The Common Household Staples That May Make Your Toilet Bowl Shine

When tackling that unpleasant chore of cleaning the toilet, there are plenty of cleaners on the market to choose from, ranging from tablets to bleaches to gels. But you don't have to keep buying harsh chemicals to battle that stubborn ring of hard water staining your bowl, or the mildew that collects under the rim. Instead, look no further than your pantry for two natural cleaning ingredients that work just as well on your commode: Epsom salt and baking soda.

Cleaning with Epsom salts is a common alternative to using harsher cleaning products, which are effective but aren't great for your septic or wastewater treatment system. Bleach, for example, can harm the ability of bacteria in your septic system to break down waste. Additionally, water treatment systems have to work hard to remove disinfectants that you may flush down the drain to keep these harsh chemicals from entering drinking water and natural waterways. Epsom salt, however, is safe for septic and city treatment systems when used in moderate amounts as a cleaning agent. Combining Epsom salt with baking soda ups its cleaning ability, especially when dealing with stains inside your toilet bowl.

Making your own toilet bowl cleaner is one of many ways to naturally clean your home, and is simple to put together. Your homemade cleaner will be made up of a cup of Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) and ½ cup of baking soda, mixed with some water to form a paste. Simply apply this paste all around the bowl with a scrub brush and let it sit for a few minutes. Epsom salt is made up of crystals that are naturally abrasive against hard water stains and any gunk up under the rim of the toilet. Baking soda is also gently abrasive, and it can absorb odors and neutralize the acids left behind by urine, breaking down any yellow staining. The combination of these elements will result in a sparkling bowl.

Note that flushing large amounts of Epsom salt into a septic system can be damaging to the chemical makeup of your system, so only use the amount you need to scrub your bowl. You can make your own septic system treatment if you're worried about any negative effects. You can add various other elements to your DIY bowl cleaner, such as vinegar to create a fizz factor, or a bit of essential oil for a fresh scent. You can even add a little dish soap to your solution to up the suds when cleaning, but do not add Castile soap to Epsom salt. This can just create a soap scum mess that may clog your pipes.