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Taking out the trash. Folding the laundry. Scrubbing your soiled toilet. You dread these household chores. Am I right? But one of these tasks, if left unperformed, can translate to 40,000 germs per square inch, including e-coli, salmonella and staphylococci. That would be your toilet. It’s low on the totem pole of things you want to do in your home, but high on the list of importance. Fortunately, there’s more than one way to clean a toilet.
The best way to tackle the bad chore blues is to keep it interesting! Here are ten tantalizing options for cleaning your toilet so you can sit pretty on your porcelain throne. Feel free to mix and match.
View the slideshow above for new ways to clean your toilet.
To discover more unusual uses for everyday household items, take a look at 8 Unusual Uses For Antiseptic Mouthwash, and Unusual Uses For Nail Polish.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Tags: Unusual Uses
1. Coca-Cola – Pour a full Coke around the rim of your toilet so it fully coats the toilet bowl. Let it sit for at least an hour while the carbonic, citric, and phosphoric acids in the Coke break down the stains. Scrub the stains with a toilet brush, and then flush.
Photo Credit: jupiterimages
2. Bleach - Fill your toilet bowl with one cup of bleach and let it sit overnight. The next morning, scrub the toilet bowl thoroughly with a toilet brush and flush twice.
Photo Credit: jupiterimages
3. Laundry Detergent – Opt for a liquid laundry detergent that contains bleach. Pour the laundry detergent liberally in the bowl and on the seat. Let it sit for at least an hour. When you’re ready, scrub the inside of the bowl with a toilet brush and rinse the toilet thoroughly. The detergent will polish the toilet bowl and give your bathroom a fresh smell.
Photo Credit: Corbis
4. Lemon Juice – If you have stains on the inside of your toilet bowl, first pour a bottle of lemon juice in a spray bottle and spray it directly onto the stain. Let the lemon juice sit overnight so the acidity can break down the stains, and then scrub the stains away the next morning with your toilet brush.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
5. Scotch Tape – To prevent your screws from staining, cover them with scotch tape. This works well if you’re potty training a boy or have adult family members with bad aim.
Photo Credit: Corbis
6. Rubbing Alcohol – Pour a bottle of rubbing alcohol into a spray bottle, and direct the spray at tough stains inside your toilet. Let the alcohol sit overnight and scrub it away the next morning with a sponge or toilet brush.
Photo Credit: Corbis
7. Baby Oil – To shine your porcelain throne, apply a few drops of baby oil to a soft cloth. Buff the toilet with baby oil until it feels dry.
Photo Credit: Corbis
8. White Vinegar – To clean away a calcium ring, first turn off your water. To do this, turn the shutoff valve located on the wall behind the toilet off and flush the toilet until it’s empty. Soak toilet paper in white vinegar until it’s fully saturated, and then place the wet toilet paper on the ring. Leave it overnight. The next morning, turn your water back on and flush.
Photo Credit: flickr/wharman
9. Denture Cleaning Tablets – For a no-fuss bacteria banisher, drop a couple of denture cleaning tablets into your toilet bowl and flush. While it won’t get rid of stains, it will rid your toilet of dangerous bacteria.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
10. Dishwashing Detergent – Liberally pour dishwashing detergent into your toilet bowl. Be sure to cover the hard-to-tackle stains, and then let it sit for at least one hour. Use your toilet brush to scrub your toilet bowl clean, and then flush out the remaining dishwashing detergent.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
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