Cleaning the toilet is probably the most dreaded chore, right next to cleaning the oven. Still, a dirty toilet looks bad, smells bad and is a breeding ground for numerous germs. The sooner you tackle this issue, the better.
So, if you just moved into a new property, and the toilet looks like it has never been cleaned, and you wonder if there’s a more eco-friendly way to take care of the situation, then this is the right guide for you.
Table of Contents
Step 1: Prepare for toilet cleaning
Whenever you hear or read the sentence “How to clean a stained toilet”, you usually think of the toilet bowl. It’s no wonder, as that part in particular gathers the most debris in the form of mineral deposits, residue, and particles from cleaning products. It becomes quite an eyesore in time, doesn’t it?
While the bowl certainly is the centrepiece of any toilet, it’s hardly the only thing which gets dirty. Many people also wonder how to clean the yellow toilet seat or take care of the toilet rim, and those are all relevant questions. The truth is, no toilet can be truly clean if you only clean one part of it. You need to clean it in its entirety. So here’s what you will need to deep clean your toilet:
- White vinegar;
- Baking soda;
- Gloves;
- Sponges;
- Old toothbrush.
- Commercial all-purpose disinfectant (optional)
Although the market is full of specialised products, you can also rely on a homemade, eco-friendly toilet cleaner in case you have small kids or pets, or you just want to skip the bleach and other strong chemicals. Here come the well-known baking soda and, of course, white vinegar.
Some might wonder if vinegar and baking soda clean toilets effectively. Yes, you will witness some fizzing in the toilet bowl, but don’t worry. Leave the solution to do its job while you take care of your toilet’s exterior, and you will have some satisfying results.
Now, we have to also clarify that although powerful, this combination has its limitations, especially if you are looking at a very stained toilet bowl, covered in limescale. In that case, you will probably have to repeat the cleaning a few times until you get the desired results.
In addition to the cleaning products, you will also need protection from the germs in the form of gloves and also some sponges and a brush. Always use a separate set of rubber gloves and sponges just for toilet cleaning. Never use them on any other surface in your home. To make sure you don’t mix them up with the kitchen pair, buy them in a different colour.
Step 2: Time to clean the toilet tank
Clean the inside of your toilet tank before moving to the seat and bowl, this is what you should do…
- Remove the tank lid and see if you have mineral buildup.
- If yes, pour 4 cups of white vinegar inside and allow it to soak for about an hour.
- Drain the tank by shutting off the water supply and flushing the contents of the tank.
- Now that it’s empty and not refilling, scrub the inside with a brush.
- Switch the water back on and allow the tank to refill, when all the gunk has been removed from the tank walls.
- Flush it several times to rinse out the crud.
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Step 3: Wiping the toilet seat
After the tank, make sure not to skip the seat. It may not look that dirty, but it is definitely germ-ridden.
- Spray the lid on the inside as well as both sides of the seat.
- Don’t miss the hinges and any hard-to-reach areas.
- Spray the rim of the bowl as well.
- Wait several minutes and wipe away the all-purpose disinfectant.
- Use an old toothbrush to better clean around the hinges, if necessary.
Step 4: Clean the toilet bowl
If your bowl is really stained, then the best way to remove dirt and limescale is by emptying the bowl beforehand. This allows the cleaning solution to come into direct contact with the stains and limescale, so it will be much more effective than if diluted in water.
- Pour white vinegar into the toilet bowl – White vinegar is naturally acidic, which gives it great cleaning power. Measure out about 1 cup (240 mL), then dump it into the toilet bowl.
- Let the vinegar sit overnight (if possible) – This will help break down the tough limescale deposits.
- Sprinkle baking soda into the bowl – Sprinkle enough baking soda into the toilet to cover the whole surface of the bowl.
- Scrub the toilet bowl – Use the toilet brush and scrub as much as you can.
- Rinse and repeat – Once you’re done scrubbing the bowl of limescale, flush the toilet. Ideally, there should be no more limescale, but if there is, you will have to repeat the process.
Vinegar and baking soda are fine to flush down your toilet as they are eco-friendly products.
Step 5: Take care of the toilet’s exterior
If you are wondering what to do while you wait for the cleaner to do its work in the toilet bowl, the answer is simple - clean your toilet's external parts.
- Start from top to bottom.
- Spray the tank, and handle with an all-purpose disinfectant (either a commercial product or one made out of equal parts of vinegar and water in a spray bottle).
- Wait several minutes for the solution to do its job and then wipe it away.
- Spray the lid top afterwards.
- Spray the top edges on the outside of the bowl, then continue downward to the bottom edges where the bowl meets the floor.
- If the floor around the toilet is also in need of cleaning, now is the perfect time to take care of it.
Step 6: Finally, check the rim jets
If you feel your toilet doesn’t flush as strongly as it used to, the problem might be clogged rim jets. Because these tiny holes are located under the rim, out of sight and hard to reach, we always ignore them until they stop working. This is how to clean them of mineral build-up.
- Heat a cup of white vinegar. Not boiling hot, rather coffee hot.
- Pour the vinegar into the overflow tube of the toilet tank and wait about 30 minutes.
- Flush the vinegar.
- Chip away the mineral build-up from the rim jets with either an old metal hanger or a hex key.
- Flush every now and again to clear away the debris.
Wish you could skip the toilet cleaning? No problem, we can take over!
If you cringe at the thought of having to clean and rid your toilet of all that nasty dirt and germs, why not hire Fantastic Cleaners? The technicians we work with are highly experienced and always bring their own cleaning products and tools.
Your toilet will look as good as new, and while we’re at it, we might even clean your whole bathroom, should you want it.
Do you need your toilet or other part of the house deep cleaned? Get in touch with reliable cleaners today!
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For questions about the services we offer visit our main site
Takeaways
- Always use a separate pair of rubber gloves and sponges for your toilet. Never use these in your kitchen under any circumstances.
- The correct order to clean a toilet is to start from top to bottom. First, the water tank, then the toilet seat, then the bowl. The bowl needs to be cleaned both outside and inside.
- Do not forget to clean the seat hinges.
- You might have to clean the rim jets if you think your toilet doesn’t flush as strongly as it used to.
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