It may seem obvious to use chemical cleaners to disinfect the toilet, but many people do not realise that they do not work on certain stains and can make the problem worse. If you have marks around your toilet seat or bowl, they are often caused by limescale, a buildup of minerals leftover from water evaporation.

Bleach is great at killing germs, but harsh chemicals can wear down the plastic material on toilet seats and create an unsightly yellowish hue. Instead, Allison, the founder of Married and a House, has tried out every cleaning remedy to get rid of toilet marks, and now she has stumbled on one solution that “actually worked” to make her toilet “spotless.”

Allison explained: “While I had been told that toilets could be cleaned with a variety of nontoxic products (most commonly recommended: vinegar and baking soda), I tried them and didn’t love it.”

She added: “Those products work well for routine cleaning around the house, but when it came to cleaning the toilet, I wanted a product that delivered an extra punch.”

Instead, Allison tried out citric acid, a natural substance and was shocked at how effective it was at cleaning away stains on her toilet.

Allison said: “Citric acid occurs naturally in citrus fruits. It is the component that gives lemon and limes their sour taste. It has a similar pH to vinegar, both are acids but citric acid can do some things that vinegar can’t.” 

Citric acid can dissolve the minerals in limescale to help get rid of stains, but it is also fantastic at cleaning any soap scum buildup or rust as it can also naturally whiten surfaces.

Allison said: “Here is the bonus about citric acid as a cleaner…it has a small bleaching effect and is antibacterial! This makes it a great disinfectant and it gives those toilets their extra boost!”

Not only will citric acid remove limescale, but it can also help remove any marks or yellow stains that have occurred from using bleach or other harsh products on your toilet.

How to use citric acid to clean the toilet

All you need to do is buy citric acid, which can be found in the cleaning aisle of most supermarkets. It can be bought at both Asda and Tesco for £1.75.

While citric acid can be found in lemon juice, the cleaning product found at the shops is crystalised and more potent, which will work better to clean the toilet. 

All you need to do is pour two tablespoons of citric acid into your toilet bowl and then pour warm water on top of the citric acid to activate it. 

Ensure the water is not boiling straight from the kettle, as this can damage your toilet.

If you want to clean the toilet seat, mix two tablespoons of citric acid in a glass spray bottle with 475ml of hot water and spray it on the surface.

Let the citric acid sit for at least 15 minutes, but you can leave it there for longer if you wish. 

Once the time is up, use a toilet brush to scrub the toilet bowl or use a cloth to wipe down the toilet seat. 

Your toilet should be white, spotless, and completely clean naturally without using harsh chemical products. However, if any staining remains, repeat the process until it is stain-free.