Natural Ingredients that Clean

• The citric acid in lemons is a great antiseptic and antibacterial deodorizer. Baking soda is a sodium bicarbonate that neutralizes odors and works as a mild abrasive. On its own, vinegar can effectively remove as many stains as commercial cleaners. White vinegar has a strong unpleasant smell. You can fix this problem by either using lemon juice to neutralize the smell or using apple vinegar. Borax is an ancient natural alkaline mineral typically used for softening hard water for laundry, but can also be used to scrub the toilet bowl as a scouring powder.
  
  

Preparing the Ingredients

• Cut a lemon in halves and make a paste from the squeezed juice and baking soda in a plastic bowl or mix equal parts of borax and baking soda with water. An abrasive paste helps to scrub the stain and loosen dirt.
  
  

Applying the Ingredients

• Flush the toilet to wet the entire inside of the toilet bowl, then apply the paste directly to the brown stains with a sponge or toilet brush and scrub. Allow the solution to sit for at least one hour before scrubbing. You can also pour lemon juice and baking soda directly into the toilet and let it sit, then brush or scrub the stains. When using vinegar, pour 1/2 cup of vinegar into the toilet bowl, let stand for at least an hour, then scrub with a sponge or brush.
  
  

Additional Help

• Brown stains due to iron and rust can be removed by using a pumice stone, a porous, natural volcanic rock used for removing calluses and rough skin from feet. It is a hard stone but will not damage a porcelain bowl. Just wet the stone, wear gloves, and rub away those nasty stains. Use the stone in conjunction with the natural ingredients baking soda, lemon, borax or vinegar for additional cleaning power.