According to a report by Southern Living, if you find cleaning the toilet troublesome, you actually do not need to buy every specific product in the supermarket cleaning aisle, nor do you need to use irritating chemical cleaners. Try a natural cleaner that is a kitchen staple, affordable, and very practical—white vinegar. Vinegar can not only be used to clean coffee machines, cutting boards, and shower glass doors and windows, but can also effectively remove stubborn grime and odors in the toilet. Mineral deposits such as calcium and magnesium often accumulate above the toilet water line, and together with bacteria and mold, they form stubborn limescale over time. The acetic acid in white vinegar can effectively break down and dissolve these hard water stains, limescale, and rust, restoring the toilet to a clean and fresh state, while also killing some bacteria, viruses, and mold. Here are practical tips for cleaning the toilet with white vinegar:
It is recommended to thoroughly clean the toilet once a week to prevent stains, mineral deposits, mold, and bacterial growth. If the toilet at home is used very frequently, simple quick cleaning can also be done in daily life.
When cleaning with white vinegar, the bathroom must be kept well ventilated. It is best to wear gloves when cleaning to avoid prolonged skin contact with white vinegar. Although white vinegar is natural and harmless, its acidity may cause skin dryness or irritation. During cleaning, let the white vinegar soak in the toilet for enough time to break down the grime, so it is recommended to pour white vinegar into the toilet before starting other bathroom cleaning tasks. Ordinary cooking white vinegar or cleaning vinegar with a concentration of 5% can be used. Cleaning vinegar is more acidic and needs to be diluted before use, while ordinary white vinegar can be used directly.
Never mix white vinegar with bleach, ammonia, or other strong chemical cleaners, otherwise harmful gases will be produced.
White vinegar (or diluted cleaning vinegar)
Toilet brush
Paper towels
Baking soda
First turn off the water supply valve behind the toilet, lower the toilet water level, and flush once.
Soak paper towels completely in white vinegar, then lay them on the limescale and yellow stains on the inner wall of the toilet, and let sit for 30 minutes.
Then remove the paper towels and throw them into the trash—never flush them into the toilet to avoid clogging.
Turn the water supply valve back on, thoroughly scrub the inside with a toilet brush, and finally flush to let the water level return to normal.
To remove more stubborn yellow stains, you can combine with baking soda. First pour white vinegar into the toilet, then sprinkle half a cup to one cup of baking soda; the two will produce a fizzing reaction. After letting it sit for 15 minutes, scrub hard with a toilet brush and finally flush.
If the stain is extremely stubborn, a pumice stone can be used. Fully wet the pumice stone and the stained surface, then gently and quickly rub the pumice stone over the stain until it disappears. Because pumice stone easily scratches surfaces, it is only suitable for porcelain toilets—never use it on plastic toilet seats or polished metal fittings.
Tips for Keeping the Toilet Clean for a Long Time
For frequently used toilets, simple maintenance can be done between deep cleanings. Quickly scrub the toilet with white vinegar and a toilet brush, then flush.
Flush immediately after each use to avoid stains staying for a long time. For toilets that are not often used, flush regularly to prevent grime from accumulating around the still water surface.
Never clean the toilet with a dirty brush. The toilet brush should be soaked in white vinegar or diluted bleach once a month for thorough disinfection.
If the water at home is hard, installing a water softener can reduce mineral deposits and fundamentally prevent limescale and stains.
Source: Southern Living
