Clean the Toilet Tank: A Cool Trick for a Sparkling Clean, Odor-Free WC

When cleaning the toilet area, the tanks is often overlooked. However, it actually needs to be disinfected regularly to prevent bacteria or mold from developing. If you clean your toilet tank regularly, you can also prevent rust and limescale deposits.

Clean the Toilet Tank: This Home Remedy Disinfects and Neutralizes Odors

The toilet tank must be cleaned at least once a month. Otherwise, mold can form and spread dangerous bacteria. Serratia marcescens are bacteria that multiply rapidly in the toilet. In hospitals, the pathogen triggers wound infections, skin inflammation and pneumonia. Mold can cause allergies and lime deposits can damage the parts in the tank. Unfortunately, cleaning the toilet tank is a time-consuming and tedious job. With a homemade toilet bomb, you can get the inside of clean the toilet tank without scrubbing and can even neutralize unpleasant odors.

Before you clean the toilet tank, find the shut-off valve or faucet and turn off the water. Then detach the lid and remove all moving parts in the tank. Schedule cleaning during a period when people use the toilet less often – late at night, for example.

Also see: How to Clean a Yellowed Toilet Seat?

If There Is Mold, First Disinfect the Tank with Vinegar Essence

In some cases, when the tank has not been cleaned for a long time, additional disinfection is necessary. Otherwise, dirty water runs into the toilet bowl. How to tell if you should disinfect the toilet tank:

• The flushing does not work or works poorly.
• The flushing water runs on for longer than normal.
• You notice an orange streak of water in the toilet tank.
• You notice mold in the tank.

A vinegar essence solution or lemon juice is suitable for disinfection. It is environmentally friendly, does not damage rubber seals and metal parts and reliably removes mold spores. Proceed as follows: Pour ½ cup of vinegar essence and 2 cups of water into a plastic bottle. Shake the bottle so that the two mix well and put some vinegar essence solution on a kitchen sponge. Then gently rub the solution into the walls, bottom and seals with the kitchen sponge. Pour the rest of the solution into the empty toilet tank and leave it on for about 40 to a maximum of 50 minutes. Then rinse it off.

DIY Toilet Bomb and Air Freshener in One

If there is no mold in the toilet tank, then you can clean it with a homemade toilet bomb. To do this, simply mix the following ingredients together:

Ingredients:

• 1,5 oz/50 ml citric acid
• 3 oz/100 ml baking soda
• 1/2 tsp liquid soap or dishwashing liquid
• 12 drops of essential oils such as lavender or tea tree oil

Tools:

• glass bowl
• Silicone muffin molds
• Spoon
• rubber gloves

Preparation:

Add baking powder and citric acid to the bowl and mix. Add the essential oils and mix well. Slowly add the liquid soap to the baking powder mixture, stirring constantly. It should be moderately wet and easy to shape with your hands. Fill the muffin molds and let the bombs dry for about 12 to 14 hours. Then carefully remove them from the muffin molds and let them dry for another 2-3 days. Put the bombs in a glass jar with an airtight seal and store them in a dry and dark place.

How to use the bombs properly:

Place a bomb in the toilet tank (it should be full of water). If necessary, you can also give it a little extra scrubbing with a clean, long-handled brush. Then flush the toilet two or three times to remove any residue. The essential oils will neutralize unpleasant odors and aromatize the flush water over the next few days.

These bath bombs clean and prevent limescale deposits. However, if the tank is already calcified, then you have to add a cup of lemon juice to the flushing water once a month and leave it to work for about an hour. Then flush several times and you’re done. Pumice stone also helps against limescale – you can simply use it to scrub the deposits. Pumice will not damage metal parts or rubber seals and is a very effective alternative to lemon juice and citric acid. This is because both can attack metal parts and rubber seals if not diluted with water.

Clean the Toilet Tank: The Most Important Things Summarized

Mold, limescale and bacteria can damage the tank and pose a health risk. That is why everyone should clean the toilet tank once or twice a month. The best way is to use homemade toilet bombs, which act quickly. In addition, you can disinfect the flushing water and neutralize unpleasant odors.

However, if you notice mold and limescale in the tank, you should first clean it with a solution of citric acid and water.