From grapefruit to vinegar, natural tips for a spotless toilet

Cleaning the toilet is a task no-one likes to put on top of the ‘to do’ list – especially if you’ve left it a little too long. But there are some simple and effective tricks to get it sparkling in no time – without the use of those harsh chemicals.

From a grapefruit and salt, to vinegar and baking soda, you’re likely to find all the ingredients you need to keep it smelling and looking great, already in your home. After all, it’s an inevitable part of life – so why not enjoy those trips to the bathroom a little more?

Here are a few natural secrets to get your toilet sparkling clean:

A grapefruit and salt

Sometimes to get a good clean, you need to put on your rubber gloves and get scrubbing in the toilet bowl.

If you’re planning on doing that, you can use a grapefruit and some salt. All you need to do is cut the grapefruit in half, dip it in salt and give the toilet a good scrub. Flush the toilet when you’re done – it’ll smell much better and the acidity of the grapefruit will have eaten away at the stains.

Combine vinegar and baking soda

Stains won’t stand a chance against either of these products when combined.

Try pouring vinegar in the water in your toilet bowl and sprinkle baking soda around the edges. Scrub the toilet with a scrubbing brush, mixing the baking soda and vinegar together. The chemical reaction between the two will eat away tough stains and make your toilet fresh, clean and smell better.

Lemon juice

The citric acid in citrus fruits such as lemons makes for a great natural cleaner.

Try pouring some lemon juice or squeezing a lemon in your toilet. You can also scrub your toilet with a lemon and leave it to soak.

Simply scrub, leave to sit and then flush and you’ll have a fresh, healthy smelling toilet. The citric acid will cling to any harmful minerals and stains in your toilet, making them easier to remove.

Banish bad smells

Adding air fresheners into your bathroom can help, but there’s a simple way to tackle the problem in just a second.

Pour a few drops of your favourite essential oil directly on the inside of a toilet paper tube – ensuring none gets on the actual toilet roll. It slowly lets off that smell you love from right at the centre of the room.

Borax

If you’ve been told borax is the same thing as boric acid, you shouldn’t listen.

Apparently, it is as safe to use as salt or baking soda in large amounts, which is why it’s great to use in your toilet. Not only is it a great cleaner around the house, but it’ll whiten, deodorise, and remove stains from in and around your toilet.

Disinfect with hydrogen peroxide

Another handy product to have lying around is hydrogen peroxide.

You can disinfect your toilet by pouring some in and give the toilet a good flush. You can also try putting some hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle and wiping down the toilet bowl, and around and underneath the toilet seat.

Clean the toilet brush regularly

Washing the toilet thoroughly is essential, but after using a toilet brush – it’s no good going to use it again a week later without washing it in between.

You wouldn’t wash your dishes with an old, dirty sponge after all. Pouring a little cleaner into the brush dish between washes keeps it disinfected and smelling great, so there’s no unwanted odours in your bathroom.

Have you tried any of these tricks? What do you swear by to clean the loo?