14 Ways To Clean Your Toilet And Keep It Spotless Longer

The one place in my home that I always have to spend more time cleaning is my toilet. It's such a pain (in the back). And it's gross.

It's impossible to be ready for times when friends or family spontaneously pop by because that would require my toilet to be cleaned every single day, and I seriously don't have time for that.

These toilet cleaning hacks are a life-saver! Most of them don't take too much time and they help to keep your toilet smelling and looking clean longer.

Try them and see for yourself!

1. Alka-Seltzer

These heartburn and indigestion tablets work wonders when put inside your toilet bowl.

Drop two tablets in and let them dissolve. This should take at least 15 minutes.

Using your toilet brush, mix the water with the Alka-Selzer tablets if they're not dissolving fast enough.

2. Toothpaste

If you're in a hurry to clean your toilet, use toothpaste. Now I know this sounds weird, but it works!

To prevent your toilet from smelling like chemicals for hours on end, wipe the toilet seat with a baby wipe and squirt some toothpaste in the bowl.

For a fresher smell, add a capful of mouthwash.

3. Kool-Aid

This flavored drink mix is perfect to remove stains without having to use harmful chemicals that can linger into your respiratory tract.

Pour the powder inside the bowl and let it soak overnight before you flush in the morning.

4. Dish Soap

If you're out of toilet cleaner and prefer using chemicals to clean your toilet bowl, use dish soap.

Mix it with hot water to tackle those stubborn stains and unclog your toilet.

5. Coca-Cola

I've never tried this hack, but my friends swear by it.

Coca-Cola is believed to dissolve toilet rust rings. Simply pour an entire can and let it sit for an hour to allow the acidity of the soda to break down stubborn stains.

If they're still there, repeat the process once more.

6. Vinegar

If you can use vinegar to clean stubborn stains on your countertops, they can certainly be used to clean your toilet.

No matter how many times you clean the bowl, pinkish lines will start to appear. This is a sign that the jets responsible for flushing and rinsing the bowl are clogged.

Duct tape the siphon jets underneath your toilet rim and fill up the tank with vinegar.

Let it soak overnight and you won't have to run into this problem until many months later.

7. Grapefruit and salt

It's a good idea to avoid bringing food in your bathroom, but this is an exception.

Citrus fruits like grapefruit, lemons, and lime work as the perfect toilet cleaners.

All you need to do is cut one of these citrus fruits in half, dip it in salt, and scrub the toilet with it.

Your entire bathroom will smell so fresh, and the best part is that it's all natural!

8. Cleaning your toilet brush

We're so focused on cleaning our toilet bowls properly that we forget about the brush.

You want to make sure that the tool you clean your toilet bowl with is always sanitized.

Every time you use the brush and put it back in the brush holder, pour some all-purpose cleaner in it.

9. Sandpaper

There are some stains that the most powerful toilet cleaners can't even fix.

If you ever find yourself running into this problem, use extra-fine-grit sandpaper to scrub the inside of the bowl.

Make sure the area is wet to prevent damaging the finish or scratching the porcelain.

10. DIY toilet bomb

No one is excited to do chores, especially bathroom chores. Instead of lugging around your detergents and toilet scrubbers, make this all natural toilet bomb at home.

All you need to freshen the toilet bowl is baking soda, vinegar and tea tree oil.

Add one cup of baking soda into a large bowl. Next, add 1/4 cup of vinegar.

Tea tree oil has antiseptic and antifungal properties that will give your toilet bowl a deep clean, so add a few drops of that oil into the mixture.

Now press the mixture into something like a ice cube tray to mold them into cubes. Let them dry overnight and then store them in an airtight container.

They're ready to use whenever you need them!

11. Essential Oils

Say you're really in a hurry, or you just want your toilet smelling and looking clean for longer, add a few drops of essential oil into the bowl.

Using oils that are more citrus-based will also work to tackle any stains.

12. Gatorade

When calcium and lime builds up in your toilet bowl, you feel like it's game over. But don't give up just yet!

Dump an entire bottle of Gatorade to get rid of those stubborn stains.

You'll want to let the Gatorade sit for at least 30 minutes, then use your toilet scrub to remove the stains with ease.

13. Hydrogen Peroxide

Is there something hydrogen peroxide can't fix in your home? The uses are endless!

You've probably used this solution on your teeth or to clean your vegetables, and you can also clean your toilet bowl with it.

Pour half a cup of hydrogen peroxide in your toilet bowl and let it soak for at least 30 minutes. Then scrub the bowl clean.

14. Borax

Another genius way to thoroughly clean your toilet bowl is to create your own multi-action foam cleanser using castille soap and borax.

If the vinegar hack sounded like too much work for you, try this one instead.

These two ingredients will break down all the stubborn stains in your toilet bowl, while also getting into hard to reach places, like the siphon jets.

Use an old toothbrush to really get under there if you need to.

[H/T: One Crazy House]