Here's What Happens When You Put Baking Soda In Your Toilet

Baking soda has a wide array of uses and ranks highly as a safe and natural cleaning solution. To that end, when it comes to using baking soda, aka sodium bicarbonate, for your toilet, there are two primary purposes: to clean and remove stains, and to unclog your toilet.

When it comes to regular toilet grime as well as hard water stains, baking soda can be especially helpful for both. The gentle scrubbing power of sodium bicarbonate helps to remove stains, and thanks to the fact that it regulates pH levels, it can help eliminate any unpleasant smells, per Krazy Klean. Start by pouring about 1 cup of vinegar and swish it around with a toilet brush. After about a minute, pour in 1 cup of baking soda, then add another 1 to 2 cups of vinegar. Pause and listen to that satisfying fizz for about 10 minutes, then add some elbow grease and scrub all the stains. Let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes before flushing and repeat if needed.

Baking soda can be used to unclog a toilet as well, but be prepared for a few extra steps. It can also be used as part of a mixture to clean the toilet tank, which can be a better option than other chemical cleaners.

Baking soda can be used in a few ways to help unclog your toilet. Try pouring around 1 cup of baking soda in the toilet bowl if your attempts at plunging have failed. There's no need to measure exactly, but you'll follow this up by adding about a gallon of very hot water on top. The goal is to use heat and pressure changes to get the clog to move.

Another method is to begin, again, with the baking soda and then slowly pour a couple of cups of cleaning vinegar over the top. When sodium bicarbonate is mixed with vinegar, the ensuing foam reaction can break up toilet clogs. Just watch the level of fizz, though, because this is definitely a situation where the science fair volcano would not be desired. Let the mix sit for anywhere between two hours to overnight. If the water levels have drained, try flushing, and if the water levels have not moved, you can try gently plunging.

For tougher clogs, you can try cycling baking soda, hot water, and vinegar; flush and plunge as needed. If repeated efforts do not show progress, discontinue adding liquid immediately and call a plumber.

The tank isn't usually the first thing that comes to mind when you think of cleaning a toilet. In fact, you should only be cleaning your toilet tank about twice a year. Why use baking soda over chemical cleaners to clean the tank? One reason is the cost; you can get a 2-pound box of baking soda for under $2. Plus, sodium bicarbonate is a naturally occurring substance, void of any harsh or harmful chemicals, and it eliminates odors. It's also safe for septic systems.

To clean a toilet tank, use ½ cup of baking soda, 2 tbsp of Dawn soap, and a cup of vinegar. From start to finish, the whole process takes a little over an hour, but most of that time is waiting time. Start by draining the tank; shut off the water valve and flush until the tank is drained. Pour the mixture into the tank and scrub it onto the walls with your toilet brush. Wait an hour, and then scrub once more before turning the water back on and flushing the tank.

Although including Dawn will help break down the gunk in your toilet, if you don't have any, the baking soda + vinegar mixture will still be effective. Even better, plumbers recommend this combination as a paste to remove residue in the tank.