The Natural Cleaner Your Nasty Toilet Needs

Shawna Bailey
by Shawna Bailey
4 Materials
$5
10 Minutes
Easy
I'm a huge fan of eco cleaning products. With two little kids running around, I'm always looking for any natural cleaning product that cuts down on harmful toxins in my house and makes cleaning easier. And few cleaning products are as packed with toxins as toilet cleaners. Instead, I went to my pantry to grab supplies for this baking soda and vinegar cleaner. The result? My toilet has never sparkled like this!

Start by gathering vinegar and baking soda from your pantry. You can also pick up some essential oil to add a fresh touch. Then, head on over to that dingy, dirty toilet...
Gross, right? I'm embarrassed to even show it to you, but you need to see how it started to appreciate how awesome this homemade cleaner actually is. Step 1: Spray in Vinegar
I poured my vinegar into an empty spray bottle so it would be easier to get at all the nooks and crannies of the toilet . I didn't want to have to dive in there, so this was a much more "hands-off" cleaning method.
Once my bottle was ready to go, I gave the dirty bowl a few strong squirts, covering every grimy angle. Step 2: Add Drops of Essential Oil
Technically, I didn't have to do this step since it's not needed for the cleaning process, but boy, does it smell nice! I like using lavender, tea rose, or any citrus scent for a really fresh and clean smell. Step 3: Sprinkle in Baking Soda
Next, I sprinkled 2 tablespoons of baking soda around the walls of the toilet bowl. That was enough for my mess, but be as liberal as necessary with your baking soda.
Get ready for bubbles! Once the baking soda hit the vinegar, my toilet bowl started fizzing and breaking down the nasty build-up all by itself! For a really stubborn stain, you may have to let it sit for a few minutes, or repeat steps 1 and 3. If you leave it for an hour, it will even take off the lime scale! Step 4: Brush Away Loose Grime
A light scrubbing with a toilet brush knocked off the loosened build-up that wasn't washing away on its own. I really just added this step for good measure, but most of the time you won't even need to scrub. Step 5: Flush!
After that, I just tapped the flusher and watched all my sorrows (and the gross toilet build-up) wash away!
This homemade cleaner is seriously the best toilet bowl cleaner I have ever used. Call me crazy, but I think few things make you feel as accomplished as seeing your sparkling clean toilet bowl. Ahhhh!
Suggested materials:
  • White vinegar   (Grocery Store)
  • Baking soda   (Grocery Store)
  • Spray bottle   (Dollar Store)
See all materials
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
3 of 50 questions
  • Angela Stromquist Angela Stromquist on Feb 02, 2020

    Can you do the same thing for bathtubs and showers

  • Pamela Mosby Pamela Mosby on May 26, 2020

    Does this really get rid of the lines in the toilet from hard well water. I noticed that as soon as she sprayed the vinegar the stains went away

  • Scottbobbie848 Scottbobbie848 on Feb 21, 2022

    What about the toilet seat itself? I seem to get some kind of a build up on it.

Comments
Join the conversation
3 of 261 comments
Next