Toilets are known to develop some of the most stubborn stains in the home, but there is a really easy way to clean them without having to scrub at the bowl for ages. It can be tricky to keep toilets clean due to a substance called limescale, which is when the minerals from hard water harden to become a thick crusty layer that will stick firmly to a surface. 

Limescale will make toilets look dirty even if you clean it regularly, but Elena Cimelli, the founder of The Contented Company, has shared a simple way to get rid of these unsightly brown stains is with white vinegar. She said: “I am so gutted I didn't get a 'before' picture to have shared, because the result was amazing. Our toilet went from dirty and brown to sparkling white! Just with vinegar. Pretty cool right?” 

Most people try to remove limescale with bleach, but this cleaner is a disinfectant and is not designed to treat hard water stains. 

Bleach will only whiten limescale but cannot dissolve it, so even if it is hard to see it will continue to build up over time and become even more difficult to get rid of. 

However, the simple white vinegar you have in your kitchen is naturally acidic, which can easily break down limescale and loosen even the worst stains. 

Not only will white vinegar get rid of stains but it is also a mild disinfectant and is a safe way to clean your bathroom without having to breathe in harsh fumes.

How to use white vinegar to get rid of toilet stains 

All you need to do is pour a little bit of white vinegar (roughly 120ml) down your toilet. Leave it for at least an hour, but if you can let the white vinegar rest overnight to give it plenty of time to break down the limescale stains. 

Then use your toilet brush to gently scrub at the stains, and they should come away really easily. Give the toilet a flush and it should now be completely clean.  

Elena added: “Considering how easy it was to get the loo looking drastically cleaner, and how it was all done without any harsh chemicals, I'm definitely not looking back. White vinegar all the way for me!”

If you wish, you can combine white vinegar with baking soda to get rid of limescale or even use another natural acidic cleaner like citric acid. 

It should also be noted that no matter what, do not ever mix white vinegar and bleach as it will create chlorine gas, which is an extremely dangerous substance that can be life-threatening.