6 smart ways to clean the toilet naturally and easily
The toilet bowl is something you should be cleaning often, but probably don’t want to. Not only is this area of your home rather unsightly, but it can also be difficult to clean. Harsh chemicals are often used, but it’s not good to have them in the house. Sometimes, the strong smell of the cleaning products can even overtake the strong odors that used to come from the bathroom.
However, there is an alternative. By using conventional, environmentally friendly household products, you can disinfect and clean the toilet bowl easier than ever before. Don’t believe us? Take a look at the list below and see how the products you already have in your closet can help you clean that pesky area:
1- Vinegar
You probably already use vinegar at home for other cleaning tasks. So it’s time you used it to clean toilets, too. It’s a mild acid that disinfects, eliminates odors and, of course, is completely harmless.
2- Borax
There is a big difference between borax and boric acid. Borax is only mildly toxic; in fact, in large quantities, it is as toxic as table salt or baking soda. The reason it is ideal for cleaning toilets is that borax brightens, whitens, removes stains and deodorizes.
3- Regular soap
Dish soap can also help. It helps remove stains and disinfect. You use it all the time – it’s totally non-toxic and there are many brands that create totally organic and even biodegradable products.
4- Citric acid
Lemon juice or other types of citric acid can remove hard water and other unsightly stains. The acid in the juice binds with minerals in the cup and generally makes it easier to clean. Plus, it will smell nice and fresh.
5- Baking soda
Baking soda is of course part of this list. Baking soda is great for many cleaning projects, including the toilet bowl. While it doesn’t fight germs, it does help wonderfully in getting rid of stains.
6- Essential oils
Adding essential oils to toilet bowl cleaning can provide a fresh, pleasant smell. But these oils can also offer many other benefits. Many herbal oils have antibacterial, sometimes even antiviral or antifungal properties. We suggest tea tree, lavender, citrus, peppermint, rosemary and eucalyptus oils.
While each of these cleaning solutions can help clean the toilet bowl, none can do it all. That’s why we recommend mixing them. Here are our favorite combinations.
For whitening
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup citric acid
3 to 5 drops of essential oils
For powerful disinfecting
1/2 cup vinegar
1 cup borax
3 to 5 drops of your favorite essential oils
Disinfecting and bleaching
1/2 cup vinegar
1 cup of baking soda
3 – 5 drops of essential oils