Clean and organized bathroom always gives us a nice feeling. We pay keen attention to the sparkling of the bathroom. But one part of the bathroom most often goes overlooked: the toilet tank which requires periodic cleaning.
Dirt accumulation, bacterial contamination and mineral build-up remain out-of-sight until you open the lid. It leads to corrosion in metal parts in the toilet tank and causes stain in the bowl.
So, its cleaning is unavoidable. It’s ideal for cleaning twice a year. It extends the life span of your toilet and freshens the smell of your bathroom. It’s not a tiresome task.
Some cleaning tips are there for you. List of necessary tools and materials is also attached hereby.
Materials to Be Used:
- Vinegar
- Bleach
- Toilet Cleaner
- Gloves
- Disinfectant
- Scrubber
Cleaning Procedure
This procedure includes the application of cleaner, cleaning the tank and keeping the toilet tank clean.
Applying Cleaner:
You are to go through the following steps.
Draining Tank:
You have to initiate your task making your tank empty. Find out the tap valve located on the behind wall of your toilet. Just shut it off. Then drain all the water from the tank flushing your toilet. Ensure that there remains no water. You may require flushing two to three times in case of a low water flow rate.
It Might Be Helpful:
Choosing Correct cleaner:
It varies depending on the condition of your tank. If cleaning the surface grime and dirt seem to be a straightforward job what you need is a basic disinfectant. But in case of build-up debris, you should look for some stronger solution.
To clean gunk and mildew built up in the tank; bleach it with a commercial cleaner. Again, white vinegar, for hardened mineral deposits in the tank, is the best option for you. Once I saw a discoloration due to mineral deposits and residue built up at the bottom of the tank and on the wall below the tank.
Then vinegar helped me a lot to get relief from it. I poured vinegar in the tank up to the overflow valve and allowed it to sit for 12 hours without flushing. I flushed the vinegar out when it is ready to clean. Don’t worries about vinegar won’t cost you too much.
Application of Cleaner Accordingly:
You should do it carefully. You need to spray the tank interior with a preferred disinfectant cleaner like bleach and commercial cleaners. Tank bottom and sides require minute attention. A precaution for you is to wear rubber gloves.
You have to avoid spraying on metal parts. Because the existence of corrosive additives in cleaner (i.e. bleach) may react with metal. Usually, it is recommended to let the disinfectant sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
Cleaning Tank:
This phase involves the following steps.
Having Gloves:
It is a must for protecting your skin from bacteria of your toilets. Not only that, the bleach you are using won’t do any harm to your skin.
Scrubbing the Tank:
To clean the tank, you may take the help of a scrub brush, old toothbrush, or scrubby sponge. Long and narrow scrub brush suits you best to clean corners and the bottom of the tank. Clean the sides and bottom of the tank. Do so until you get the fresh smell from the toilet bowl. You must remove all sorts of dirt and built-up grime. Usually, I use a new scrub brush each time.
Your cleanliness process must include the working parts of the tank i.e. the ball float and flapper. To clean them, you may use a sponge after soaking with clean, warm water. Don’t forget to spray some cleaner on it. Thus, you may clean the toilet tank workings with diluted disinfectants.
Flush out the tank:
After completion of scrubbing the tank, you can turn on the switch to fill up the tank water again. Then flush the tank twice to rinse. If bleach was your cleaner, use 1-gallon plain, cold water to the tank to flush. For your safety of eyes, you may take goggles at the time of adding water to the bleached tank.
Keeping Toilet Clean
Following the mentioned procedure, you can get a sparkling clean toilet tank. But this is not the end of your effort. You must maintain it. You must be in action to keep it in a better state of cleanliness. You may do so in the following ways:
Using Tank tablets:
You may find tank tablets, to be kept in your tank for a fresh smell. The use of tank tablets in the toilet keeps mildew, minerals, and contaminants at a minimum. But make sure that they don’t contain any bleach. For they may be corrosive to different parts of the tank. Better purchase them after going through online reviews. “Natural” or “chemical-free” may suit the best for the job. Mind it regular cleaning of the tank requires no tablet.
Using Vinegar:
In case of using no tablet, you may fill the tank with vinegar after flushing it (as mentioned above). Killing mildew and dissolving mineral deposit build-up it helps the tank being problem-free.
Establish a Cleaning Routine:
Cleaning toilets is routine work for all. But pay no attention to the toilet tank. I am not an exception in this regard. Don’t get entrapped in it. It is wise to give your toilet tank a good cleaning at least once a month. It entertains you with a bathroom smelling fresh and looking clean.
It is suggested that taking care of your toilet tanks twice a year is sufficient. It is applicable for small households where family members share more than one toilet. You must act as situation demands. Maintenance demand is influenced by water type, rate of the mineral deposit, number of users, etc. The more it is used, the more it will increase its frequency of cleaning.
You must inspect it twice in a month lift the tank lid. It will tell you the cleaning cycle type required for your toilet. Mark inspection and cleaning date on a calendar to get notified.
Conclusion:
Right maintenance practice is required for even top-rated toilets. Cleaning the inside of your toilet tank probably isn’t on your weekly list of chores. Regular cleaning of your toilet tank extends the life span of your toilet and its parts, grants you fresh smell from your bathroom, keep germs at bay.
Above all, it ensures all the mechanics inside the tank in good working order. There is no doubt that scaling the tank will do a great favor to you. Follow this guide, invest some of your time and get a fresh toilet without spending money for a plumber.
So, no delay!!!
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