"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."
Make the bleach and water solution in the tank
Check to make sure the flapper at the bottom of the empty tank is closed, then use the measuring cup to add 1 gallon (16 cups) water to the tank. Then add 1/3 cup Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach to the water in the tank.
Bleach doesn't harm the porcelain, but it can do damage inside the tank. Putting bleach in your toilet tank can damage the rubber seals and corrode the metal parts over time.
Bleach should not be left in the toilet overnight because this can damage the toilet. Ideally, bleach should not be left in the toilet bowl for any longer than 5-15 minutes and is best applied at a dilution ratio of 48 parts water to 1 part bleach (or 1 gallon of water to 1/3 cup of bleach).
Pouring bleach down the drain is dangerous since it reacts with substances in your pipes, release toxic fumes when mixed with other household cleaners, clog or damage your drains and pipes, and kill the good bacteria of your septic system.
Yes. You should try and avoid using bleach in the toilet when possible, and opting instead to apply a non-chemical cleaner such as soapy water for cleaning purposes. In doing so, you'll avoid causing potential damage to the glazing on the porcelain surface of the toilet.
Regularly disinfecting and deodorizing your toilet is important for a healthy home. With our easy to follow steps, you can use bleach to clean, disinfect, and deodorize toilets in no time.
If you want to really get your toilet tank clean, then you need to make sure you have the right cleaning products for the job. Vinegar is a great toilet cleaning solution.
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.
The inside of a toilet tank should be cleaned at least twice a year to maintain cleanliness and to prevent hard minerals from building up on and deteriorating the seals and working parts.
Simply measure out half a cup's worth of bleach and pour it into your toilet bowl, using your toilet brush to scrub it into the bowl and beneath the bowl's rim, also allowing five minutes to pass before you flush it all away.
Fill the tank with at least 3 gallons of distilled white vinegar and allow it work for at least two hours. After the soaking period, empty the tank by flushing away the vinegar. Follow the same steps as with the disinfectant cleaner. Use a long-handled brush to scrub the loosened grime.
The best natural alternative you can use is baking soda and white vinegar. Pour equal parts (about one cup) of each into the toilet, let it sit, and then scrub. The vinegar will help eliminate any odor and disinfect your toilet bowl.
Preparing to Clean the Toilet Tank
"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."
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.
Let It Sit For 12 Hours
Leave the vinegar and water mixture in the toilet tank for 12 hours without flushing the toilet.
The important thing is to reach for a non toxic dish soap that, once it's flushed and enters the water supply, will be safe for animals and the planet. And of course, you also want one that doesn't irritate your eyes, lungs, or skin in the process, as well.
Chloramine gas can also be released when bleach is mixed with urine, such as when cleaning the area around a toilet or when pets stains are cleaned. Both chloramine and chlorine gases are immediately irritating with a very pungent odor, causing watering of the eyes, runny nose and coughing.
Bleach has a corroding effect on many surfaces in the bathroom. Use it on your metal fixtures, and in due time, you'll see deterioration.
Bleach does have an impact on the glazed finish. However, a third shared: "The bleach will eventually eat away at the porcelain and damage any plastic and chrome fittings. "Toilets should be cleaned with warm soapy water and dried with an old towel. The occasional bleach and quick flush is ok."
The corrosive properties of the bleach can wear away at the internal parts of your toilet, such as rubber seals, and cause leaks or other potentially permanent damage.
Preventative Maintenance
Pouring bleach into the drain when the unit is not operating can leave residual bleach, which will damage the drain pan and line. Using vinegar for preventative maintenance throughout the year will keep your drain clean and clear and will not damage your line.
Simply put, pouring bleach down the drain is a bad idea. Not only can it create a harmful chemical reaction, but it can also damage your pipes.