Measure one cup of baking soda and pour it into the toilet. Then, pour two cups of white vinegar onto the baking soda to create a chemical reaction that fizzes. As it fizzes and circulates in the bowl, you may see the water level drop which indicates that the blockage is clearing.
In some cases, it takes more than one dose of bicarb and vinegar to unclog a toilet. So if your first attempt isn't successful, go back to step one and start over. If a repeat treatment is necessary, leave the mixture for 30 minutes so it can really attack that stubborn clog before you add the hot water.
If the clog still seems to be intact, start over at step 1 and repeat the process a couple of times. For extra-stubborn clogs, you can let the fizz mixture sit overnight or combine this method with plunging.
Baking soda and vinegar, when mixed together, can form a chemical reaction that looks sort of like an eruption. This chemical reaction can help clear your toilet and any pipe clogs that you might have.
Let It Sit For 12 Hours
Leave the vinegar and water mixture in the toilet tank for 12 hours without flushing the toilet. This is why this cleaning process is best done overnight, as you are less likely to need the bathroom throughout the night than during the day.
We recommend you add a cup of baking soda to your blocked toilet and wait for some minutes. Next, pour two cups of vinegar slowly into the toilet. Vinegar and baking soda will typically react to form bubbles, so ensure you pour carefully and slowly to prevent the toilet water from overflowing or splashing.
When you are using a baking soda and vinegar solution to clean out your drain, you are actually causing the rubber and plastic that are used for the drain's pipes to be eaten away by the mixture. Over time, this rubber and plastic will break down, causing the drain to become even more blocked.
If you can't unclog the toilet using a plunger or a snake, your next best option is to use boiling water. Boiling water can help to dissolve the clog and free up the pipes. To use this method, bring a pot of water to a boil and pour it into the toilet. Let it sit for a few minutes, and then flush the toilet.
Pour one cup of baking soda into the bowl. Slowly pour one cup of vinegar into the bowl. If you pour too quickly, the reaction could make a mess on your bathroom floor. Use your instincts; if it looks like one cup is going to cause too much fizz, use less or pour more slowly.
By pouring a caustic soda (coke, for example) into the toilet bowl, you can speed the dissolving process along considerably. Simply dump a can of cola in the water and let it eat away at the debris. Just be sure never to flush the toilet when the water level is already high.
Put one gallon of hot water on the stove to heat up. While the water is heating up, squirt some dish soap into the toilet. When the water is very hot, but not boiling, carefully pour it into the toilet. Wait several minutes while the hot water and dish soap soften the clog.
Is it okay to leave a clogged toilet overnight? In most cases, you can leave a clogged toilet overnight. However, calling an emergency plumber near you might be warranted if water starts leaking from the pipes. A simple clog likely won't cause this, but an inexperienced homeowner messing with the plumbing could.
It is safe to leave baking soda (and vinegar) to work overnight to unclog a drain. Always flush this mixture down with boiling water—no matter how long you leave it sitting in the drain.
Some of the most effective household cleaners aren't meant to be mixed. You probably already know never to combine harsh chemicals like bleach and ammonia (or really, bleach and anything). But common pantry essentials that are often used for cleaning — like baking soda and vinegar — shouldn't be mixed either.
Caustic Soda
Caustic soda is a nasty chemical that can burn, but it's very effective for unclogging toilets. To use this chemical, you need to get some rubber gloves and eye protection. You can pick up the chemical from the local hardware or grocery stores.
To remove hard water stains, one cup of vinegar and one cup of baking soda will do wonders, but when it comes to unclogging the toilet, it takes a bit more work. Using heat and pressure changes can unclog a toilet, so pour around one cup of baking soda into the toilet bowl followed by a gallon of very hot water.
Odor Toilet Tank FAQ
White vinegar and baking soda in equal parts is a cost-efficient and effective means of getting rid odors in a toilet. Add them to the tank, mix them in and then use the toilet brush to gently scrub the tank. Let it sit for a few hours, scrub the tank again and flush.
To remove tough stains, add the baking soda and vinegar mix to your toilet and then allow the solution to sit in the bowl for up to 30 minutes. During that time, the chemical reaction between the sodium bicarbonate and vinegar will work to eat away at those stubborn hard water stains.
Cola Drain Cleaner Trick
Allow it to sit in the drain for at least an hour or two (or even up to 24 hours for stubborn clogs). Flush drain with boiling water. Repeat as necessary.