How to start cleaning?

Cut off the water supply to your toilet tank and flush it empty. Take a clean and dry towel or any other neat piece of cloth and rub inside the tub or next to the toilet till it dry off completely. Now, gently remove the tank lid and place it somewhere out of your way. It’s advised to wear protective gear such as rubber gloves, a face mask and eyewear because you’ll be exposed to the environment for long; depending on complexity of situation. Cleaning products; be it natural or commercial may be harmful so there’s nothing wrong in taking preventive measures in advance!

Bust-off dirt & bacteria

Take a disinfectant cleanser and spray inside of the tank. Make sure you work through all the four sides and allow the solution to sit for at-least 30 minutes. It’ll effectively loosen the dirt and debris layer plus removes any bacteria present. Now, take a long-handled toilet or scrub brush with soft bristles and run it inside the tank. It’ll easily reach corners and crevices thus ensuring best results.

To remove gunk, debris and other deposit off the rubber stopper and plastic or metal chain, use a non-abrasive rag or sponge. Don’t fiddle with the stopper for if the fit or grip moved from the place, this simple cleaning would turn into a headache of repair and maintenance as well. When you’re done with all, refill the tank by turning the supply back ON and flush once or twice to clean away the residue.

Take out scum & slime

Take a small spray bottle and fill it with undiluted chlorine bleach. Apply the solution directly over scum or slime and leave it intact for around 15 minutes. After that, pour chilled water on the area that’ll wash away the slime and scum deposit. Repeat the process until the area comes out spotless. Next, turn back the water supply and allow the tank to refill. Flush to drain chemical and leftover bleach completely.

Get rid of mineral deposits & mildew

Mildew and mineral deposits that travel along with water are common in a toilet tank. To clean this up, pour undiluted and distilled white vinegar into the tank until all stains are covered. Put the lid back over the tank and let it sit for at-least 12 hours. The acetic acid by then would’ve penetrated and dissolved mildew spores and sediments.

Scrub with a cleaning brush and rinse it throughout the process so as to remove the residue off the bristles. Wipe the tank with paper towel and repeat the steps till stains are completely gone! Again, refill the tank and flush the toilet to remove vinegar leftover.

Tips & precautions

• Throw some baking soda in the toilet tank after every month which reduces mineral deposit formation and prevents mildew as well.
• Avoid using harsh chemical solution because they can corrode rubber gaskets, fixtures and seals. Using excess cleaning tablets may cause water leaks due to being acidic in nature.
• Toilet chain and stopper are susceptible to break so be careful while cleaning.

Toilet cleaning is a must for personal hygiene and to keep it fresh all the time so do pay special attention at the details above.