A number of companies offer commercial toilet cleaners and there are also some homemade methods that you can try. This article discusses some of the most popular methods, including three basic toilet bowl cleaner ingredients, the benefits of using baking soda, and what you can do with those toilet bowl brush heads.

 

Most importantly, it will tell you which method to use for your specific type of toilet. I’ve also included a tip or two for cleaning the hardest-to-reach areas of your toilet.

 

Commercial toilet cleaners work well at removing dirt, yeast, and most all stains from the inside of your toilet tank, bowl, steps and drains. As with many other things in life, it is best to research the available products before you even start to try any. On average, toilet bowl cleaners retail for between $1 and $3 per bottle.

 

Some people have tried to use a toilet bowl cleaner as a clump remover, but this is extremely difficult and will generally not work. It’s best to try one of the commercial products if you are looking for a clump free bowl.

Toilet bowl cleaner ingredients are generally one of three formats:

1. A powder that you mix with water. Toilet bowl cleaner powders generally cost between $2 and $4 per container and the size is between one and two quarts for both powder and bleach-based products.

 

2. A gel-like material that you squirt into the toilet about once a week to keep things clean. The advantage to this is that it keeps the toilet smelling nice and fresh without requiring much attention.

 

3. A liquid that you add to your toilet water on a regular basis, usually once a week or so. This method requires more direct work, but can be effective in keeping things clean over the long run.

 

Tip: Some people make their own toilet bowl cleaner in a bucket. The three components are:

 

Water, liquid toilet bowl cleaner and baking soda. First, you add the liquid to the toilet and let it sit for as long as possible, usually about 30 minutes. Then you take the brush or scrubber of your choice, dip it into the water/cleaner mixture that is still in the bucket and scrub your toilet clean. 

 

After you have scrubbed the bowl, you wash the mixture down the drain with hot water from your faucet.

 

Here are 3 major toilet bowl cleaner ingredients:

1. Bleach – One of the best ways to clean a toilet is to mix one part bleach and four parts water. This mixture is also handy for cleaning mirrors and countertops in your bathroom. 

 

Be sure to keep this clear of children and pets because it can be harmful if they accidentally drink it or get it in their eyes.

 

2. Baking soda – A simple mixture of water, baking soda and vinegar works to clean the toilet bowl very well. Some people swear that this is the best way to clean a toilet.

 

3. Commercial products – There are many commercial products on the market, including RemClean, Clorox ToiletWand, Soft Scrub and Pine-Sol. 

 

Toilet Wand is a good choice if you have hard water because it uses bleach in a gel formula and doesn’t require you to scrub as hard or long as other cleaners. This is also a good choice if you don’t want to spend too much money on a toilet bowl cleaner.

 

Some people prefer the homemade method, which is basically a mix of equal parts bleach and vinegar:

 

4 parts water to 1 part bleach and 1/4 cup of white vinegar. Clean the toilet as usual and then fill the tank with a mixture of 4 parts water to 1 part vinegar, 1/2 cup of baking soda, and spray some Comet or Drano in the bowl. Leave it on overnight. In the morning, flush the toilet, flush again with water and that should do it.

 

While many people like to use baking soda and vinegar or baking soda and bleach to clean a toilet, I have found that they are both messy and either don’t work well or work too well (bleach). 

 

Bleach is not a good idea if you have small children or pets because it can be harmful if ingested or gets into their eyes. Vinegar also seems to make the toilet more slippery.