What kind of vinegar is best for cleaning toilets?

Author: Aric Flatley  |  Last update: Saturday, October 28, 2023

Cleaning your toilet bowl with vinegar is quick and easy
Get Green Be Well warns about choosing the right type of vinegar for the job — always use white vinegar. Though apple cider vinegar cleans just as effectively, its brown coloring can stain the porcelain.

What kind of vinegar do you use in a toilet?

White vinegar makes quick work of cleaning most bathroom surfaces. Try our top uses for white vinegar in and around the bathroom, including cleaning tile surfaces. You can use straight or a diluted vinegar cleaning solution for the bathroom to clean bacteria, especially around the toilet.

Can you use any vinegar to clean toilet?

To maintain your sparkling toilet, it is recommended that you regularly do a white vinegar wash – once a week should be enough. You can do this by adding 4 cups of white vinegar to the toilet bowl and then letting it sit overnight before flushing it in the morning.

Will vinegar damage porcelain toilet 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.

How long do you leave white vinegar in the toilet bowl?

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. While the mixture is bubbling up, scrub the bowl (get under the rim, too). Let it soak for 30 minutes and flush. That's it.

Put Vinegar Into a Toilet, and Watch What Happens

Is it better to clean toilet with bleach or vinegar?

"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."

Why pour vinegar in toilet overnight?

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.

Can you leave baking soda and vinegar in toilet overnight?

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.

What is the best thing to clean a toilet bowl with?

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.

How much vinegar do I use to clean my toilet?

Instructions
  1. Add 1/2 cup vinegar to the toilet bowl, let stand a few minutes, brush, and flush.
  2. If you have hard water, let the vinegar sit for an hour, and you may have to do some light scrubbing.
  3. To remove stains, add 1/2 cup borax to the water, swish it around, and let it soak overnight.

How do you clean a badly stained toilet?

Lemon Juice
  1. Mix one cup of lemon juice and a half cup of water in a spray bottle.
  2. Spray the inside of the toilet bowl, including beneath the seat lip.
  3. Let the lemon juice work its magic for 20 minutes.
  4. Use your toilet scrubber to scrub the stains.
  5. Turn on the water and flush the toilet.

Is white vinegar the same as white distilled vinegar?

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%.

How do I get brown stains off the bottom of my toilet bowl?

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. What's good for those caked-on pots and pans after cooking dinner is also good for removing a brown stain on the bottom of the toilet bowl.

What removes brown stains from toilet?

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.

Does vinegar clean under toilet rims?

If you notice a visible black or red ring, you need to clean under the rim of your toilet as soon as possible, according to Eve's House Cleaning. To give your toilet rim a good deep clean, apply bleach or vinegar to the stain, and then use a toothbrush or cleaning brush to scrub away the germs and build-up.

What happens if you put baking soda and vinegar in toilet bowl?

Baking soda and vinegar, when mixed together, can form a chemical reaction that looks sort of like an eruption. This chemical reaction can help clear your toilet and any pipe clogs that you might have.

Can you use vinegar and dish soap for toilet?

Add that to the acidic nature of vinegar, and you have a powerful 1-2 combo for this easy recipe. In an old dish soap bottle, combine 1 cup vinegar with 1 cup Dawn. Squirt the mixture onto the toilet. Allow it to sit for 15-30 minutes.

What is the ratio of baking soda to vinegar to clean a toilet?

Baking soda and vinegar

Sprinkle 1 cup of baking soda onto the stain, and then pour another cup of vinegar over the baking soda. Watch the acid vs. base fizz up and let it sit for 15 minutes. Scrub the mixture into stains with a toilet brush.

Can you put Dawn in the toilet before bed?

You may start to notice improvement in as little as 15 minutes, though that is the minimum time your dish soap should sit in the toilet. Again, we prefer to let it sit overnight whenever possible. Once enough time has passed, go ahead and flush your toilet.

Can Apple cider vinegar clean toilets?

Apple cider vinegar effectively cleans most of the bathroom, including the toilet. You can spray the ACV into the toilet bowl or pour about 1/2 cup into the bowl and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then, scrub as usual, and flush. Alternatively, you may add a layer of baking soda to the toilet bowl before you clean it.

What cleans toilets naturally?

The most commonly recommended natural and non-toxic way to clean a toilet is with vinegar and baking soda. Simply poor two cups of vinegar into a toilet bowl, and pour one cup of baking soda. When the solution stops fizzing, spread it over the bowl with a toilet cleaner brush. Leave for 10-15 minutes and rinse.

How often should you clean your toilet?

Once a week at least.

Tetro says your bathroom is the ultimate bacteria host; E. coli can be found within six feet of the toilet and in the sink. To keep it at bay, disinfect the toilet and sink at least once weekly, and the bathtub every two weeks — more if you shower often.

Can you mix baking soda and white vinegar together?

But common pantry essentials that are often used for cleaning — like baking soda and vinegar — shouldn't be mixed either. Unlike the bleach-ammonia mixture, combining soda and vinegar won't hurt anyone — but don't expect the mixture to do a good job cleaning, either.

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