"Pour a cup of laundry detergent in the tank of the toilet." "The detergent will sink to the bottom and remain in the tank. Each time you flush, a sweet aroma will be released in the tank, and the whole bathroom will smell amazing ... it won't damage your toilet or the septic system."
It won't damage your toilet or the septic system. Fans have praised the idea and have used the hack on their own toilets, while critics argue that the detergent will clog, and even damage pipes before long.
If there is sediment in the bottom of the tank, you'll need more than a quick clean. Empty the tank and add enough undiluted distilled white vinegar to fill the tank to the regular water level. Allow the vinegar to work for at least two hours or overnight.
A popular TikTok video promises your bathroom will smell like clean laundry every time you flush the toilet if you pour a cup of fabric softener into the toilet tank. However, like many social media hacks, this one is too good to be true, and plumbing experts warn that you'll actually be ruining your septic system.
Flush that idea down the drain! Truth or Fiction debunked the reliability of this trick back in 2020, and explained that fabric softener is a major no-go since it's hydrophobic and not water soluble. On top of that, the water in your toilet is cold, making it even harder for the softener to fully break down.
Pour vinegar into the tank
Pouring acidic cleaners down the toilet can help you prevent hard water stains and mineral deposits. Some people recommend lemon juice, but the most reliable and affordable product to use is white vinegar. Each month, pour a cup of white vinegar into the toilet tank.
White vinegar and baking soda in equal parts is a cost-efficient and effective means of getting rid odors in a toilet. Add them to the tank, mix them in and then use the toilet brush to gently scrub the tank. Let it sit for a few hours, scrub the tank again and flush.
According to Abrams, an ordinary bar of soap placed inside a mask, a net, or any other porous material should be a perfectly safe way to keep a toilet bowl clean when you flush it. But there are a few caveats to consider.
Washing powder is another ingredient that not only removes blockages, but leaves your toilet smelling fresh. All you need to do is pour about two handfuls of washing powder down the toilet, before pouring a kettle full of boiling water.
If you take a plastic bottle, put a few pebbles or rocks in it, fill it with water, and then place it in the back of your toilet, you can save up to 10 gallons of water per day. By placing the bottle in the toilet tank, less water is needed to fill the tank and therefore less water is being flushed.
To prevent calcium carbonate from piling up into your cistern, pour a single cup of white vinegar into it. The mixture should be three parts white vinegar to one water. After you pour it into the cistern, mix it slowly and carefully until it's evenly distributed.
If the clog still seems to be intact, start over at step 1 and repeat the process a couple of times. For extra-stubborn clogs, you can let the fizz mixture sit overnight or combine this method with plunging.
In this case, a basic toilet cleaning product may not be enough, and you will need to use undiluted bleach. As a one-stop cleaning solution, pour one cup of bleach around the bowl. Then tackle every inch with a toilet brush or a handheld scrub brush. Let it sit for five minutes, then flush.
Cleaning professionals and plumbers recommend cleaning with vinegar to remove buildup and stains from toilet tanks and other surfaces. Mix it with baking soda, however, and you could damage your tank and plumbing.
Let It Sit For 12 Hours
Leave the vinegar and water mixture in the toilet tank for 12 hours without flushing the toilet. This is why this cleaning process is best done overnight, as you are less likely to need the bathroom throughout the night than during the day.
That's right. The fizzy drink can actually remove hard-to-clean stains on the inside of a toilet bowl.
"Pour a cup of laundry detergent or fabric softener in the tank of the toilet," the experts wrote in the caption. "Each time you flush, a sweet aroma will be released in the tank, and the whole bathroom will smell amazing." This is an exciting, easy tip.