I'm blue!

**Grimace** · 03-08-2008, 03:40 PM

I had to replace the inlet valve assembly on my toilet (whatever thats called) and now I got that blue tank dye stuff on my hands and it won't come off.

I've scrubbed and scrubbed and its still there. Any tips on getting it off my hands? My wife doesn't want me picking up our 15 month old even tho it doesn't rub off.

Or should I look at joining the Blue-man group?

hj · 03-08-2008, 04:05 PM

You must be lucky, usually it also gets on the floor when water drips from the opening. Scrub, scrub, scrub.

**jadnashua** · 03-08-2008, 05:01 PM

Using that stuff is probably the reason you had to replace the valve...suggest you stop it. It's mostly bleach and stain...it won't hurt anything. It will cause all of the rubber and plastic parts in the toilet to disintegrate.

**Cookie** · 03-08-2008, 05:08 PM

Make a paste out of borax and white vinegar but, don't leave it on too long. I use that for cleaning my bathtub and works like a charm. I don't wear gloves so, I guess you should be fine, too. It works well to clean your toilets, too. But, I would wear gloves, then.

**Terry** · 03-09-2008, 09:50 AM

I charge $50 more to replace a toilet that has blue goo in it.
I can't use my wet vac on the stuff, it ruins that.

**Gary Swart** · 03-09-2008, 10:46 AM

Don't know what will take it off, but the good news is, it will wear off eventually and the damage to the toilet is repairable. I guess the point has been made about the wisdom of using these in-tank bowl cleaners, so just replace all of the innards of the toilet, including the flapper, and start using cleaners that are applied to the bowl and brushed. There are several that work just fine and won't damage the toilet.

**Redwood** · 03-09-2008, 06:23 PM

Funny thing about the blue goop... I have actually repaired toilets that wouldn't flush by taking that glop out of the tank.

**Grimace** · 03-10-2008, 06:24 AM

Thanks guys. I ended up using soft-scrub with bleach and a green scrub sponge. It came right off. I keep trying to convince the wife that the blue stuff isnt needed.

**Cookie** · 03-10-2008, 06:39 AM

How do you feel about the color green? I saw green ones the other day, ha ha ha,

**Grimace** · 03-10-2008, 07:11 AM

Maybe a marketing genius could come up with a "yellow" one! If the wife seen it on TV she would believe it. I couldn't convince her that hydrochloric acid was the same thing as muriatic acid and I work in a chemistry lab!

**Cookie** · 03-10-2008, 07:48 AM

This is a perfect avatar for you!

( that avatar is worth one vote on my poll, LOL.)

**Redwood** · 03-10-2008, 09:59 AM

Maybe you should trade your wife in on a younger model that isn't too lazy to scrub a toilet! LOL

No, seriously that smurf stuff is bad news! It slows the flow of water down from the tank to the bowl causing poor flushing. I have seen toilets ruined by this stuff and I've saved a few also. I don't recommend the use of any in tank bowl cleaners as they are mostly bleach based and will deteriorate the rubber parts in the tank. In fact I believe the use of in tank bowl cleaners will void the warrantee on most new toilets.

There are several bowl cleaning systems out there now which are connected to the bowl refill tube off the fill valve and these put the chemical directly into the overflow tube bypassing the tank components entirely. I believe Kaboom is one and Fluidmaster's "Flush-n-Sparkle" system is another.

http://www.fluidmaster.com/index.asp?bhcp=1

**Cookie** · 03-10-2008, 04:58 PM

I didn't think it was possible, but you made me laugh. You look good Grimace!

**plumbtired** · 03-10-2008, 06:27 PM

Check out the Champion Review thread for more on this same topic of toilet tank chemicals...

**Grimace** · 03-11-2008, 06:33 AM

Originally Posted by Redwood

There are several bowl cleaning systems out there now which are connected to the bowl refill tube off the fill valve and these put the chemical directly into the overflow tube bypassing the tank components entirely. I believe Kaboom is one and Fluidmaster's "Flush-n-Sparkle" system is another.

That sounds like the plan I'll look into, thanks!

Originally Posted by Cookie

I didn't think it was possible, but you made me laugh. You look good Grimace!

That is a good one, I like it!