Why Is There Grey Stuff in Toilet Bowl? (Step-By-Step Solution!)

It can be unexpected to use the toilet and then realize there’s a layer of colored film on the surface of the bowl.

This can be disconcerting and it’s something to pay attention to.

You will want to know what the grey stuff in the toilet bowl is.

Grey residue in the toilet bowl highlights the presence of Serratia Marcescens bacteria. This type of bacteria is often seen in bathrooms around basins, toilets, showers, and tiles. The color can differ between black, grey, orange, and pink. This occurs when soap or similar fluids are leftover and begins to dry on the surface. To get rid of the grey stuff in a toilet bowl, it’s recommended to scrub using a toilet brush until the film goes away.

It’s important to use a quality cleaner for the remaining grey residue in your toilet bowl. This will ensure it goes away and does not become a problem later on.

This article will provide a clear-cut step-by-step process for removing grey stuff from the toilet bowl.

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Steps On How To Remove Grey Stuff In Toilet Bowl

1. Rinse With Water

To get started, you will want to rinse the toilet bowl with warm water.

The goal is to get rid of the top layer of biofilm that settles on the toilet’s surface. This should not be hard to remove and even a gentle scrub of the brush should loosen it.

The idea is to get rid of the top layer before working on the bottom one. This is essential to make your life easier when it is time to start scrubbing using a toilet brush.

2. Pour Toilet Bowl Cleaner In

To get rid of the grey residue in the toilet bowl, you have to use a quality toilet cleaner.

It’s preferable to use one that removes limescale as this will have the formulation work away at the biofilm.

Be patient when you are pouring the toilet cleaner in as it needs to cover the entire surface. Do not miss spots as that is how bacteria keep growing.

You have to be methodical with how the toilet cleaner is poured in and how it covers different parts of the toilet bowl.

grey stuff in toilet bowl

3. Scrub With Toilet Brush

Now it is time to get your hands dirty.

You will want to scrub away using a high-quality toilet brush that has the bristles needed to shake the biofilm loose. It is going to be firmly in place, which means a gentle scrubbing is not going to do for the grey residue.

Instead, you have to begin to scrub with a bit of force to get rid of that bottom layer.

After a while, you are going to get the hang of things. This is when the grey residue in the toilet will start to strip away from the surface.

How long does this take?

It can be a lengthy process as you might have to keep scrubbing for 20-30 minutes. It comes down to how engrained the grey residue is.

If it just became a problem, it won’t take as long. However, older toilets can have a prolonged battle with grey residue, which leads to a lengthy scrubbing session too.

4. Rinse Again

Once you believe the biofilm has come off, it is time to rinse the toilet bowl.

You are going to take another bowl of warm water and pour it onto the surface. This will get rid of anything that is left behind.

This is the same as the first step.

You just want to remove any leftover grey residue that was not removed by the brush. Remember, you should also rinse the toilet brush too.

grey stuff in toilet bowl

5. Flush The Toilet A Few Times

To remove grey stuff in the toilet, you have to flush it a few times too.

You don’t want the bacteria settling in still water for long periods. This is not good for the toilet bowl’s surface even if it is not harmful to you.

It is essential to flush the toilet a few times to get fresh water into the toilet bowl.

Final Thoughts

These are the tips to apply when it is time to remove the grey film from the toilet bowl.

To remove grey residue from the toilet bowl, it’s recommended to use a good toilet cleaner and then scrub away with a toilet brush. This will help remove the biofilm that can develop due to soap and/or other cleaning products that are used inside the toilet.

This process will take up to 10-20 minutes depending on how thick the layer is.

Read More On Bathrooms:

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