How to Clean a Toilet Bowl with Vinegar and Baking Soda

Co-authored by Kadi Dulude and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: December 15, 2021 References

Cleaning the toilet: it’s everyone’s favorite chore, right? If you’re really not looking forward to inhaling a lungful of nasty chemicals while you clean, look no further! By combining vinegar and baking soda, you can create a powerful toilet cleaner that will leave your toilet sparkling clean. In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of using baking soda and vinegar to clean your toilet and tackle tough stains.

1

Empty the bowl if your toilet is really dirty.

Turn off the water to the tank and then flush the toilet. If you haven’t cleaned your bathroom for a while (there’s no shame in it—we’ve all been there!) or your toilet is pretty stained, adding vinegar and baking soda to a dry bowl will help give it a deep clean. Reach behind your toilet and twist the valve knob clockwise to shut the water off temporarily. Then, flush your toilet once to drain all the water out of the bowl.^{[1]
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- Don’t worry, it’s super easy to turn your water back on. When you’re ready, you can just reach behind your toilet again and twist the valve counter-clockwise before flushing.

2

Pour 1 c (240 mL) of white vinegar into the bowl.

White vinegar is naturally acidic, which gives it great cleaning power. Measure out about 1 c (240 mL), then dump it into the toilet bowl. Start pouring from the rim, moving the cup all the way around the toilet bowl to cover the entire thing.^{[2]
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- Although it can be tempting to use apple cider vinegar, its brown color has the potential to stain a white toilet. Stick to white vinegar if you don’t want to discolor your toilet bowl accidentally.

3

Let the vinegar sit overnight.

This will help tackle tough stains. Close the lid and let the vinegar sit for as long as you can (8 hours is ideal). While you’re waiting, feel free to tackle the rest of your bathroom to get the deep cleaning out of the way.^{[3]
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- This is especially important if you’re dealing with hard water stains, since those can take a while to dissolve. In a toilet, hard water stains are usually brown or rust-colored, and they usually don’t come off with gentle scrubbing.

4

Sprinkle baking soda into the bowl.

The vinegar will combine with baking soda, providing a deep clean. Once your vinegar has sat for a little while, grab a package of baking soda and sprinkle enough into the toilet to cover the whole surface of the bowl. Don’t worry if the mixture starts to fizz—that means it’s working!^{[4]
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- The acidity in vinegar combines with the baking soda, releasing carbon dioxide gas that can help lift dirt and stains. Plus, it does it without using any harsh chemicals, so you don’t have to worry about breathing it in while you clean.

5

Add more vinegar if you’re dealing with hard water stains.

Hard water can discolor your toilet bowl, and it’s tough to get that out. If you notice that your toilet has a ring around it that you haven’t been able to get out, add about 1 c (240 mL) of vinegar into the toilet bowl after you’ve sprinkled your baking soda. The extra acidity will help break down the hard water stains so you can scrub your toilet clean.^{[5]
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- Hard water describes water that has a lot of minerals dissolved in it (specifically calcium and magnesium).^{[6]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  U.S. Geological Survey
  U.S. government agency responsible for conducting scientific research on the nation's land, natural resources, and natural disasters
  Go to source} If you live in an area with hard water, you’ve probably noticed white spots on your glassware, even after you wash them.

6

Scrub the bowl with a toilet brush.

Throw on a pair of gloves and get ready to use some elbow grease. Grab your toilet brush and give the toilet bowl a once over, then focus on any areas that are stained or discolored. The abrasiveness of the baking soda will help scrub off most tough stains, so you shouldn’t have to work too hard to clean out the toilet.^{[7]
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- Although it can be tempting to grab a metal brush, don’t use that on enamel surfaces—metal brushes are tough on stains, but they can also scratch your toilet bowl.^{[8]
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  Expert Source
  
  Amy Mikhaiel
  House Cleaning Professional
  Expert Interview. 3 February 2019.}

7

Flush the toilet to rinse it out.

Vinegar and baking soda are fine to flush down your toilet. If you turned off the water to your toilet tank, reach behind the toilet and twist the valve to turn it back on again. Then, flush the toilet once to get rid of all the vinegar and baking soda and reveal your shiny, clean toilet bowl.^{[9]
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- To clean off your toilet brush, leave it in the toilet as you flush. The new, clean water will rinse the brush off, and you can let it dry until you use it next time.^{[10]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Consumer Reports
  Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing
  Go to source}

8

Repeat the process if you need to.

Tough stains and dark marks sometimes need a second round. If you aren’t quite satisfied with the state of your toilet yet, add 1 c (240 mL) of vinegar again and let it sit for about 1 hour. Then, sprinkle baking soda on top and give the whole thing another scrub.^{[11]
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- If you’re having to do this a second time, you may want to let the vinegar soak overnight. That way, it has enough time to work on hard stains.

9

Wipe down the rest of your toilet with vinegar and hot water.

Vinegar isn’t just for cleaning your toilet bowl! If you want to disinfect the rest of your toilet, dip a rag into white vinegar and then wet it with hot water. Wipe down the seat, the toilet tank, and the handle to clean them all off and leave your toilet sparkling clean.^{[12]
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Trustworthy Source
Consumer Reports
Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing
Go to source}

10

Clean your toilet about once a week.

The more often you clean your toilet, the less work it will be over time. You might want to clean your toilet as often as once a week, or even more if you have a lot of people in the house. Keep a jug of vinegar and some baking soda on-hand so you never run out when you need them.^{[13]
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11

Use bowls of vinegar to get rid of urine smells.

If you’ve cleaned your whole bathroom and it still smells, try this. Fill up a few bowls with white vinegar and leave them uncovered in the bathroom for about 8 hours. In the morning, you can dump the vinegar out, and the smell will hopefully have been absorbed.^{[14]
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Expert Source

Kadi Dulude
House Cleaning Professional
Expert Interview. 22 September 2019.}
- Vinegar is a natural odor-eater, and it can help remove tough smells that might be stuck in the floors or the walls.