I know, I know—everyone’s first instinct is to dump a gallon of bleach into the bowl and walk away. Don’t do it. Bleach is great for killing germs, but it’s terrible at dissolving rust. In fact, bleach can actually set the stain, making it permanent. Imagine trying to wash a coffee stain with milk—that’s bleach on rust.
Instead, pour a bucket of water into the bowl to lower the water level below the crusty ring. This is the most awkward part, like trying to change a tire while wearing mittens. But do it anyway. You want to expose the rust, not give it a swimming lesson.
