CEFIONTECT cleaning and hard water deposits. Cefiontect

[Derek87]

first and foremost, this forum and Terry's website's have been most helpful to me. i'm getting close to making the decision to update the first of what may ultimately be three toilets with either an UltimaxII or DrakeII. if we are pleased with the performance, the other toilets will follow.

one feature that caught my eye is the CEFIONTECT finish. it's not a really big selling point to me (although i may have my mind changed once we have it), but i have concerns for how it should be cleaned.

we live in Santa Clara, CA where we have very hard water (a significant portion comes from local well water) which can leave hard mineral deposits at the water line in the bowl. if the bowls are cleaned weekly, it builds up rapidly into a crusty, hard to clean brown ring. even with regular cleaning, i rely on Comet powder cleanser in a paste form to keep the surface of our Sterling (builder installed piece of junk) toilet finish clean and smooth. if it's really built up, i have had to use a lot of elbow grease and a paste made from Barkeeper's Friend powdered cleanser.

so my question is this: would either of these cleansers damage the CEFIONTECT finish? and if it is "damaged," what would the net results be? i don't mind if it's no longer "antibacterial" but i don't want to be left with a non smooth porcelain finish by using powdered cleansers to address our hard water issues.

do any of you have experiences with hard water deposits at the water line, and how to handle them with the CEFIONTECT finish? (vinegar nor magic eraser do the trick in my experience either.)

thanks for any thoughts!

 

[Reach4]

I don't know what happens to Sanigloss if you use abrasive cleaners. You have probably seen https://www.totousa.com/product-faqs or equivalent.

I have used a pumice stick (Pummie brand) to remove the ring on older toilets. Wear gloves, and work hard.

Phosphoric acid (easily available under a different name) may help. 100%bleach may help. I am not sure that either of those is within the guidelines of the FAQ.

I recommend a water softener. It will help more than just the toilets. Yes, there is some water use during regen, but that can be minimized.

• Use a mild dish detergent to clean your lavatory.
• Use a gel-based toilet bowl cleaner.
• Use a soft cloth to clean your lavatory.
• Use a soft-bristled plastic brush to clean your toilet.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Derek87]

I don't know what happens to Sanigloss if you use abrasive cleaners. You have probably seen https://www.totousa.com/product-faqs or equivalent.

I have used a pumice stick (Pummie brand) to remove the ring on older toilets. Wear gloves, and work hard.

Phosphoric acid (easily available under a different name) may help. 100%bleach may help. I am not sure that either of those is within the guidelines of the FAQ.

I recommend a water softener. It will help more than just the toilets. Yes, there is some water use during regen, but that can be minimized.

thanks for your thoughts. i submitted a query to Toto about their opinion on Comet or Barkeeper's friend. those have never damaged our existing toilets or any that i've owned over the years, but i want to be sure before buying a Toto.

yes, we have thought about a water softener a few times, but decided to not do so for variety of reasons.

 

[Wallijonn]

One member shut off the water and poured half a bottle of CLR de-mineralizer, iirc, down the tank hole, then repeated after pouring a gallon of water into the tank in the morning. He said it worked for him and I intend to do the same with ZEP Calcium, Lime & Rust Remover, hoping that it will only take 10 minutes before it needs to be rinsed away. http://www.homedepot.com/p/ZEP-1-gal-Calcium-Lime-and-Rust-Remover-ZUCAL128/100670176?N=5yc1vZ1n9 As always, read the reviews, compare the number of under 3 stars to the number of over 3 stars, and if the positives out weigh the negatives it is probably a good product. (The negative reviews were for cleaning concrete - they were using the wrong product. Compare the ZEP Driveway, Concrete and Masonry cleaner - more negatives than positives.)

No, I didn't go with the Sanigloss on my two Drakes.

 

[Derek87]

One member shut off the water and poured half a bottle of CLR de-mineralizer, iirc, down the tank hole, then repeated after pouring a gallon of water into the tank in the morning. He said it worked for him and I intend to do the same with ZEP Calcium, Lime & Rust Remover, hoping that it will only take 10 minutes before it needs to be rinsed away. http://www.homedepot.com/p/ZEP-1-gal-Calcium-Lime-and-Rust-Remover-ZUCAL128/100670176?N=5yc1vZ1n9 As always, read the reviews, compare the number of under 3 stars to the number of over 3 stars, and if the positives out weigh the negatives it is probably a good product. (The negative reviews were for cleaning concrete - they were using the wrong product. Compare the ZEP Driveway, Concrete and Masonry cleaner - more negatives than positives.)

No, I didn't go with the Sanigloss on my two Drakes.

thanks for your input. still not response from Toto yet.

i would personally think ZEP or CLR would be harsher than Barkeepers friend or Comet, but maybe because they are liquids, they are not. i actually recall trying CLR before and it was not as effective as elbow grease and BKF.

since then, i have found with regular maintenance (weekly cleaning), i only use BKF 1-2 times a year for touch up, but Comet works for weekly cleanings and prevents any rings from building up.

i guess, i don't mind if the extra smoothness is compromised, as long as it doesn't start chipping or looking unsightly.

Terry - any experiences with your customers or is water nice and soft in the Seattle and surrounding regions?