How to Clean Toilet Bowls & Remove Stains with Vinegar & Baking Soda

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Pro house cleaners share how to use these natural, non-toxic cleaners

Co-authored by Eduardo Peralta and Devin McSween

Last Updated: August 28, 2025 Fact Checked

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Cleaning the toilet: it’s everyone’s favorite chore, right? Whether you’re looking for a natural alternative for your weekly clean or searching for a way to remove tough stains and rings, we’ve got an effective solution: white vinegar and baking soda! In this article, we spoke with several cleaning experts to learn how to use these powerful, eco-friendly cleaners to get your toilet bowl sparkling. We’ll walk you through the process below, so keep reading to get cleaning!

DIY Vinegar & Baking Soda Toilet Cleaner

House cleaning specialist Eduardo Peralta recommends trying an acidic cleaner like white vinegar first to clean a stained or dirty toilet bowl. To use vinegar and baking soda:

Turn off the water to the toilet and drain out the water.
Pour 1 c (240 mL) of white vinegar into the bowl and let it sit for 8 hours.
Sprinkle baking soda all over the toilet bowl.
Use a scrub brush to remove tough stains and grime in the bowl.
Turn on the water and flush to rinse out the toilet bowl.

1

Empty the bowl if your toilet is really dirty.

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Turn off the water to the tank and then flush the toilet. If you haven’t cleaned your bathroom for a while (there’s no shame in it—we’ve all been there!) or your toilet is pretty stained, adding vinegar and baking soda to a dry bowl will help give it a deep clean. Reach behind your toilet and twist the valve knob clockwise to shut the water off temporarily. Then, flush your toilet once to drain all the water out of the bowl.^{[1]
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- Don’t worry, it’s super easy to turn your water back on. When you’re ready, just reach behind your toilet again and twist the valve counterclockwise before flushing.
Meet the wikiHow Experts

Eduardo Peralta is a house cleaning specialist specializing in deep-cleaning and eco-friendly cleaning practices with over 6 years of experience.

Daniel Olin is a home cleaning specialist and CEO of Easyway Maid Service with over 4 years of experience.

Kadi Dulude is a house cleaning professional and owner of Wizard of Homes with over 10 years of experience.

Susan Stocker is a professional cleaner and owner of Susan’s Green Cleaning with over 10 years of experience.

Grettel Monge is a cleaning expert and the owner and CEO of Essential Cleaners Miami.

2

Pour 1 cup (237 mL) of white vinegar into the bowl.

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White vinegar is naturally acidic, which gives it great cleaning power. According to Peralta, an acidic cleaner like white vinegar should always be your first move when cleaning a stained toilet bowl.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Eduardo Peralta
House Cleaning Specialist

Expert Interview} Measure out about 1 c (240 mL), then dump it into the toilet bowl. Start pouring from the rim, moving the cup all the way around the toilet bowl to cover the entire thing.^{[3]
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- The acetic acid in vinegar is strong enough to remove stains and mineral deposits without damaging your toilet.^{[4]
  X
  Research source} Plus, vinegar can kill some bacteria!^{[5]
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- If you’re not a big fan of the smell of vinegar, professional cleaner Susan Stocker suggests adding a bit of lemon juice to cut the odor.^{[6]
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  Susan Stocker
  Professional Cleaner
  
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- Although it can be tempting to use apple cider vinegar, its brown color has the potential to stain a white toilet. Stick to white vinegar if you don’t want to discolor your toilet bowl accidentally.

3

Let the vinegar sit overnight.

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This will help tackle tough stains. Close the lid and let the vinegar sit for as long as you can (8 hours is ideal). While you’re waiting, feel free to tackle the rest of your bathroom to get the deep cleaning out of the way.^{[7]
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- This is especially important if you’re dealing with hard water stains, since those can take a while to dissolve. In a toilet, hard water stains are usually brown or rust-colored, and they usually don’t come off with gentle scrubbing.
- For a regular, weekly clean, Peralta recommends letting the vinegar soak in the toilet bowl for about 10 minutes. This is enough time for the vinegar to dissolve light stains and grime.^{[8]
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  Eduardo Peralta
  House Cleaning Specialist
  
  Expert Interview}
- Pro tip: Cleaning expert Grettel Monge suggests cleaning the rest of your bathroom with vinegar and baking soda, too. She says to sprinkle the vinegar and baking soda wherever you see stains, let it sit for about 15 to 30 minutes, and then scrub.^{[9]
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  Grettel Monge
  Cleaning Expert
  
  Expert Interview}

4

Sprinkle baking soda into the bowl.

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The vinegar will combine with baking soda, providing a deep clean. Once your vinegar has sat for a little while, grab a package of baking soda and sprinkle enough into the toilet to cover the whole surface of the bowl. Don’t worry if the mixture starts to fizz—that means it’s working!^{[10]
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- The acidity in vinegar combines with the baking soda, releasing carbon dioxide gas that can help lift dirt and stains. Plus, it does it without using any harsh chemicals, so you don’t have to worry about breathing it in while you clean.
- House cleaning professional Raymond Chiu agrees that baking soda is an excellent cleaner. He says it has great scrubbing properties due to its slightly abrasive texture, and it can neutralize odors. Plus, it’s nontoxic!^{[11]
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  Raymond Chiu
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Benjamin Mott, Natural Cleaning Expert

Skip the harsh chemicals and utilize the power of vinegar and baking soda. Pour 1 cup of vinegar into the bowl and let it sit for a few minutes. Then sprinkle on 2 tablespoons of baking soda and watch the foaming action begin. The acidic vinegar reacts with the alkaline baking soda to get under those stubborn stains.

5

Add more vinegar to fight hard water stains.

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Hard water can discolor your toilet bowl, and it’s tough to get that out. If you notice that your toilet has a ring around it that you haven’t been able to get out, add about 1 c (240 mL) of vinegar into the toilet bowl after you’ve sprinkled your baking soda. The extra acidity helps break down the hard water stains so you can scrub your toilet clean.^{[12]
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- Hard water refers to water that has a lot of minerals dissolved in it (specifically calcium and magnesium).^{[13]
  X
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  U.S. Geological Survey
  U.S. government agency responsible for conducting scientific research on the nation's land, natural resources, and natural disasters
  
  Go to source} If you live in an area with hard water, you’ve probably noticed white spots on your glassware, even after you wash them.

6

Scrub the bowl with a toilet brush.

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Throw on a pair of gloves and get ready to use some elbow grease. Grab your toilet brush and give the toilet bowl a once-over. Then, focus on any areas that are stained or discolored. The abrasiveness of the baking soda will help scrub off most tough stains, so you shouldn’t have to work too hard to clean out the toilet.^{[14]
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- Although it can be tempting to grab a metal brush, don’t use that on enamel surfaces—metal brushes are tough on stains, but they can also scratch your toilet bowl, says house cleaning professional Amy Mikhaiel.^{[15]
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  Amy Mikhaiel
  House Cleaning Professional
  
  Expert Interview}

7

Flush the toilet to rinse it out.

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Vinegar and baking soda are fine to flush down your toilet. If you turned off the water to your toilet tank, reach behind the toilet and twist the valve to turn it back on again. Then, flush the toilet once to get rid of all the vinegar and baking soda and reveal your shiny, clean toilet bowl.^{[16]
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- To clean off your toilet brush, home cleaning specialist Daniel Olin says to leave it in the toilet as you flush. The new, clean water will rinse the brush off, and you can let it dry until you use it next time.^{[17]
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  Daniel Olin
  Home Cleaning Specialist
  
  Expert Interview}

8

Repeat the process if you need to.

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Tough stains and dark marks sometimes need a second round. If you aren’t quite satisfied with the state of your toilet yet, add 1 c (240 mL) of vinegar again and let it sit for about 1 hour. Then, sprinkle baking soda on top and give the whole thing another scrub.^{[18]
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- If you’re having to do this a second time, you may want to let the vinegar soak overnight. That way, it has enough time to work on hard stains.

9

Wipe down the toilet with vinegar and water.

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To disinfect the rest of your toilet, dip a rag into a solution of equal parts white vinegar and hot water. Wipe down the seat, the toilet tank, and the handle to clean them all off and leave your toilet sparkling clean.

10

Clean your toilet about once a week.

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The more often you clean your toilet, the less work it will be over time. Aim to clean your toilet as often as once a week, or even more if you have a lot of people in the house. This helps prevent tough stains from forming, making your weekly cleans even easier! Just keep a jug of vinegar and some baking soda on-hand so you never run out when you need them.^{[19]
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- If you have hard water, Olin recommends placing an auto-dispensing toilet cleaning product in the upper rim of the toilet, like a toilet bowl cleaning stamp. He says these can save you a lot of cleaning time.^{[20]
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  Daniel Olin
  Home Cleaning Specialist
  
  Expert Interview}

11

Use bowls of vinegar to get rid of lingering smells.

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If you’ve cleaned your whole bathroom and it still smells, try this. Vinegar is also great at neutralizing unpleasant odors. Just fill a few bowls with white vinegar and leave them uncovered in the bathroom for about 8 hours. Then, in the morning, simply dump the vinegar out for a fresh-smelling bathroom, says house cleaning professional Kadi Dulude.^{[21]
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Kadi Dulude
House Cleaning Professional

Expert Interview}
- If you’re not a fan of the vinegar smell, use baking soda instead! Baking soda also absorbs odors, and it doesn’t have a strong smell.

12

Try another cleaner if you don’t see results.

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There are plenty of other natural cleaners that leave your toilet sparkling. If vinegar and baking soda didn’t work for you, or you’re simply looking for a different natural cleaner, we’ve got you covered. Check out these simple cleaners that also use natural, nontoxic products:
- Pumice stone or magic eraser: Peralta suggests using either of these products to scrub away tough stains.^{[22]
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  Eduardo Peralta
  House Cleaning Specialist
  
  Expert Interview}
- Soap and baking soda: Combine equal parts distilled water, baking soda, and castile soap (or dish soap) into a squeeze bottle. Pour the solution into your toilet bowl and scrub.^{[23]
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- Coca-Cola: Coke is acidic, so it can help remove tough stains, too. Simply pour 1-2 cups (237-473 mL) into the toilet bowl, let it sit for 1-2 hours (or overnight), and flush.^{[24]
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- Rubbing alcohol: To disinfect your toilet, spritz the bowl (as well as the seat, lid, and base) with rubbing alcohol.^{[25]
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  Cleveland Clinic
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If you’re dealing with any mold issues in your toilet, vinegar is a great cleaning option. White vinegar can penetrate the moldy surface and kill mold spores quickly, leaving your toilet spotless, says cleaning specialist Jonathan Tavarez.^{[26]
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