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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I had that happen before I put in my water softener. When a started getting the converted garage ready to rent, I took the toilet OUT and took it outside, where I soaked it with a strong acid (can’t remember the name of this acid, but I am sure somebody out there will….) I filled up the tank and the bowl with it and let it soak! When I was done, it looked like a had a brand new toilet. (This would only work if you had another toilet in the house to use, or else an out-house for temporary use. But it really does work!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>(My well water is full of iron and magnesium and calcium. I too am on a septic system)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>My suggestion is that you put in a water softening system, start with a clean toilet per the above directions, and you will be amazed at the difference! In ALL your appliances, as well! I am now inspired to pull the main toilet out of the house, and do the same thing, because that one was in use before the water softener was put in, and still has some rust stains that I haven’t been able to get out by other means! Good luck!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Kathy Cochran<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> greenbuilding-bounces@lists.bioenergylists.org [mailto:greenbuilding-bounces@lists.bioenergylists.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Reuben Deumling<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, September 28, 2012 12:34 PM<br><b>To:</b> Greenbuilding<br><b>Subject:</b> [Greenbuilding] scale buildup in toilet prevents toilet from flushing!<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I learn something new every day. It never occurred to me that what my renters were reporting as low performing toilets could be traced to scale buildup that had completely blocked portions of the toilet's internal plumbing. Certainly there was a visible yellowish layer below the water line at the bottom of the bowl, but I figured that was merely staining of the bowl but not 1/2" thick layer of very hard limestone....<br>I am now reading online that this is apparently quite common. Lye, caustic soda, lemon juice and various chemical cocktails based on one or another of these are recommended. Fine, but this house is on a septic system. How to guard against throwing the baby out with the bathwater without uninstalling the toilet? For that matter how to clean the pipes which I discovered were also suffering a similar fate - at least where I could see.<br><br><br>I can of course instruct my renters to do a more thorough job of cleaning the parts of the toilet they can see, but this doesn't do much for the other areas. Are there filters that can prevent this? Other ideas? <br><br>Thanks very much.<br><br>Oh, and the water company washes its hands of this; claims they hear about staining but not scale buildup. <o:p></o:p></p><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><hr size=1 width="100%" noshade style='color:#A0A0A0' align=center></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>No virus found in this message.<br>Checked by AVG - <a href="http://www.avg.com">www.avg.com</a><br>Version: 2012.0.2221 / Virus Database: 2441/5296 - Release Date: 09/28/12<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>