve the scale. Not only has it solved the problem, but the toilet has been water and smell tight for 9 months now! I would leave any chemical in there for the minimum time though. I had tried vinegar but it didn't do the trick.

 

Richard

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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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I had the same problem leading to water loss past the seal, so before buying a new seal (over £30), I thought 'kill or cure' and used Harpic to dissolve the scale. Not only has it solved the problem, but the toilet has been water and smell tight for 9 months now! I would leave any chemical in there for the minimum time though. I had tried vinegar but it didn't do the trick.

 

Richard

 

I'd be reluctant to use Harpic or any of the other domestic products because I think they contain bleach which isn't any good for rubber seals. I have a spare toilet bowl seal but the original 7 year old one is still sealing ok. Also there are a couple of big o-rings further down the pipe that I don't want to damage.

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stevewest Engager

stevewest

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Posted

it make's your chip's go soggy I know that much..hope this help's

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've got a rather thick crust of limescale around the bottom of my toilet bowl where the water stands. I won't go into detail about the colour it's stained... I've tried to remove it using the apprived Sealand toilet bowl cleaner which I believe is an abrasive alkaline which looks rather like Jif (Cif), however the limescale is very stubborn.

 

I often use vinegar to remove limescale - which is acetic acid. If I filled the bottom of the bowl with half a small bottle of vinegar and left it for a couple of hours would it be ok for the rubber bowl seals?

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Bobbybass Experienced

Bobbybass

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I had the same problem leading to water loss past the seal, so before buying a new seal (over £30), I thought 'kill or cure' and used Harpic to dissolve the scale. Not only has it solved the problem, but the toilet has been water and smell tight for 9 months now! I would leave any chemical in there for the minimum time though. I had tried vinegar but it didn't do the trick.

 

Richard

I'm with you on this one...although everyone has their own opinion which I respect.

I have used Harpic for several years now on my Sealand macerator.

I am always careful to use the one thats say "5 times faster than bleach"...as I agree that bleach is not one to use.

 

The Harpic..is acid based and is just a weaker form of the kettle descaler that many on here use..only its £1 a bottle from (wait for it !!)..the pound shop !!

 

Before I started using it...I once stripped the loo at seasons end...and put the whole rubber non-return valve assembly into neat harpic to clean it.

I then went off...and being of unsound mind ..completely forgot about it.

The valve sat in the neat Harpic for many months..(5 I think ?)..and when I returned...it was clean..but appeared no worse the wear from 'total immersion'.

I figured that if the rubber (or compound ?) could survive that...the Harpic must be fine.

I now give the bowl a quick squirt every day...and it is nice and clean..with no scale.

Since I have done this (over several years) I have not had any blockages or need for cleaning the return valve etc...which is a big bonus..

I would think (actual thoughts may vary from description) ..that this daily descaling must be good for the seals...as the worse thing would be abrasive scale build up..

 

Anyway..others will disagree with me....but I am happy that I have been saved any nasty job of stripping/descaling/clearing...and if it leads to me having to replace a seal in a year or two..I don't think that is a bad price to pay..

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nb Innisfree Veteran II

nb InnisfreeDonate to Canal World

Posted
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We regularly use kettle acid in our macerator and round the taps and sinks both on the boat and at home, we don't fanny about with 'eco friendly' lemon juice and the like. Really hot water and a generous dose of acid and leave overnight. We also keep a jar of diluted acid handy and use a small paintbrush to clean round the taps, comes up a treat.

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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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I'm with you on this one...although everyone has their own opinion which I respect.

I have used Harpic for several years now on my Sealand macerator.

I am always careful to use the one thats say "5 times faster than bleach"...as I agree that bleach is not one to use.

 

The Harpic..is acid based and is just a weaker form of the kettle descaler that many on here use..only its £1 a bottle from (wait for it !!)..the pound shop !!

 

Before I started using it...I once stripped the loo at seasons end...and put the whole rubber non-return valve assembly into neat harpic to clean it.

I then went off...and being of unsound mind ..completely forgot about it.

The valve sat in the neat Harpic for many months..(5 I think ?)..and when I returned...it was clean..but appeared no worse the wear from 'total immersion'.

I figured that if the rubber (or compound ?) could survive that...the Harpic must be fine.

I now give the bowl a quick squirt every day...and it is nice and clean..with no scale.

Since I have done this (over several years) I have not had any blockages or need for cleaning the return valve etc...which is a big bonus..

I would think (actual thoughts may vary from description) ..that this daily descaling must be good for the seals...as the worse thing would be abrasive scale build up..

 

Anyway..others will disagree with me....but I am happy that I have been saved any nasty job of stripping/descaling/clearing...and if it leads to me having to replace a seal in a year or two..I don't think that is a bad price to pay..

 

That sounds like good anecdotal evidence. Which particular type of Harpic do you use - does it just say 5 times faster or is there another name on the bottle?

 

Our glass vinegar bottle has a rubber seal

 

Richard

 

Fair point.

 

Lemon juice (citric acid) would smell better!

 

Citric acid is a bit more expensive than acetic. I've just bought 5 bottles of Sainsbury's basics malt vinegar for 20p each. I used to use distilled vinegar in my washing machine, but it's more expensive and since it all gets flushed out I reckon malt vinegar is just as good.

 

Edit: The vinegar's sorted it. Just leave it on limescale for an hour and it comes off.

Edited by blackrose
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Bobbybass Experienced

Bobbybass

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That sounds like good anecdotal evidence. Which particular type of Harpic do you use - does it just say 5 times faster or is there another name on the bottle?

 

 

 

Fair point.

 

 

 

Citric acid is a bit more expensive than acetic. I've just bought 5 bottles of Sainsbury's basics malt vinegar for 20p each. I used to use distilled vinegar in my washing machine, but it's more expensive and since it all gets flushed out I reckon malt vinegar is just as good.

 

Edit: The vinegar's sorted it. Just leave it on limescale for an hour and it comes off.

Hi....I have left the boat now..but I just went and looked at the bottle I have here..

 

It's not a round bottle..it's a sort of wide..but thin bottle..

In the bottom right hand side it says :

 

"5x faster than bleach"..in big red letters..

That's the one I always look for..

 

I wouldn't use bleach...

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RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

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Good idea for flat leftover fizzy pop that no one really wants to drink.

 

Why? They are only very mildy acidic (the 'coke dissolves teeth overnight' myth is just that - a myth) and full of sugar. So they don't really clean and will surely leave sugars around to cause other problems

 

Lemon juice or vinegar will be much more effective

 

Richard

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