Cleaning professionals and plumbers recommend cleaning with vinegar to remove buildup and stains from toilet tanks and other surfaces. Mix it with baking soda, however, and you could damage your tank and plumbing.
Let the vinegar sit for 12 hours without flushing.
The acidity in the vinegar will break down any tough stains, making it easier for you to clean. Try to leave the vinegar in the tank for at least 12 hours to give it enough time to work.
Vinegar is safe and milder than caustic cleaners designed for the toilet, and those commercial cleaning agents can eat away the good bacteria in your septic system. To safely and inexpensively clean your toilet bowls, pour a generous glug of vinegar, followed by a heavy sprinkling of baking soda, into the bowl.
Vinegar and baking soda produce that oh-so-familiar chemical reaction that powers through buildup and loosens tough stains. While it might seem like it's chewing its way through grime, it's not powerful enough to damage the porcelain finish of the toilet bowl.
Cleaning with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar in the bathroom can work really well. To clean your toilet with vinegar, pour a cup of vinegar in the toilet bowl and let sit overnight. The next morning, sprinkle a little baking soda into the bowl, scrub, and then flush clean.
You'll need about 3-7 gallons of white vinegar. Fill the tank to the overflow tube. You want to make sure that you cover any rust, mold or algae that might be in the tank. Allow the vinegar to sit in the tank for 12 - 13 hours.
What I recommend, that works well is distilled white vinegar. As far as your toilet to keep it clean inside the bowl. Use 1 cup of white distilled vinegar and poor inside your toilet tank, also pour half of that cup in to the overflow, which is the small, round pipe that stands up in the middle of the tank .
Spray some white vinegar inside the toilet bowl and let it sit for a few minutes. I usually let it work for at least 10 minutes. You can also let it sit for several hours or even overnight. You can even just pour the vinegar into the toilet bowl's water and let it sit.
Avoid Abrasive Cleaning Compounds
It may be tempting to use bleach, hydrogen peroxide, and the like, but it's best to avoid these cleaning agents as much as possible. It's not likely that the chemical compounds above will crack your porcelain toilet, but they can damage the finish of the porcelain.
If the clog still seems to be intact, start over at step 1 and repeat the process a couple of times. For extra-stubborn clogs, you can let the fizz mixture sit overnight or combine this method with plunging.
"The biggest don't when it comes to toilet tanks is bleach—do not use bleach or products containing bleach inside the tank, as it can corrode the internal parts of your toilet. If you are aiming to remove tough stains from the tank, I also recommend white vinegar diluted with water."
You should clean the toilet tank twice per year.
Vinegar and baking soda are fine to flush down your toilet.
To clean off your toilet brush, leave it in the toilet as you flush. The new, clean water will rinse the brush off, and you can let it dry until you use it next time.
If there are brown stains, it is probably from iron in your water. If you discover a thick, slimy mess, it is likely from iron bacteria growing in your toilet tank. Iron bacteria is a bacteria that fixes to iron particles in the water.
Do not use cleaning products that contain acids or ammonia (and other harsh chemicals) as these can damage grout and glazed surfaces of the tile. Choose products that are compatible with your grout to avoid damage or discoloration of the grout. Always dry your porcelain thoroughly after cleaning.
Things to Avoid
Stay away from products with bleach or ammonia because they can change the tile or grout coloring. If you need to scrub your floors, make sure not to use any brushes with hard bristles since they can scratch the porcelain surface.
Though popular for being gentler alternatives to harsh chemical cleaners, baking soda, Borax, and even salt can harm the finish of your porcelain fixtures. As gentle as they are, these compounds are still abrasive and will scratch your finish, especially with regular use.
In this case, a basic toilet cleaning product may not be enough, and you will need to use undiluted bleach. As a one-stop cleaning solution, pour one cup of bleach around the bowl. Then tackle every inch with a toilet brush or a handheld scrub brush. Let it sit for five minutes, then flush.
White and distilled are types of vinegar. They differ fundamentally in their acetic acid content. White, also known as spirit vinegar, has 5% to 20% acetic acid. This is generally higher as compared to distilled vinegar's 5%-8%.
A popular TikTok video promises your bathroom will smell like clean laundry every time you flush the toilet if you pour a cup of fabric softener into the toilet tank. However, like many social media hacks, this one is too good to be true, and plumbing experts warn that you'll actually be ruining your septic system.
White vinegar and baking soda in equal parts is a cost-efficient and effective means of getting rid odors in a toilet. Add them to the tank, mix them in and then use the toilet brush to gently scrub the tank. Let it sit for a few hours, scrub the tank again and flush.