May 24, 2019 by Sean Parry
Did you know that there are many products that you may already have around the house that do just as good a job, if not a better one, than bleach? If you maybe want to cut back on the amount of cleaning products you are bringing into the house, or maybe you want to try a child-friendly alternative, then there are a wide range of options out there for you! Just a warning, all the methods I have mentioned below will clean the toilet, they won’t actually disinfect it, so they are recommended to be used in tandem with bleach.
White Vinegar
This is for serious stains or rings that might be on your toilet, it also has a strong smell so make sure that you keep the bathroom well ventilated whilst you wait for it to take effect. Pour a bit of the vinegar into the bowl and then leave it for around an hour. After waiting, use a toilet brush as usual and then flush. White vinegar has the added benefit of cleaning out your drain after you flush it, giving you two uses and a sparkling white toilet!
Alka-Seltzer tablets
I originally got this tip off of one of my American friends and I have found that this works for most other Indigestion tablets. You often find yourself with a couple of these tablets in your cupboard, and they might even be going out of date, which means that you can no longer use them as intended. Just drop two Alka-Seltzer tablets into the toilet bowl and leave it for around 20 minutes, if the tablets are really old then this might take longer. Brush and scrub the toilet bowl before flushing. The citric acid and effervescent action of the Alka-Seltzer tablets clean china toilets with little effort on your part!
Coca Cola
I have used this in friends’ houses where the toilet has been completely stained brown! Get a litre bottle of coke into the bowl of the toilet, leaving it overnight. In the morning simply flush the toilet and the coke down the drain. If there are any tough stains remaining, simply work at them with a toilet brush and they will easily move, leaving you with a solidly white toilet!
Lemon Juice and Laundry Booster
My Nan always swore by using lemon juice to clean pretty much everything in the home, but when it comes to toilets it needs a little bit of help. Mix the lemon juice with some stain removing powder that you may use in your washing machine, making a paste. Then use a sponge and use it to scrub the most stubborn of stains. This is also a great way to reduce the effect of rust! Be careful not to get this paste on your skin as it can be an irritant and make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after use.