Cleaning the toilet is probably the least desired chore right after 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 toilet looks like it has never been cleaned
- plan to use bleach, but wonder whether there’s a more eco-friendly option
- Have no idea what cleaning products to use
- wonder how often you should clean the toilet
Then read along…
Preparation
The market is full of products for toilet bowl cleaning, but you can also make your own eco-friendly one in case you have small kids or pets. It’s really easy- just sprinkle some baking soda in your toilet bowl and pour 1 to 2 cups of white vinegar. Fizzing will occur, but don’t worry. Leave the solution to do its job, until you clean the rest of the toilet.
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.
How to clean toilet exterior
- 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.
How to clean a toilet tank
If you want to 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.
How to clean a toilet seat
After the tank and bowl exterior, 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.
How to clean 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
How to clean a toilet bowl
- Start by scrubbing under the rim. That’s got to be the dirtiest place of the entire bowl since it’s hard to see and reach.
- After scrubbing it as clean as possible, move your efforts to the bowl and the drain hole opening at the bottom. When you’re done, flush the toilet.
In case your bowl has rust coloured rings from mineral build-up, you can scrub the porcelain with baking soda or a specially designed commercial product. Another eco-friendly option is to scrub the deposit with a pumice stone. Don’t worry – it won’t scratch the porcelain, just dampen it before scrubbing.
Hire a professional
If you cringe at the thought of having to clean your toilet instead of going out with friends, why not hire Shining Oven? The technicians we work with are highly experienced and always bring their own cleaning products and tools. Your toilet will look good as new, and while we’re at it, we might even clean your whole bathroom, should you want it.