Cleaning toilets is no one’s favorite chore. After all, who wants to deal with the inconvenience of dirty, clogged, or smelly toilets? However, someone needs to do it, and toilet limescale is quite tricky to clean. Hence, it is essential to use an efficient and effective cleanser like baking soda to make the job easier.
Baking soda is a powerful cleaner that will make your toilet shiny and sparkling clean. It’s also non-toxic, making it very safe to store at home. In fact, it is an ingredient used in baked goods and usually found in your kitchen.
This article will answer the question, “does baking soda clean toilets?” We will also tackle other ways you can make it more effective in cleaning tough stains in the toilet.
How Does Baking Soda Clean?
Before getting to the exciting part, it’s essential to know how baking soda cleans. The power of baking soda as a cleaning tool is primarily physical. It gently cleanses away dirt, rust, and stubborn stains. You can even use it to clean the grout in your home!
There’s also a lot of chemistry involved when you use baking soda. It reacts well with grease in stains, forming glycerol. Glycerol is an ingredient in detergent and soap. Also, carbonic acid will form when you use baking soda with vinegar. It is a weak acid that activates the corrosive power of vinegar.
Moreover, baking soda releases carbon dioxide, the same gas that makes soft drinks produce bubbles. As a result, baking soda has an excellent scrubbing effect.
Why is Baking Soda Good for Cleaning Toilets?
Now, let’s try to answer how baking soda cleans toilets. As you may know, baking soda, also known as bicarbonate, is a mild alkaline substance. Thus, it is a perfect toilet cleaning tool compared to bleach and other acidic cleaners. It is the safest cleanser to clean away mildew, mold, and bacteria.
Experts do not recommend strong chemicals to clean the toilet or bathroom. They may be corrosive, meaning they harm the skin or can eat away human tissue and metal surfaces. If you do decide to use strong chemicals and cleaners, you should use gloves and safety goggles.
However, you won’t need any protective gear when using baking soda. It is mild enough for the skin. In fact, it can be used as a facial exfoliant, tooth scrubber, or gargle. It is only essential to use gentle cleaning products for toilets. After all, the toilet is one of the most used parts of the house.
How to a Clean Toilet with Baking Soda
You don’t always need to use bleach when cleaning the toilet. If you think the mess in the toilet is not severe, you can clean it with baking soda alone. To do this, follow these steps:
Materials you need:
- Baking soda
- Long toilet brush
- Gloves (optional)
- Water
Instructions:
- Flush the toilet so dirt or any mess will rinse down.
- Sprinkle baking soda all over the inside of the toilet. Make sure that even the side of the bowl is covered with baking soda.
- Clean the toilet with a toilet brush. Make sure to scrub the stained areas thoroughly.
- Flush the toilet again to remove the dirty water and remaining baking soda.
Can Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide Clean Toilets?
Use hydrogen peroxide if you want your toilet free from bacteria, viruses, fungi, yeasts, and other germs. Then mix it with baking soda to deep clean the toilet. Here’s a step-by-step guide to cleaning the toilet with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide.
Materials you need:
- 1 cup baking soda
- ½ cup hydrogen peroxide
- Long toilet brush
- Water
Instructions:
- Pour hydrogen peroxide into the toilet bowl. Let it sit for a few minutes.
- Add baking soda and allow the mixture to sit for about 15 minutes
- Afterward, scrub the toilet bowl, rinse and flush to finish.
Can Baking Soda and Vinegar Clean Toilets?
If you think the dirt or stains are hard to remove, mix baking soda and vinegar to clean the toilet. The mixture is not only practical but also friendly to the skin, the nostrils, and the environment.
Materials you need:
- 1 cup baking soda
- 2 cups of white vinegar
- Long toilet brush
- Gloves (optional)
- Water
Instructions
- Flush the toilet to rinse away floating dirt.
- Pour the vinegar into the toilet bowl. Let it sit for a few minutes. It is better to leave the toilet for at least an hour.
- Pour the baking soda into the bowl. Sprinkle some of it on the sides of the bowl. Let it sit. Afterward, you will see the vinegar react to baking soda.
- Scrub the toilet, especially the stained areas.
- To finish, rinse the toilet with water and flush it to remove the remaining dirt.
Can you Clear a Clogged Toilet with Baking Soda and Vinegar?
Most people only know that baking soda cleans toilets. But did you know baking soda and vinegar mixture is a hack to unclog the toilet? However, to avoid an eruption all over the bathroom floor, you need to measure the amount of baking soda and vinegar to put into the toilet.
You will need equal parts of these ingredients. If the clog issue is minor, you can use the ingredients simultaneously. But if it’s a stubborn clog, use a smaller amount of these ingredients and sprinkle or pour it in increments. It’s essential to put the ingredients in increments to prevent a big mess or eruption.
How to Unclog the Toilet with Baking Soda and Vinegar?
This household tip is helpful if you don’t have a plunger handy. To execute this tip well, follow these steps.
Materials you need:
- ½ cup of baking soda
- ½ cup of vinegar
- A kettle or pot of hot water
- Pour the baking soda, then pour the same amount of vinegar. Once these ingredients combine, you will see a fizzing action. The fizzing will subside little by little. Leave the mixture for a couple of minutes as it does its job.
- Pour the hot water into the toilet bowl. Check out if the clog is successfully released. Once it is released, you will hear a suction sound, and the toilet will drain normally.
- You’re done! Flush the toilet at least twice to make sure it’s working properly.
How to Prevent Dirt or Stubborn Stains in Your Toilet
While some toilets have a stain-resistant finish, they still might not be exempt from staining. Standing water has minerals that can discolor or stain the porcelain. If you allow stains from standing water to build, they will be hard to remove. You will need strong chemicals or acidic cleansers to remove the stubborn stain.
Thus, it’s worthwhile to not only be aware of how baking soda cleans toilets. It’s also crucial to practice preventive maintenance. To do this, make “flush the toilet after use” a family rule. Also, make a weekly cleaning habit of cleaning the toilet with baking soda.
Conclusion
Indeed, baking soda cleans toilets. You can even use it to clean the bathtub, sink, faucet, shower doors, and stone tiles. However, note that when the toilet issue is severe, make baking soda even more powerful. How do you do this? Mix it with vinegar or hydrogen peroxide!
Now that you have the answer to does baking soda clean toilets? You can sit proudly on the toilet, knowing it is clean and without a foul smell. Of course, thanks to the power of baking soda, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide.
If you’re interested in learning what else baking soda can clean in your home, check out our post – Does Baking Soda Clean Fruit?