Get Your Toilet Sparkling Clean With A Household Ingredient You Likely Have On Hand

Cleaning your toilet usually involves a lot of expensive cleaners that emit fumes. Instead of the costly and odorous products, you can try a common household ingredient you might already have on hand: distilled white vinegar. This hero of all-natural cleaning routines packs the power you need to break down your toilet's stubborn, lingering stains and buildup. Vinegar will help you get your toilet sparkling clean in just minutes. All you need is a gallon of distilled white vinegar and a scrub brush.

Vinegar is an acidic cleaning agent with antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. It consists of an acetic acid and water, and undergoes a two-step fermentation process to become the acidic liquid we're familiar with. When used to clean the toilet, the vinegar gets to work, dissolving grime and mineral deposits, such as limescale. Hard water is a frequent culprit behind the limescale stains in your toilet bowl. They don't stand a chance against vinegar, however, as it dissolves them into calcium acetate (salt) and water, making them easy to scrub away. Vinegar is also a proven deodorizer, perfect for eliminating any unpleasant toilet odors. Unlike chemical cleaners like toilet tank tabs and other bleach-containing options, vinegar is gentle enough to be used throughout the commode, even as an easy way to clean the toilet tank. Best of all, it's one of the most cost-effective ways to scrub your toilet, and when you're done, you can use any leftover vinegar to keep your house clean.

To clean your toilet bowl, simply pour in at least 2 cups of vinegar, then let it soak for a few hours. If the stains are particularly tough or you haven't cleaned the toilet in a while (we've all been there), you can let it sit overnight to let the acid break down the stains. Once your soaking is complete, tackle the grime with your handy scrub brush, then flush to rinse it all away with clean water. You can also spot clean by spraying any stained areas with vinegar, then scrubbing. Another option is to add another popular all-natural cleaner — baking soda. If you want to use this method, sprinkle baking soda in the bowl, making a paste, and apply it to any stains. Let sit for 10 minutes, then add 2 cups of vinegar and close the lid. After the mixture soaks for at least 30 minutes, scrub away, then rinse. If you'd like to add more fragrance, you can add a few drops of your favorite essential oil, such as peppermint or lavender.

If sensitive to vinegar, consider wearing protective goggles and rubber gloves. How often you should clean your toilet depends on its use and condition. Toilets in homes with hard water may require more frequent cleaning with vinegar to remove the limescale and mineral buildup. Always clean more frequently if a member of your household has been ill to avoid the transmission of bacteria in the air with each flush. In addition, after you've tackled the bowl, keep your bottle of vinegar around to address the toilet tank. 

Just like the rest of your bathroom, the toilet tank can harbor bacteria. Its components can also get pretty dirty, so vinegar is perfect for cleaning the toilet the right way. The buildup inside your tank can corrode the interior of the tank, but vinegar will help remove the grime with ease. Using it in your toilet tank won't erode the plastic or rubber components, which makes it plumber-approved. A toilet tank doesn't require the same cleaning frequency as the toilet bowl, but you're recommended to do a refresh every 6 months. You'll need a large bottle of distilled white vinegar for the process. A good recommendation is using 1/4 cup of vinegar for every 1 cup of water for thorough disinfection.

Begin by shutting off the water supply to the toilet, followed by a flush to empty the tank. Once it's empty, spray down the inside with your vinegar mix, then let it sit overnight or for a minimum of 8 hours. When you're ready, scrub thoroughly along the tank's sides and bottom to remove any buildup, turn on the water, and flush with clean water.