How to Clean a Toilet with Coke

Coke is not just a tasty beverage, but is also a liquid with mild acidity that makes it useful for cleaning, particularly on toilets. It works because of the gentle phosphoric and carbonic qualities that it contains. Its acidity comes from the carbonation that occurs in it, and not from the flavorings that are put in it, which means that Diet Coke, club soda, and many other carbonated beverages can work just as well as Regular Coke, though these substitutes are rarely as cheap. So, if you are searching for a non-toxic solution to deal with toilet lime scale without spending a hefty amount of money, like when you use those expensive toilet bowl cleaners, Coke is the way to go! Check out these tips on cleaning your toilet with Coke.

For Mild Stains

Coke can be effective in cleaning mild toilet stains. Follow these steps:

• Open a can or a bottle of Coke and measure out a cup or two, as you will not need much to clean your toilet bowl.
• Pour the Coke into the bowl, specifically around its rim, and let it flow over the stains, making sure all smears are given an even coating of Coke. Though the beverage would appear to wash straight into the bottom of the toilet, a thin coat would remain on the stains. For stains that are high in the bowl and are difficult to reach, you can try soaking a rag with Coke and then apply it by hand. If you do not want to get your hands dirty, you can instead use a spray bottle filled with the beverage.
• Let the Coke sit for a while, as the longer it stays in the bowl, the more time you are giving the acids in the beverage to break the stains and other dirt down. You can let it sit for at least 60 minutes without disturbing it, but for best results, you can pour the Coke in before going to bed and let it sit in your toilet bowl overnight.
• Flush the toilet. After the Coke had sit in your bowl, its acids should have loosened the stains that have built up on it. By flushing the toilet, the stains should be rinsed away with the water. Flush as many times as needed.

At this point, you should be able to see how well this beverage has removed your toilet stains. However, take note that while it usually works well for common built-up mineral stains and rings in toilets, it might not completely remove every stain. So if needed, you can repeat the steps mentioned above. But if the stains would not just go away, consider the following tips.

Removing Hard Stains with Coke

1. Perform a lot of scrubbing. If simple flushing does not remove your toilet stains, then using a toilet brush is your best solution. This household item’s mechanical action will further loosen the stains that have built up on the bowl and help remove them after being treated with Coke. For best results, perform the task before and after applying the Coke. Hence, scrub the stains, apply the beverage and let it sit in, scrub once again and then flush the toilet to rinse away the stains. Remember to wear gloves while scrubbing and wash your hands afterwards, especially when you hate germs getting into you.

2. Another solution to boost the effect of Coke on toilet stains is using heat. Basically, chemical reactions will occur more quickly at high temperatures, and the acid reaction allowing this beverage to remove toilet stains is no exception. Now, if you have hard-to-remove stains, you can try heating up the Coke in the microwave and then apply it to the bowl. It does not mean that it should be boiling hot, but it should be hot to the touch for best results, so remember to use caution when performing this step. Heating carbonated beverage will make the liquid fizz slightly more than normal, so it is best to wear gloves to avoid getting your hands splashed with drops of hot soda. Moreover, you should never microwave Coke in a sealed container, especially one that is made of metal, as it can lead to dangerous explosions. Instead, pour Coke into a microwave-safe glass and then heat it.

3. You can use Coke together with other household cleaning solutions. As mentioned above, while the beverage can remove many stains, it does not always work for the job. So, there might be situations where you have to pair it with other cleaning chemicals to get rid of toilet stains. One popular toilet cleaning method is mixing 1/4 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of vinegar (in some cases added with 2 teaspoons of borax) into 1/2 gallon of water; applying the mixture to your toilet bowl; scrubbing; and then waiting for 60 minutes before flushing. Then, follow it up with the Coke treatment as needed.

If you have mold problems, try mixing 2 parts of water with 1 part hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle. Spray the solution on to the problem surface, let it sit for at least 60 minutes and scrub until you have dissolved the mold. You can then use Coke to remove any residual scaling or stains around the moldy spot.

Another toilet cleaning method is mixing 1 part of Coke, 1 part of lemon juice and 2 parts of borax. Apply the mixture to your bowl, let it sit for about an hour and then scrub the stains off.

4. Always know when Coke is not the best choice. First, it is not effective for getting rid of grease, fat or oil-based stains, which you can address better by using dish detergent or a stronger acid. Also, it is good at killing germs, where in fact, it would leave a sugary residue that would feed certain types of bacteria. Moreover, Coke will not remove any stain caused by dye, ink or a coloring pigment.

The acidity in Coke that gives it a cleaning effect does not make it unsafe to consume, where there are other popular drinks that are even more acidic, such as orange juice.