You may have seen the reports stating that Coca-Cola can be used as an effective cleaner for your toilet. Let’s explore how to clean a toilet with Coke!
Coke is an effective stain-remover and will remove stubborn stains from your toilet. Open a can of Coke, pour the contents into the bowl starting at the rim and leave to soak overnight for the best results. Flush once, then scrub the bowl with a toilet brush and flush for a second time.
Coca-Cola is surprisingly versatile as a household cleaner. Read on to find out why and how to use it in your bathroom.
How to Clean a Toilet with Coke
Cleaning a toilet with Coke doesn’t require much effort and very few cleaning products.
To remove limescale, rust, and other stubborn stains from your toilet bowl, try this method:
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (350ml) Coke
Method
- Pour the Coke into the toilet bowl. Starting underneath the rim and working around the sides of the toilet bowl, allow the liquid to flow down the sides and into the water at the bottom of the bowl.
- Leave the Coke to soak for at least an hour or, better yet, overnight.
- Flush the toilet to wash the loosened stains and dirty water away.
- Repeat this process as often as necessary to remove stains.
For stubborn stains, try method:
- Follow the above steps from 1 to 4
- If the stains higher up the toilet bowl have not been removed, pour the Coke into a spray bottle and spray it onto the stains. If you don’t have a spray bottle handy, pour the Coke onto an old rag and apply it to the stain – remember to wear gloves for this job!
- If the stains aren’t already gone, try scrubbing them with a toilet scrubbing brush and a traditional toilet cleaning solution, followed by a soak with Coke.
- Repeat steps 2 to 4 as often as necessary.
A word of caution: Excessive use of Coke for removing stubborn stains can eventually lead to the dark colors staining the toilet bowl.
Alternative Stain Removal Solutions Using Coke
Although Coca-Cola is great when used on its own to clean your toilet, it can be used together with different ingredients for maximum cleaning power on stubborn stains.
These are a few of the different methods for using Coke as a cleaning agent with household cleaning agents:
Heat the Coke!
Heat creates different chemical reactions and will cause more fizz. Pour the Coke into a microwaveable container and heat it up. The liquid should be hot to the touch, so use gloves to remove the container from the microwave.
Depending on the type of microwave you’re using, heating the coke for 25-35 seconds should do the trick!
Pour the liquid into the toilet bowl following the basic above method.
Use Coke, Borax and Lemon Juice
Combine one part coke, one part lemon juice, and 2 parts borax in a jug. Apply the basic method using steps 1 to 4 above.
Try Vinegar, Baking Soda and Coke
Mix ½ cup vinegar, ¼ cup baking soda, and ½ gallon (2 liters) of water into a jug. Pour the mixture into the toilet bowl, starting under the rim, allowing the mixture to flow down the sides of the bowl into the water. Scrub with a toilet scrubbing brush, then wait one hour before flushing.
If the stains remain, repeat the process until the stains are gone.
How To Remove Mold From Your Toilet Using Coke
Mold and mildew can live on any surface, especially if the conditions are right. A bathroom is a moist, steamy room. The toilet is an ideal habitat for mold and mildew, especially on out-of-sight and harder-to-clean areas.
Removing mold and mildew requires a quick scrub with a household cleaner and water, followed by a spray of Coke. So leave the Coke to soak for 60 minutes and wipe off with a damp cloth. The mold and mildew will likely be gone without a trace!
For more stubborn mold and mildew patches, spray Coke directly onto the patch and leave to soak for one hour or more. The patch should wipe away. Repeat as necessary.
How to Clean a Toilet Tank with Coca-Cola
A toilet tank is another often overlooked and not often cleaned area. A toilet tank can harbor mildew, rust, grime, limescale, and a build-up of minerals. Clean the toilet tank at least twice a year to prevent these nasties from being washed into your toilet bowl
Here’s how to clean a toilet tank with Coke:
Ingredients
- 2 cups vinegar
- 1 gallon (4 liters) of water
- 2 cans of Coca-Cola
- Jug or bucket
- Rubber gloves and scrubbing brush
Method
- Turn the water off at the valve
- Flush to remove all the water from the toilet tank
- Remove the lid from the tank
- Mix one cup of vinegar, water, and 1 can of Coke in the jug or bucket
- Pour the mixture into the toilet tank – fill until the tank starts to release water
- Allow to soak overnight
- Flush to remove all the water from the toilet tank
- Scrub and wipe down the tank walls and metal parts to remove any residue
- Switch the water on at the valve and allow the tank to fill up with clean water
- Flush to remove the water from the tank
- Allow the tank to fill up with water – if the water is cloudy, pour the second can of Coke and vinegar into the tank and leave it to soak for 60 minutes
- Flush – repeat step 11 when necessary
- Replace the tank lid
Why Does Coke Clean Toilets?
As children, we are taught the dangers of acid and sugar in soft drinks, and especially how bad it can be for your teeth, leading to cavities and sensitive teeth.
So, what gives the acid in Coke its strength? And, if my teeth aren’t rotting, how strong can it really be? Can it clean my toilet bowl?
Coca-cola contains 3 different types of acid, each for a specific purpose. While all 3 types of acid are found in Coke, the cleaning magic happens not because of sugar but because of the Carbonic and Phosphoric acids.
| Type of acid | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Citric | Found in citrus fruit like lemons and oranges – added for flavor |
| Carbonic | Not added to the soda but is a result of dissolved carbon dioxide escaping once the can or bottle is opened – the reaction of the gas to air is the fizz |
| Phosphoric | Added for flavor and taste and to prevent mold and bacteria growth in sugary beverages |
Is Coke A Disinfectant?
Coke might be great at removing certain stains, rings, limestone, and mineral deposits, but it is not great for killing germs and bacteria. Certain types of bacteria can feed on the sticky sugar left behind after a coke rinse, leaving your toilet bowl less than hygienic.
Always rinse the toilet bowl with clean water and use your tried and tested germ removal methods to kill bacteria after soaking your toilet with Coke.
Will Coke Clean All Stains?
Sadly, Coke will not clean all stains from your toilet. But if your toilet is not particularly awful, Coke should do the job.
As strange as it might seem, the toilet bowl is very often used as a means to dispose of all kinds of liquids.
If you regularly use your toilet bowl to dispose of oil, grease, and fat, you could eventually have a greasy ring around the top of the water. Coke will not remove these stains. You need to clean the toilet bowl using a stronger detergent or white vinegar.
Does Diet Coke Work as Well as Regular Coke?
What makes Coke an effective cleaner is not the sugar content but rather the acids in the beverage, so diet or lite colas will have the same effect on stains as regular colas.
Can Coke Clean a Bathtub?
Coke works wonders as a bathtub cleaner! If your tub has developed nasty stains over the years, simply pour a cup of Coke over the stains and leave it to soak overnight.
The next morning, either spray the residue from the tub’s sides using a hand water sprayer or wipe it off using a wet cloth.
An added bonus is that the Coke will dissolve any residue and build up in the drain, effectively unclogging it!
For extra stubborn stains or to remove the shiny film that builds up over time from bath soaps, use baking soda and Coke as a very effective cleaning solution – watch this video to find out how:
Can Coke Clean Bathroom Tiles?
Bathroom tiles and grout are a great breeding space for mold and mildew. Generally, harsh chemicals are used to clean any areas inhabited by mold and mildew, but with time and elbow grease, these can be eliminated by using Coke, too.
Simply spray Coke onto the tiles and grout and leave to soak for about 30 minutes. If the stains and grime are particularly tough, scrub them with a toothbrush, then wipe the residue away.
A quick, simple and effective way to return the shine to your bathroom tiles!
How To Clean A Showerhead With Coke
A showerhead is often overlooked in the cleaning routine – when last did you clean your showerhead or faucets?
Showerheads and faucets can breed nasty germs and bacteria due to the conditions they are in – humid bathrooms, the ideal conditions for bacteria and mold.
Coke works well to soak away limestone, rust, and minerals, removing breeding grounds for bacteria and mold. Some say Coke is the best solution to unclog the showerhead! (Source)
To clean the showerhead, remove it from the arm using a wrench and soak it in a tub of Coke overnight. Give it a gentle scrub, and then rinse with clean water the next morning. Replace the showerhead onto the arm and use it as normal.
To clean the faucets, pour Coke into a spray bottle and liberally spray the faucets. Leave the solution to soak for a few hours, then wipe down with a clean cloth.
So, Does Coca-Cola Clean a Toilet?
Coca-Cola is a cheap and effective method to clean a toilet. Most stubborn stains are no match for the wonders of Coke, but there are a few stains that might need stronger household cleaning detergents to remove from your favorite throne.
Tags: bathroom stain removal, clean a toilet, Clean a Toilet with Coca-Cola, diet coke vs coke for cleaning, how to clean a shower, mold remover