Mild Dish Soap: Another safe option for cleaning your toilet tank is mild dish soap. Add a small amount of dish soap to a bucket of warm water and mix well. Dip a sponge or cloth into the soapy solution and clean the inside of the tank, including the flapper and other rubber parts. Rinse thoroughly with clean water.
Avoid using cleaner tabs—they often contain bleach, which is a no-no for cleaning toilet tanks because of bleach's corrosive properties. Add a cup of white distilled vinegar to the tank once a month. Leave it to sit overnight and then flush it in the morning. Check for sediment buildup and staining every month or so.
Adding a few drops of essential oil in the water tank will make your toilet feel fresh but as soon as all the water scented due to oil goes down the drain, it will be all the same again.
Yes, baking soda is safe for toilets and septic systems. It can also help maintain a good pH in water. What do plumbers use to clean toilet tanks? Plumbers and professionals recommend using vinegar to clean toilet tanks because it is effective, inexpensive, and doesn't corrode internal parts.
Tips for Cleaning the Inside of the Toilet Tank
All you need to do is pour a couple cups of vinegar in your tank and let it sit for an hour or so, then scrub and flush to rinse. But if you don't feel like something is clean unless the fumes of chemicals burn your nose, then bleach is a good one to use.
Just like how we avoid putting chemical cleaners down our sink drains, the same applies to the toilet. Chemicals that sit in the water have a longer time to corrode pipes and other hardware. This leads to a reduction in your pipes' integrity and leaves you more vulnerable to leaks and costly repairs.
It's also an eco-friendly method that cuts the time you spend cleaning and doesn't involve buying any commercial cleaning products. Cleaning professionals and plumbers recommend cleaning with vinegar to remove buildup and stains from toilet tanks and other surfaces.
For example, applying white vinegar or lemon juice and scrubbing with a toilet brush typically works on newer stains. You can also try mixing white vinegar and baking soda if you need a stronger scrub. For older stains, using an industrial-strength cleaner like CLR should do the trick.
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.
But we don't recommend placing Fabuloso or any other all-purpose cleaner in the back of the toilet tank. Such cleaners can be corrosive and may degrade the rubber gasket and seal in your tank. This can lead to leaks and cause your toilet to run, which can spike your water bill.
Both white vinegar and baking soda will eliminate smelly bacteria and break down any minerals that may have built up from your water supply. You can also introduce this mixture into your toilet bowl. Just let it sit for 10-15 minutes before you flush!
While the idea of your bathroom smelling like fresh laundry with every flush might be tempting, the potential risks outweigh the benefits. The chemical makeup of fabric softeners can be harmful to septic systems, leading to clogged pipes and potential damage to the flushing system.
You can go with classics like lavender, tea tree, or eucalyptus. Or try something different - peppermint smells great, and so do lemongrass and sweet orange. These oils do more than just make things smell good - they actually help fight bacteria too. Every time you flush, a bit of the scent will come out.
The easiest way to thoroughly clean the toilet tank is to spray it down with a disinfectant cleaning spray such as Lysol or 409. Using a disinfectant spray will loosen much of the build-up, and kill most of the bacteria and germs. Let the solution work for about 15 minutes before you start cleaning.
Continue to add one cup of vinegar to the toilet water a few times a week to keep the mold at bay. Bleach is one of those products almost everyone has in their house. It is a great cleaning product known for how tough it can be on stains or any other unwanted substances. It is also great for getting rid of toilet mold!
Who knew that dishwasher tablets could help keep your toilet sparkling clean? Just drop a dishwasher tablet in toilet bowl and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Then, use a toilet brush to scrub the bowl and flush it. The tablet will help to break down any stains or buildup in the bowl, leaving it fresh and clean.
Citric acid
More importantly, it's probably even more effective than vinegar for getting rid of that brown stain in the toilet. Simply pour a kettle of almost boiling water into the bowl, follow up with 250ml of citric acid, and leave it for some hours – preferably overnight. The next day, scrub and flush.
We recommend using a mixture of ¼ cup of vinegar for every 1 cup of water. This ensures your toilet tank is being disinfected without causing damage, which the use of bleach or chemical cleaners can do.
You can use straight or a diluted vinegar cleaning solution for the bathroom to clean bacteria, especially around the toilet. 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.
Vera Peterson, president of Molly Maid, recommends starting with vinegar to soak the tank. “First, remove the lid and take a peek inside,” she told Martha Stewart Living. “If you see any mineral buildup or crud, pour four cups of vinegar into the tank. Allow this to soak for up to an hour.”
Why It Works. “Dish soap serves as a lubricant for clogs and helps them slide through the pipes,” explains Justin Cornforth, an experienced plumber and CEO at Ace Plumbing.
It's important to avoid using aluminum foil with acidic foods like tomato-or vinegar-based dishes, citrus fruits, or marinades containing citrus juices. Acidic ingredients can corrode the foil, causing aluminum to leach into the food, which may result in a metallic taste.
The brick displaces the water, taking less to fill the tank and therefore saving a little water on each flush. While this practice has been around for decades, it's time to ditch the brick. It can cost you more in the long run.