It’s no secret that your toilet isn’t the cleanest place in your home.
In the average household, toilets typically contain many harmful bacteria including c.difficile and e.coli.
Each time you flush your toilet with an open lid, these bacteria are sprayed throughout your bathroom, infecting personal care items like toothbrushes and towels.
That’s why it’s important to clean your porcelain throne at least a few times a week.
Throw Away Your Chemical Cleaner
Just because your cleaning solution says “non-toxic” and “biodegradable” doesn’t mean it’s safe.
These cleaning solutions are legally allowed to make these claims despite containing 2-butoxyethanol, a solvent absorbed through the skin that damages your red blood cells and causes damage to your eyes (1).
They may also contain alcohol ethoxylate surfactants, which are so toxic that they are banned in the European Union (1).
Other chemical cleaners, like the Comet Disinfectant Cleanser Powder contain hundreds of chemicals known to cause cancer, asthma and reproductive disorders.
Its most toxic chemicals, including formaldehyde, benzene, chloroform and toluene, are not listed on the label (1).
A Natural Solution
You can actually clean your toilet with products you often use in the kitchen.
Vinegar contains acetic acid , which easily breaks up rust, stains and mineral deposits in toilets (2).
Japanese scientists have found that this acid kills E. coli and salmonella, two incredibly harmful bacteria (3). Best of all, vinegar does not emit any fumes and is non-toxic (4).
In addition, baking soda scrubs away dirt and grime without damaging porcelain and works with vinegar to lift off harsh stains.
To use, pour a cup of white vinegar in your toilet and let it act for half an hour. Then, sprinkle half a cup of baking soda in the bowl and scrub the the toilet clean. Flush immediately and repeat a few times a week.
You can also use baking soda on its own by pouring half a small package into your toilet and letting it work overnight. In the morning, flush 2-3 times to push the solution into your pipes.
sources :
[1]https://www.ewg.org/cleaners/hallofshame/
[2]https://www.ehow.com/how_5302835_use-soda-clean-toilet-naturally.html
[3]https://nowtoronto.com/lifestyle/ecoholic/does-cleaning-with-vinegar-actually-disinfect/
[4]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3940030/