Toilet rim waterways blocked by limescale

[Ben B]

We have very very hard water, and until I recently cleaned out the internals of the cistern limescale in the mechanism had meant many years of constantly dribbling water in the loo. The result is that about half of the toilet rim doesn't have any water coming out, the flush isn't too effective!
Any ideas what would be best to clean the waterways around the loo rim? I've found an easy way to pour something straight down the middle of the cistern outlet, but I don't know how I'd stop whatever I'd put down there from running straight out the free-flowing way!?!

I was thinking perhaps HG limescale remover, is that any good?

 

[muggles]

Most supermarkets will sell limescale remover for toilets off the shelf, go look down the cleaning aisle next time you're there.

I've also found this on eBay...never used it but might be worth a go http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CISTERN-TOILET-CLEANER-PREVENTS-LIMESCALE-CALCIUM/280274437406

 

[Ben B]

Cheers for the response - the item from ebay may be helpful to keep it free-flowing if I ever get it clean, but I need to figure out a way of cleaning the blocked waterways first.
I've tried "100% Limescale Destroyer" and the like, from supermarkets, but they don't seem effective, that's why I'm after a recommendation of some sort of industrial strength limescale cleaner!

 

[JohnD]

there is a harpic product, in a large tablet form, that is sold for throwing down the bowl, it fizzes up and removes scale, but I have also used it in cisterns and it will remove a lot of scale if left overnight (if you adjust the water level to be higher, it will also remove the line of scale at "tide mark". The name is something like "Harpic Power Plus Tablets ". I think you get about six tablets in a pack. There is also a similar product called Parazone Fizz Tabs that I have not used.

If, having cleaned the scale from the inside of the cistern, you then regularly use Parazone Bleach Blocks in the cistern, they slowly dissolve old lime scale. I suppose the chlorine forms a weak hydrochloric acid with the water. This will actually slowly clean the cistern out, and you will notice the scale disappearing from the float, but the harpic tablet is faster. Each bleach block lasts a month or so, and with every flush it washes round the rim and so dissolves the scale that you can't get at with the squirter on a toilet cleaner. You might find this hard to believe but I have used these bleach blocks in relatives' cisterns, and they do slowly clean away the lime that has accumulated over years.

ordinary scented cistern blocks or bloo do not have this effect. some housewives are reluctant to use bleach blocks as they are more expensive and do not have a flowery scent

obviously use a limescale-removing toilet cleaner squirter in the pan and squirt up the rim as part of the regular cleaning process as well.

 

[Diyisfun]

Dirty rim...Mmmm who wants one of them

When I moved into my current property the rim was so bad, I used a piece of wood & scraped & scraped. It took many hours.

It still dosnt look brilliant, if the toilet door is open you can see it from the landing, once in the bathroom you cant see it.

 

[gblades]

What is the access like from the bowl itself. Are the exit hold easily accessible or is it all hidden behind a lip.
If you can you might be better off trying to inject some stuff into one of the partially blocked holes. Most toilet descalers are pretty weak. If you can inject something in you would be better off using a product such as killrock which you can get from B&Q. Its mainly a kettle descaler but is very reactive so you could inject that into one of the partially blocked holes and it would gradually clear it out.
Whatever way you will do it, it will take a lot of treatments as there will be a very large amount of limescale to be removed if it has caused a blockage.