TOTO Drake II bowl and tank: finish is GONE

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NJmuddy

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A few years ago, I bought and installed a TOTO Drake II with the infamous CEFIONTECT® feature. At first, it had green "stains" at the bottom, which TOTO customer support said was from hard water (we do have city water which is quite hard). I used vinegar and it helped a bit, but I had the suspicion something else was at play.

Well, 2 years later (life gets in the way) and now most of the finish/glaze below the water line is gone. It's dark brown and rough-textured (see attached photos); my guess it's raw porcelain without any glaze. I've lived in this area my whole life (i.e., same hard water) and NEVER saw a toilet do this so I can't figure another reason other than defect.

Thoughts/help? I contacted TOTO and am waiting to hear back. Thanks in advance.
 

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Reach4

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CEFIONTECT does need you to use a toilet brush. What do you scrub with? Do you have another toilet?
 

NJmuddy

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CEFIONTECT does need you to use a toilet brush. What do you scrub with? Do you have another toilet?
I use a plastic brush and "eco-friendly" toilet cleaners (never harsh chemicals or abrasives). The brush is visible in the photo.

The other toilet in the house, a cheap one from a big-box store that was installed about 15 years ago, has no such issues. Assuming it gets the same maintenance and uses the same water, the only variable is the toilet itself.
 

WJcandee

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This will get it off easily, but I wouldn't go to pumice before checking with Toto, because it will probably remove the CEFIONTECT. I'm curious whether this bowl was allowed to sit for a long time, because this kind of accumulation doesn't usually happen unless the hard water is sitting in the bowl for days/weeks/months without cleaning. Also, I personally wouldn't use a toilet bowl cleaner that didn't have some bleach in it. The Clorox toilet bowl cleaner, for example, is excellent. I would go with some straight bleach or Clorox cleaner and your brush before going to the pumice.



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NJmuddy

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This will get it off easily, but I wouldn't go to pumice before checking with Toto, because it will probably remove the CEFIONTECT. I'm curious whether this bowl was allowed to sit for a long time, because this kind of accumulation doesn't usually happen unless the hard water is sitting in the bowl for days/weeks/months without cleaning. Also, I personally wouldn't use a toilet bowl cleaner that didn't have some bleach in it. The Clorox toilet bowl cleaner, for example, is excellent. I would go with some straight bleach or Clorox cleaner and your brush before going to the pumice.



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Interestingly, this is the main toilet in the house; it is used (and cleaned) very frequently. The other toilet (the one with no issues) is used and cleaned considerably less frequently. Thanks for the tip - I will wait to see what TOTO says.
 
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Plumbs Away

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A few years ago, I bought and installed a TOTO Drake II with the infamous CEFIONTECT® feature. At first, it had green "stains" at the bottom, which TOTO customer support said was from hard water (we do have city water which is quite hard). I used vinegar and it helped a bit, but I had the suspicion something else was at play.

Well, 2 years later (life gets in the way) and now most of the finish/glaze below the water line is gone. It's dark brown and rough-textured (see attached photos); my guess it's raw porcelain without any glaze. I've lived in this area my whole life (i.e., same hard water) and NEVER saw a toilet do this so I can't figure another reason other than defect.

Thoughts/help? I contacted TOTO and am waiting to hear back. Thanks in advance.
If all else fails, get a gallon of "green" muriatic acid. Ventilate the area well and protect your face and eyes. It will remove the build-up easily and completely.
 

Terry

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I have a ten year old bowl with CEFIONTECT downstairs that still shines.
I do use cleaner every so often on it.
I have seen some bowls that looked bad, and with a bit of cleaning they were good again. Not in my home. I don't ever let them get that dirty.

toto-bowl-cleaning.jpg
 
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NJmuddy

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I have a ten year old bowl with CEFIONTECT downstairs that still shines.
I do use cleaner every so often on it.
I have seen some bowls that looked bad, and with a bit of cleaning they were good again. Not in my home. I don't ever let them get that dirty.

When the very bottom of the bowl started turning weird colors, I followed the advice from TOTO customer service and used vinegar (with limited success). They cautioned against using anything stronger. So yes, guilty of letting this go too long, but it's not human waste or dirt. I've assumed all along that it was the top layer disintegrating and this wasn't high on the priority list, but now it's moved up. If I scrape it with my fingernail (after cleaning the bowl with aforementioned brush and liquid cleaner, of course), it feels very rough and gritty, and nothing comes off.

If it is the water, why doesn't this affect the other toilet? Could something in the water have etched the CEFIONTECT? BTW, the inside of the tank is the same color (dark brown).

Is there any easy way to tell if this is hard water crud versus the glaze coming off? TIA
 
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WJcandee

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I would definitely go back to Toto and suggest that maybe the bowl wasn't properly-glazed, because the unglazed interior of the tank looks the same and your othe toilets don't have this problem.
 

Reach4

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When the very bottom of the bowl started turning weird colors, I followed the advice from TOTO customer service and used vinegar (with limited success). They cautioned against using anything stronger.

See https://www.totousa.com/product-faqs
I don't think anyone would say that household chlorine bleach would etch china, but it is alkaline. That is a matter of degree. Almost every liquid is either alkaline or acidic.
 
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