10 Hacks to Keep Your Toilet Clean

Clean your toilet while you sleep

To remove hard-water deposits in your toilet bowl, pour 1 cup of white vinegar into the bowl and allow it to sit for several hours or overnight before scrubbing.

Whiten toilet bowls

Forget the nasty chemicals and overpowering scents! You can use ½ cup lemon juice in your toilet bowl to deodorize and remove stains naturally. Let it sit for several minutes before scrubbing clean.

Looking for more creative uses for lemons? Check out Domestic CEO's guide to Using Lemons to Clean Your Home

Remove toilet stains

The tannins in tea can help lift any stubborn stains. Tannins also have antimicrobial properties. To take advantage, just leave some brewed tea in the toilet bowl for several minutes to several hours (depending on the severity of the stains). Then brush the bowl, and flush the stains away.

Make your bowl smile

For a cheap and easy way to clean your toilet, use mouthwash. Just as it cleans away germs in your mouth, it will do the same in your toilet bowl. Pour 1 capful into the bowl, leave for 10 to 15 minutes, and wipe clean with your toilet brush.

Reach under the rim

Clearing away dirt and deposits under the rim can be tricky. But a smart tool can help. Purchase a package of those cotton coils used for perms (you can find them at a beauty supply store). Soak the coil in a basin with vinegar. You might want to do this right in the shower to avoid drips. Then stuff the toilet’s rim with the coil. Allow the vinegar to work on the stains overnight, then remove and throw away the coil, and flush the toilet to rinse.

Speedy toilet-cleaning relief

To make this nasty chore easier on your gag reflex, drop two Alka-Seltzer tablets into the bowl twice a week. After 15 minutes, swipe around the bowl with a toilet brush. Your toilet will be spotless!

A fizzy denture tablet works well for this hack, too.

Take soda to the can

Cola contains phosphoric acid, which can lift stubborn stains such as rust. That makes it a good toilet cleaner: Pour the cola directly into the bowl, leave it for an hour, and then flush.

Lift with lemonade mix

Instant lemonade mixes like Kool-Aid contain citric acid, which works great to battle mineral deposits. Sprinkle the powder around your toilet bowl, let sit for a minute or...

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