8 Weird Toilet Cleaning Hacks That Work

White Vinegar Toilet Bowl Bath

Most people reach for bleach to obliterate toilet germs and stains. However, Green living expert Mark Lallanilla says that plain old white vinegar is an effective cleaner. To eliminate hard water stains, soak toilet paper in vinegar and place directly on top of the stain. Let the vinegar-soaked paper sit overnight. The next morning, flush to rinse and the stains should be gone.

Sanitize With Hydrogen Peroxide

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Hydrogen peroxide is a safe and effective germ fighter.1 To disinfect your toilet, pour ½ cup of hydrogen peroxide into the bowl, let stand for 30 minutes, and then flush to rinse.

• DIY Fizzy Toilet Bomb

  You can buy fancy “fizzies” or “bombs” that clean and deodorize your toilet, but it’s easy and inexpensive to make your own. You can even make your own all-natural fizzy toilet bombs using only common household products such as baking soda and citric acid combined with your favorite scented oil.

   

   

• 06of 08

   

  Baby Oil Polish for Chrome

  

  You’ll be amazed when you see the shining results of baby oil applied to chrome fixtures. You can polish up your toilet handle—not to mention your faucets and showerhead—with just a few drops on a clean, soft cloth. Then, apply a few more drops to the toilet tank and toilet bowl and buff until the porcelain gleams.

• 07of 08

   

  Shaving Cream to Neutralize

  

  If you have shaving cream in your bathroom, consider using it to clean your toilet if it’s not smelling or looking fresh. Shaving cream has foaming properties that can eliminate uric acid crystals and their associated odor. Spray a generous amount of shaving cream into the toilet bowl and let it sit for around 10 minutes. After that, scrub the bowl and then flush it

• 08of 08

   

  Lemon Juice Scrub

  

  To freshen up your toilet and get rid of germs and stains, pour half a cup of lemon juice into the bowl and scrub. Lemon juice has antibacterial and bleaching properties that help to eliminate bacteria and stains. If the stains are stubborn, you can sprinkle some borax into the bowl before adding the lemon juice.