Toilets are often one of the most dreaded household chores, but keeping them clean does not have to mean using harsh chemicals or breathing in strong fumes. Many people avoid bleach because it has a horrible smell, and you need to be careful when handling it, but it is a really useful cleaning product as it can kill germs quickly. However, it is not effective at removing toilet stains, as these are usually caused by limescale, which is made up of minerals left behind when hard water evaporates. Limescale can be frustrating because it often appears as dark stains in the toilet bowl, and since most everyday cleaners cannot dissolve it, the buildup causes more bacteria to spread.
Natural Alternatives to Bleach for Toilet Cleaning
Kristin Marr, the founder of Live Simply, has shared that there is an easier way to get rid of limescale, germs and keep a toilet completely clean without needing bleach at all. Kristin explained: “When it comes to toilet bowl disinfecting, I only use one ingredient: hydrogen peroxide or vinegar.”
Limescale is annoying to clean as it is made up of calcium carbonate, a hard mineral that tends to cling tightly to a surface and will not budge no matter how hard you scrub at it. Vinegar is one of the absolute best ways to get rid of toilet stains, as it is highly acidic, which softens and dissolves calcium carbonate, making limescale easy to remove. It is highly recommended to use vinegar to clean limescale as it is a natural product that does not contain any harsh chemicals, but it is only mildly antibacterial.
Hydrogen Peroxide for Disinfection
Using white vinegar alone will get rid of stains but it will not completely disinfect a toilet which is why hydrogen peroxide is so useful. Hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent that breaks down into hydrogen and oxygen after use, so it is a more environmentally friendly cleaning product. It is very effective at tackling bacteria, germs, fungi and viruses so you can safely disinfect your toilet without needing to use bleach. Using hydrogen peroxide is a non-toxic way to clean your toilet and is also a much better deodoriser compared to bleach, so it will make your bathroom smell a lot cleaner after use.
How to Naturally Clean Your Toilet
It should be noted that you never mix vinegar with hydrogen peroxide together, as it will produce a substance called peracetic acid, which is not safe to breathe in. Vinegar should be used to remove toilet stains, while hydrogen peroxide is better for regular cleaning to help get rid of germs on your toilet. You can use one after the other but just make sure you rinse the toilet thoroughly with water between products and if you are unsure, just use them at different times.
However, both items are very simple to use. All you need to do is pour only one of the products into your toilet bowl, and then leave it alone for 30 minutes. This just gives the product more time to work so it will be more effective so it can break down limescale or germs properly. Once the time is up, use your toilet brush to give the bowl a good scrub and then flush. It just takes five minutes of effort to clean the toilet but it will be sparkling clean without needing to use bleach at all.
