Cleaning your toilet tank is a very quick and easy procedure. We recommend using a mixture of ¼ cup of vinegar for every 1 cup of water.
Vinegar is a safe, effective, and natural option.
Fill the tank back up to the overflow valve with white vinegar and let it sit for 12 hours, then flush it out and refill the tank with water.
To clean calcium buildup out of your toilet, use vinegar or another acidic cleaner. The acid will break down the mineral deposits so you can brush them away.
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.
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.
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.
How long can you leave vinegar in a toilet tank? Leave vinegar in the tank for several hours, ideally overnight. This allows the acetic acid in the vinegar to break down stains and deposits effectively.
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.
"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." Before scrubbing, empty the tank. "Start by turning off the water supply valve, which is located either behind the toilet on the wall or on the floor," says Stoffelen.
"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," says Patty Stoffelen, a bath fixtures merchant for The Home Depot to Martha Stewart.
Pour vinegar into the tank
Pouring acidic cleaners down the toilet can help you prevent hard water stains and mineral deposits. Some people recommend lemon juice, but the most reliable and affordable product to use is white vinegar.
WD 40 is great for cleaning out keyboards or loosening bike chains – but did you also know it is really good at removing limescale from your toilet? While it can be put to a number of helpful uses around the home, WD 40 is particularly good at softening rust and limescale deposits in the toilet (and bathroom).
Vinegar is a natural acid that can dissolve calcium deposits. You can pour vinegar into the toilet bowl and let it sit for a few hours before scrubbing with a toilet brush.
For a more heavy-duty approach, you can pour an entire bottle of white vinegar over and around the bowl, remembering to cover all of it. Then, leave the vinegar to work for a few hours or overnight. Use your toilet brush to scrub any leftover limescale deposits away the next day.
Use Coke specifically when you need to remove problem stains like limescale or rust. If you want to avoid the risk of tinting your toilet with Coke, a light-colored carbonated soft drink such as 7UP or tonic water will also suffice.
The vinegar, baking soda, and dish soap will penetrate tough stains and hard water buildup. Leave the mixture in your toilet tank for about an hour while you tackle the rest of your bathroom, then come back to it.
Vinegar can be used inside the toilet tank too
"Without draining out the water, pour white vinegar into the tank, stopping at least an inch below the top rim," the site says. "Let the vinegar-water solution sit for 12 hours to dissolve mineral deposits, rust, and mildew."