Titanium scratch marks on porcelain

A. I tried 400 grit sandpaper and it worked very well. It doesn't seem to damage the surface, but you might want to test a small area first.

A. The best way to remove the black scratches and marks from porcelain sinks is with Soft Scrub [affil links] liquid cleanser. Apply to a damp sponge and buff away all the marks!

A. Barkeepers Friend ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] does a fantastic job of removing gray metal marks from white porcelain sinks. Also, I use Soft Scrub with bleach [affil links] to remove other stains and rust marks. Good luck!

A. I've solved the titanium scratches on porcelain problem! And it was so easy!

Get a bit of plumber's rubber - it looks just like a pencil rubber (or eraser if you prefer) - and rub the scratch with it, then clean off with soap and water and buff with a soft cloth. Job done, minimal elbow grease (I found it even easier with a bit of water on the rubber), maximum results!

The rubber should be available from any plumber's merchants, but if not try getting in touch with a company that actually makes (or even fits) porcelain sinks. That's how I got my bit - from a sink manufacturer.

I now have a sink that looks as good as new and have promised my wife that my titanium wedding ring will never go near it again! Good luck all.

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Thanks, Greg, but we can't find a reference to plumber's rubber anywhere on the net, and have never heard of anything like it. Could you be referring to a pumice stick ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] ?

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

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Ed. note: it is reported by a reader further down, that a pumice stick scratched a black toilet bowl, so it may not be a good answer for other than white bowls.

A. With regards to Titanium jewelry / watch marks deposited on porcelain surfaces, I can confirm that a Plumbers tool, known as 'China rubber', which resembles a normal stationary rubber works fantastic- I removed a 10-15 cm mark within five minutes using a bit of elbow grease. I found that it worked best without using any water. I could find no trace of of any damage left by the cleaning process. This can be sourced at any plumbing merchants, but it is not cheap- £18 for a small piece, but a worthy purchase in case of further marks! (Got mine from local Plumb Centre branch)

A. I too have used a "plumbers Rubber" except in the UK it is known as China/Bath Rubber. It is available from any reputable plumbers merchant..

It worked like magic, just like using an eraser on a pencil drawing. I too will never let my Titanium ring near the sink again... Should have looked here before spending several grueling hours with all manner of cleaning products.

Thanks All

Thanks for all your help with this. I have been trying to find a product that removes my husband's titanium wedding marks from our ceramic sink also. I've found that the 'china rubber' is also known as Cramer Bath Rubber, and I found it at Screwfix for £7.49.

A. I found what I think the Brits are talking about: at diybathrepair.com/html/stain_eraser.html

I have phoned the US contact and am awaiting a return call on where these can be purchased in the US. I will post it up here for the non-Brits on the site.

That plumber's tool is quite stiff, Bob. Maybe your tool is too rubbery limp to get the job done? :-)

A. Bought a ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] titanium watch earlier this year, pleased with the watch apart from the grey scratches it leaves on the sink. Bought a porcelain rubber from a local branch of a nationwide plumbers merchants which did the trick very easily. Cost between £12-£15 as I priced them at three different suppliers. Tried the net but had no luck

Having just moved in to a brand new house 4 weeks ago I was dismayed at the small black marks appearing on the sinks ~ usually after I'd cleaned them. Having read the comments on this site I am now shocked to realise it is my wedding ring causing the damage. I chose titanium as an alternative to any other metal as it is stronger and less reactive. I have now resorted to an alternative and have lots more cleaning in front of me. Thank you for all your advice: I'm now off to purchase a china/bath/plumbers/crammer rubber!

A. 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper works wonders (wet the paper and use some elbow grease); I also tried automotive rubbing compound ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , messier but also good.

A. Regarding metal scratches on porcelain, I have successfully used rubbing compound ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] (used to rub out minor scratches in car paint).

A. I had a blocked toilet and used a snake to fix it - this worked a treat, but left REALLY bad dark grey scratches on the porcelain.
I drained the toilet completely (scooping out the water with the lid of a deodorant spray and mopping up the rest with toilet tissue :)
Once dry, I used T-Cut "Original colour restorer" available from car cleaning product stores and one of those nylon pot and pan scouring pads. Scrubbed away for 10 mins and now it's as good as new!

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Toilet Auger

on eBay or

Amazon

(affil links)

 

A. Use a toilet auger ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] rather than a regular snake next time, Steve, and avoid the damage. I know, I know, we Americans don't know what a bath rubber is and you British/Scottish don't know what we mean by toilet auger :-)

. . . but it's a short plumbing snake with a protective rubber sheath so you don't scratch the bowl.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

A. Have tried all sorts of cleaners to get rid of marks caused by my husband's titanium ring on the bathroom sinks, but no luck! Read a post mentioning T-Cut and it worked magnificently, thanks!

Cerama Bryte

on eBay or

Amazon

(affil links)

A. My husband and I discovered today that Cerama Bryte glass cook top cleaner ⇨
does an awesome job at removing the black/grey marks left by our steel pots and pans and his titanium wedding band!

A. Like someone mentioned above, I made a mess of a clogged toilet by using a toilet auger ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] & drain snake to open the clogged toilet. The marks it left appeared to be permanent; I tried removing them with toilet bowl cleaner ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , a cleaner wax and even tried WD-40 ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] . None of them helped at all.

While at Home Depot I found the product Cerama Bryte. I also priced new toilets while there because I was certain the marks I created could not be removed.

With very little effort the marks were completely removed and the toilet looks as new. I recommend Cerama Bryte ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] to everyone.

I also had horrible scratches on my bowl from a metal auger; I used the cooktop cleaner as well and I couldn't believe my eyes. It was incredible. Before that I thought I'd have to either live with it or buy a new toilet! Thanks for this website and blog -- much appreciated.

I just read about the ceramic cooktop cleaner and tried it. Effortlessly cleaned the stains that have been there at least since we bought the house 18 months ago. Thanks so much. It is people helping people that really gets things done!

A. I've used the cleaner sold for Pfaltzgraff dishes (www.pfaltzgraff.com) --just enter "cleaner" in the search box--I bought it at a department store) or the cleaner for Corningware dishes (also bought at a department store). Both worked beautifully for removing the black/gray scratches left by pots and pans.

A. Whew! My current solution is:
Gel-Gloss [affil links]. This product is in a spray can. It is a cleaner with a polisher. I purchased it for our acrylic faux marble sink vanity. I gave it a try on those tough to remove metal pot marks in a white porcelain sink. Nothing else seemed to work, including cook top cleaner and old fashion cleanser with bleach. I even tried the Mr. Clean eraser to no avail. It took several tries, but the marks are lightening and almost gone. The can information states that you can use this on fiberglass, marble, acrylic, ceramic, chrome, stainless steel, porcelain and plastic laminate surfaces.
It's gotta be better than sandpaper.....

A. I found it! Jewelers, Eagle One High Speed Green Rouge ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] cleans and polishes metal and it removed the black metal scratches from my white dishes. I immediately followed up with Soft Scrub to remove the residue and put the dishes through a complete cycle in the dishwasher.. I have been looking for something to clean my dishes for at least 10 years...

A. My husband transported our sink in the back of his ute along with some metal posts that scratched it. We tried everything to get rid of them and after looking at this site I called a few plumbers but none of them had heard of plumbers rubber BUT one company's storemen recommended a product called Chemico. Its a pink paste and you can buy it for a few dollars in the supermarkets here in New Zealand. It completely erased all marks! I can't stop going in to stare at it :D

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"in the back end of his ute"?
My cousin Vinny told me that proper English is "near the end of his ute".

I only keep going in to stare at my toilet bowl after drinking too much, Nicole :-)

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

A. My husband found that Wrights Silver Cream ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] took the pot marks off my sink.

A. Wrights Silver Cream ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] worked like a dream. Thanks so much!

A. Barkeepers Friend is the best for the scratches in your sinks. C Davis
- Virginia Beach, Virginia
March 29, 2009

A. I had pots/pans scratches in my wife's Jacuzzi porcelain sink. Boy was she mad! Used Soft Scrub with bleach [affil links] with no luck. Then I remembered I had some Kit Scratch Out [affil links] in the garage for my cars. Worked like a miracle in the sink. Saved my life!

A. Hi, Frenchy. Many people suggested Barkeepers Friend ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] ; that's probably your best bet. But if you reach desperation you might try a clear coat of Everbrite [a finishing.com supporting advertiser] -- it is said that if something looks good wet, it should look good with Everbrite on it.

Regards,

A. I have tried everything to get the marks left behind in my porcelain sink and nothing worked. I finally tried some of my husband's Gojo ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] . It worked great! All of the marks are gone.

A. A nasty dark scratch appeared on my less than 12 month old bathroom sink over the weekend. Funnily enough, my boyfriend was staying over and he was wearing a titanium ring (hmmmm....could this be the culprit of the aforementioned scratch?) I think it could well be after reading the previous posts.

I just had a scout around in the ol cleaning cupboard and tried Hob Brite - it worked a treat, so there's another one to add to the list :)

A. I also had those nasty black marks on my porcelain sink. went to the dollar store and purchased those rubber mat liners that you put underneath, so that you won't slide. cut off a piece and rub it on the marks....COMES RIGHT OFF IN SECONDS. :))))).

Joanna.

A. I noticed a dark scratch mark on my new porcelain sink. I don't know where it came from - yes, I do have a titanium watch, but I don't usually wear it when washing! Anyway, I tried 1200 grit wet/dry paper; came off in about 30 seconds with quite gentle rubbing.

A. I had the same snake/toilet marks as other posts. After reading this I tried scrubbing, bleach, Oxi clean, pumice, a cream multi metal cleaner, and Easy Off glass cooktop cleaner. Nothing worked.

Then I tried the Mr Clean and started to see results after quite a bit (8-10 minutes) of elbow grease. I then applied Wrights Silver Cream ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] with the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser pad ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] and miraculously the marks went away quite rapidly. Thanks for all the suggestions. This last combo definitely worked for me!

A. We had this problem with my son's razor. After seeing the other replies I thought I need a paste that has abrasive particles in it. Answer toothpaste. A sheet of loo paper and a small blob of toothpaste was all it took. 2 minutes later it was perfect again.

A. I was washing up some metal equipment for my D of E expedition and I ended up getting metal 'scratches' all over the basin of the sink.
Anyway, my mum went mental.
So I came on here... Toothpaste and kitchen roll you say?

Got every mark out within 5 minutes with some of the frequently aforementioned 'elbow grease'

Lifesavers!

A. I scratched a new bathroom sink removing the label with a knife, foolish in hindsight.

Toothpaste and kitchen roll, fixed it in 2 minutes, magic :)

A. I scratched our bathroom sink earlier today and was really angry with myself as it always seems like when you are trying to fix one thing something else goes wrong! Well, I got mad and swore and felt terrible. Then I decided to do a search on the trusty internet where I found this forum on scratched sinks. Thank you to all for your suggestions. I read until I found a suggestion that included materials I had at home. Toothpaste and toilet paper, yes indeed, we have these! And it worked like a charm. Wouldn't have believed it but it is true! Only took a minute and the sink is as good as new. Definitely the easiest of solutions!

My wash basin had a lot of scratches from my husband's titanium watch strap. After trying all kinds of cleaning products without success, I found this invaluable thread of helpful information and tried the toothpaste (on kitchen towel) suggestion somewhere above and with about 10 minutes of elbow grease all scratches disappeared. Fantastic!

Now, a month later, more scratches are appearing from the same watch strap in the same place but this time the toothpaste will not shift even the lighter of the marks.
(Unfortunately, hubby consistently fails to remember to remove his watch, even with a reminder desperately stuck above the sink...)

Is it possible that the toothpaste originally took off the scratches AND the top surface of the china? The edge of the basin looked great after that first successful cleanup, but thats the only thing I can think of which would result in the same agent not removing further damage.

Will now try various other suggestions in this thread, probably starting with the Cramer Bath Rubber which I've just ordered and if that doesn't do it I'll get Cerama Bryte ceramic cooktop cleaner from eBay uk and have a go at that and will eventually come back with the results in case anyone else has a problem with further scratch removal.

A. I have finished those by using of the toothpaste, just put it to the damaged surface and then rub as much as you can, I have remove 4 stains in few minutes but I have a blister on a thumb now... Anyway, cheapest and probably fastest solution...

Well I'll be. Toothpaste and TP. Smells nice, too. Too enthusiastic with the toilet auger today, even they can mar porcelain. A poignant vote for my late grandmother's Pepsodent tooth powder. The tin.

Toothpaste gets marks off plates. I use it often and its cheap too, put some toothpaste on the plate and clean it with a paper towel or a cloth. Works on other items too.

I was wondering how to get marks out from a ring or watch etc and I was thinking T-cut would do it, Nope.. But because I was a valeter I did not give up so I tried another polish....

G3 (yellow pot and blue background)

Worked perfectly and all are completely gone! Work it in and it will go, even using one finger and no cloth.

This solution may or may not work with titanium, but it is magic for those who have marked up their toilet bowl with an auger. Get Jobmaster Bathroom and Bowl cleaner (usually from Costco) or any strong bathroom cleaner with phosphoric acid. The Jobmaster stuff is pink with a slight cherry syrup smell. Flush the toilet twice (to make sure you have no other chemicals in there), then pour about one to two cups of the Jobmaster in the bowl. Come back in a couple of hours and the bowl will be spotless, no scrubbing needed! I never thought it would work so well. It removed every scratch, even in the area where you wouldn't be able to scrub unless you had very tiny hands. I figure that the scratch marks is iron oxide from the auger. Most acids should be able to dissolve iron oxide, but phosphoric acid is especially good at it (remember Naval Jelly?)

We too have a bore water supply to the toilet that leaves a mineral deposit in the bowl - the only effective way I have found to remove it is using a coarse sand mix and a damp cloth - form a pad with the cloth, dip it in the sand and use as a scourer on the pan - a bit physical, but it works and no chemicals involved.

i just moved into a new home and found grey marks in my porcelain sink.
probably from oven racks.
i looked here and followed advice for the glass stove top cleaner .
i popped it into the search engine and low and behold there is a homemade version.
i did think initially "yeah this won't work" but to my surprise it did.

White vinegar ⇦in bulk on eBay or Amazon [affil links]
Baking soda
i just gently poured the vinegar onto stain, sprinkled some baking soda on and drizzled a bit more vinegar on for good measure. left it to bubble for 15 mins and then scrubbed it.

it works almost 100%, I'd say about 96%, but not bad for things already in the kitchen

Dremel Kits

on eBay or

Amazon

(affil links)

I scratched my sink so bad with my titanium ring I thought it was cracked. You could actually feel the scratch with a fingernail. I got out my Dremel ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , mounted a hardened cotton bullet tip to it..set it to the lowest speed. I used Meguiar's Fine Cut [affil links] polishing compound ... I had a 2" long black cut in the sink--it actually took less than a minute to completely remove it. If you have a dremel--then this is the way to go.

After reading most of the advice to remove metal scratch marks from ceramic, I tried a ceramic hob cream "Hob Bright" with a soft sponge and plenty of elbow grease and all 8 marks are completely gone and sink is like new once more.....Thanks for the advice

Toothpaste and elbow grease worked great!! The black marks are mostly gone and sink looks very clean, however there are teeny tiny scratches in the finish ... any idea how to refinish those?

I have tried many of the mentioned "cures" but never really got my sink mark free. I looked for the Cramer Plumbers Rubber, but unless I ordered online, it's not available locally. I have a pumice stone and was afraid to us it on my enamel sink so... as I was making a shopping list I noticed my pumice stone for pedicures. It is a lot smoother and finer than any other. In about 2 minutes I had 8 years of marks gone! I am spreading the word, it worked wonderfully! The easiest and cheapest "cure" yet!

After reading all responses, I thought I would try using my MAAS Fine Polishing Creme for all metals first before trying the Cerama Bryte ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] or Weiman Cooktop Cleaner ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] or the Plumbers (cramer bath) rubber. The rubbers were harder to get here (no pun intended).
Well on the back of the MAAS polishing creme it says it restores glass, plexiglass, fiberglass, enamel.....removes rust and oxidation. that was very similar to the products mentioned.
Sure enough with a sponge, a few minutes and "elbow grease" it worked like a dream! Thank You for steering me in the right direction!
The maas polishing creme is also easier to find in the US than the cramer's bath rubber. Although I wonder if the "all-purpose polishing buffing compound bars" on eBay are the same thing, or would accomplish the same/similar thing?

My titanium ring also made black marks on my brand-new white porcelain sinks as I was installing them! I didn't realize how it happened at first, but tested it out and made another black mark which confirmed it (that was dumb of me). The magic eraser did not work for me, nor did regular soft scrub (I didn't have the kind with bleach), but your suggestions got me thinking. A quick browse in the garage turned up a bottle of Mothers chrome polish, which did the trick. It only took a minute or two of rubbing with a paper towel and each mark went away. When I was done, I polished my ring up a bit :)

I also had a blocked toilet and used a snake - and it left bad dark grey scratches on the porcelain. I paid $1.85 for Barkeepers Friend . With little effort the marks disappeared.
I thought I was going to have to replace the toilet. Thanks for the suggestions!

Cramer Bath Rubbers are available on eBay

I am a plumber, and this sort of thing happens all the time, I always carry a tube of cutting compound on my van, you can get it from any motor body or parts shop. Works a treat and doesn't damage the surface.

A. Hi Sharron.

This thread has gotten long and ragged, so it's not clear whether you are still talking about a porcelain enamel sink or what :-)

I'm surprised that Barkeeper's Friend, even not wet enough, is gritty enough to seriously roughen a porcelain enamel surface, but a buffing pad on a cordless drill, with a wet and very mild abrasive, should be able to polish it. Acrylic and fiberglass sinks, if that's what you have, look nice but the finish is actually soft and not very durable ... on the other hand, I don't see how they could have rusted. On the fourth hand, maybe you're talking about a stainless steel sink?

Regards,

In response to Jennifer C's post

The ceramic stove top cleaner worked like a charm to remove metal stains from my sink. I had several that had been there for a few years, It took some elbow grease but they all came off. Thanks for the post.

A. Hi all!

I appreciate all of the suggestions above. As titanium replaces gold as a jewellery metal, I'm sure many will benefit from this information.

Unfortunately, plumber's eraser is not available in Canada, and I tried Ceramabrite, Soft Scrub and the various other suggestions with either no luck, or an overabundance of elbow grease required. I also tried my Dremel tool with a felt tip and polishing compound - no joy.

To those who suggested 600 grit sandpaper, THANK YOU! Purchase a package of waterproof 600 grit sandpaper. Cut small pieces, 5cm x 5cm. The ceramic finish is harder than the grit, so it doesn't last long - be prepared to use 2-3 pieces if the stains are extensive.

Sand wet, just using the pressure of your thumb against the stain, and presto. I just cleaned a year's worth of scratches from 2 bathroom sinks and a bunch of ceramic kitchen cupboard handles in under 15 minutes. I used about 1/3 of a sheet to do all of this.

Thanks all for the Cerama Bryte ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] tip!! It worked perfectly!! :D so happy!!

A. The best way I have found to remove black marks from white porcelain, is to use "Mica Ceramic Cooktop Cleaner".This is the type you would use on a flat glass halogen cooktop, or glass induction cooktop. Just use a small amount of the liquid cleaner on paper tissue, on the marks. With a bit of rubbing in the direction of the scratch, they are gone in under a minute! AMAZING!

(These "Ceramic cooktop cleaner" products state they are non-abrasive, but they actually contain finely ground mineral called mica, which is very slightly abrasive.They only to act as a polish, which is why you can get your cooktop shinier with this stuff than anything else. (and your bathroom porcelain, if you are really particular!))

A. Try citric acid ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] . I successfully got rid of metal scratches on porcelain tiles. Just apply acid and scrub with normal scrubber.

A. Mr. Clean magic eraser ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] with Barkeepers Friend and lots of elbow grease will get most of the titanium marks off. For me it took a whole "eraser" and probably 3 tablespoons of the "Friend"

A. I have just tried Turtlewax color magic polish [affil links] shades of white and it worked!

A. You can use a product called Tcut, it's used in the automotive trade for finishing and removing scratches from paint.
I used it with a polishing pad on a cordless drill,removed all black marks and gave a super finish.

A. I used Menzerna Heavy cut polishing compound 1000 grit and the marks came off with 15-20 seconds of heavy rubbing. It took off the new titanium marks that I put on and several old marks of unknown origin.