How to Clean a Toilet Bowl

Cleaning a toilet bowl is an unpleasant chore, but it can be a simple and quick task with the right tools. Clean your toilet bowl with eco-friendly vinegar, borax and lemon juice to keep your toilet bowl sparkling and smelling fresh.

Things You'll Need

• Rubber gloves
• Toilet bowl brush
• Plunger
• Spray bottle
• White vinegar
• Borax
• Lemon juice

Instructions

1. Open windows and doors so that your bathroom is properly ventilated. Slip on a pair of disposable rubber gloves.

2. Find a plastic, long-handled toilet brush. Brushes with handles of at least 12 in. allow for deep cleaning and limit accidental splashing.

3. Lower the toilet bowl's water by turning off toilet's water source and flushing. You may also plunge the water until it lowers.

4. Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar. Spray the vinegar into the interior of the toilet bowl. Add more vinegar on areas where you see hard water deposits. Allow the vinegar to sit for 10 minutes.

5. Hold the toilet brush over the bowl and spray it with vinegar. Swab the toilet bowl with the brush. Start by working the brush under the toilet bowl's rim and continuing deeper into the bowl so that gunk can flow down into the bowl. Flush the toilet.

6. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of borax into the toilet bowl. After an hour, scrub the toilet bowl to remove any lingering odors and flush.

7. Pour 2 or 3 cups of vinegar into the bowl and allow the deposits to break up over night if your bowl has a lot of hard water deposits. Clean the toilet bowl like usual in the morning.

8. Add 1/2 cup of lemon juice to the final cleaning to freshen your toilet bowl's scent. Toilet lids, seats and handles can be cleaned using vinegar and wiping them down. Clean them before and after you clean your toilet bowl. Clean your toilet bowl at least once a week to kill bacteria and avoid hard water stains.

Tips & Warnings

• If your toilet bowl has rust, scale or lime deposits due to hard water, invest in products specially designed to remove them. Check labels for EPA registration numbers, as they indicate that the products also kill germs.

• Read the product's directions and wear goggles when working with the chemicals.

• Never mix cleaning products together while cleaning the bowl.

• Avoid using metal objects or pumice stones to clean your toilet bowl. These items can scratch the bowl.