How to Clean Your Toilet Bowl With Baking Soda and Get Rid of Everything From Stains to Odors

No one loves being on toilet duty, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be an unpleasant affair. Baking soda is a natural cleaning and deodorizing solution for many things around the house, including your toilet bowl. 

Below, a cleaning pro shares more about why you should use baking soda to clean the toilet bowl, as well as step-by-step directions for doing so.

Why You Should Clean Your Toilet Bowl With Baking Soda

Baking soda is gentle, safe, and non-toxic, making it an excellent cleaning option all around. Because it can be used for other cleaning chores around the house, it’s a cheap and convenient tool to have on hand for regular toilet bowl maintenance.

“It’s cheap, easy to find, and gentle on both your porcelain and your nose,” says cleaning expert Katrina Toner.

Baking soda’s mild abrasiveness helps scrub away light stains and grime without scratching your toilet bowl’s porcelain. It also works as a natural odor neutralizer, so you can have your toilet bowl smelling fresh and clean without having to use any harsh chemicals.

If you’re looking for a convenient and chemical-free alternative to tackling grime and stains, baking soda is a great option for taking care of your toilet bowl.

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How to Clean Your Toilet Bowl With Baking Soda

Baking soda is a great option because it can be used regularly, even on sensitive plumbing or finishes. Toner suggests pairing baking soda with additional ingredients like lemon juice or hydrogen peroxide to boost your cleaning power and tackle particularly tough stains and residue.

Follow Toner’s step-by-step method to clean your toilet bowl with baking soda:

1. Sprinkle in the baking soda. Sprinkle in half a cup of baking soda around the bowl, making sure to get it under the rim.
2. Allow it to sit. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes to loosen any grime. For heavier stains, let it sit for up to 45 minutes.
3. Scrub the toilet bowl. Use a dedicated toilet brush or pumice stone to give the bowl a good scrub, paying extra attention to stained areas. 
4. Flush. After scrubbing, make sure to flush your toilet a few times to make sure there’s no residue left.

 “It shines when used for weekly or bi-weekly upkeep, especially if you’re trying to avoid harsh chemicals in general, or have plumbing that’s sensitive to acids,” Toner says. 

3 Other Ingredients to Mix With Baking Soda

If you’re looking to level up your cleaning power, consider adding in one of these three ingredients to your baking soda routine. Toner suggests to first sprinkle in the baking soda, then carefully add in these extra boosters. Let everything sit on your toilet bowl for a while before scrubbing gently and finally flushing your toilet.

• Lemon and lime juice, thanks to their citric acid, are a surefire method for dissolving mineral deposits and tackling tougher stains while also adding a nice smell. Sprinkle in half a lemon or a full lime to your baking soda mix to create a paste thick enough to cling to your toilet bowl’s walls.
• Hydrogen peroxide acts as a mild disinfectant that kills mold and bacteria and is very helpful for light staining. Use a quarter cup for every half cup of baking soda.
• Borax is a naturally occurring mineral that can help tackle buildup without any harsh fumes. Pour two tablespoons into a half cup of baking soda. To create a paste, drizzle in a bit of water or some lemon juice.

If you don’t happen to have any baking soda on hand, these ingredients will also work well at cleaning your toilet bowl on their own.