The secret ingredients to keep your toilet bowl sparkling clean

Cleaning the toilet is high on the list of ‘gross’ chores around the house, but thinking about the cocktail of nasty chemicals that go into making your household cleaner is enough to make a person’s skin crawl. If the back of your cleaner has more warnings than a fast food menu, chances are you are putting not only the environment in great danger but your health too.

Acids, such as hydrochloric acid, are often used in toilet bowl cleaners and are extremely corrosive. This can be pretty toxic for you when you clean the bowl, but it can also pose a risk to your grandchildren and your pets.

Bleach is also an active ingredient in toilet cleaners, but it has the potential to burn, corrode and even destroy tissue. It’s really hazardous to those asthma sufferers too!

There is a way to avoid this — go natural!

You can make your own toilet cleaner using these simple (and quite common) household ingredients…

• 1/2 teaspoon tea tree essential oil
• 1/2 cup bicarb soda
• 1 cup white vinegar

Method

Combine the vinegar and essential oil in a small spray bottle. Spray the vinegar mix inside the bowl and also on the toilet seat, lid and handle. Let the cleaner sit for a few minutes. Then sprinkle the bicarb soda over the inside of the toilet bowl and scrub the inside of the bowl with a toilet brush. Don’t forget under the rim! Using a clean cloth, wipe the top of the cistern with the vinegar mix. Use that cloth to wipe the top of the toilet lid, under the lid, on top of the seat and under the seat. Rinse the cloth when you are done.

You can also use the mix to wipe the outside of the bowl. Go all the way to the floor and then around to the plumbing at the rear. It’s incredible how dusty and dirty these areas get.

Now here’s the kicker! If you have stubborn stains in your loo, grab yourself a couple of denture tablets (you may, or may not have these handy) and pop them in the bowl for an hour. When the time’s up, flush. Two tablets once a week can help keep your toilet bowl clean, saving you a bit on the scrubbing.

Have you tried this before? Do you have an alternative home remedy for multipurpose cleaning? Share your tips in the comments below!