People use different cleaning products to clean toilet bowls and make them germ and stain free. Caustic soda is cheaper than other commercial cleaners and is readily available in the market.
Can You Use Caustic Soda to Clean Toilet Bowl? You can use caustic soda to clean a toilet bowl because of its degreasing, antibacterial, and sanitizing properties. It contains hypochlorite, which removes the mineral residues from the affected surfaces. Pour the liquid caustic soda solution on all sides of the bowl, leave it for a few minutes, and flush the toilet.
Caustic soda is available in liquid form, which is ready to use. You can also find them in granular and powdered forms and use them by mixing water.
Is it safe to use caustic soda to clean toilet bowls?
Caustic soda is a safe chemical and cannot affect the surface. It contains no harsh chemicals that can damage the glazing layer and cause color fading. I do not prefer their frequent use because of the strong alkali material, which can cause discoloration of bowl surfaces.
These do not produce cracks and scratches on the surface; you can use them without worrying about any adverse outcomes.
Using these chemicals requires high-end safety because they are toxic to humans. In addition, the bleaching agent releases fumes that are not safe for humans.
In addition, these require careful handling during their application because of the harsh chemicals. You have to save your skin because a single drop causes a burning situation which can worsen with time.
How do you clean the toilet bowl with caustic soda?
Select the powdered and liquid caustic soda solution from the market. I always use the liquid form because these are easy to use and handle.
It is safer than the powdered form because you do not have to mix or stir them with water to form a mixture. Liquid form does not require any preparation for their application and is safe to use.
Flush the bowl with water to remove dust and dirt residues from its surface. Wear a face mask because the chemical reaction of their ingredients generates intense fumes.
Use plastic gloves so splashes cannot come on your skin and damage them. Pour the solution into the bowl completely and cover every corner.
Add the liquid solution on the sides to unclog the inlet holes. Leave it for 1 to 2 minutes, then flush it with water. You can also scrub the surface with toilet brushes if poop stains and mineral residues are accumulated there.
It is necessary to flush 2 to 3 times to remove the residues of caustic soda because these can damage the surfaces if it remains there.
Why would you use caustic soda to clean the toilet bowl?
Caustic soda is the cost and time-effective method to clean the bowls and remove bacterial colonies from them, which can cause diseases.
Degreasing agent
The toilet bowl surfaces become greasy and give an unpleasant appearance to the fixture. The grease also comes because of the soap residues.
Soap residues come when all fixtures in bathrooms share the common plumbing system. The soapy water from bathroom drains can enter the toilets because of blocked vents.
In addition, the mineral residues, because of constant flushing, also leave a greasy film on their surfaces. The yellowish layer is hard to clean and looks bad when you open the seat lid.
The problem also comes because of using the wrong type of cleaning agents. Caustic soda contains chemical agents that react with the fatty mixture and break them.
Antibacterial chemicals
Caustic soda is a well-known agent because of its antibacterial properties. It can kill bacteria and viruses by breaking their protein and nucleic acid structures.
Bacteria grow on the bowl surfaces when urine and poop stains remain longer because of incorrect cleaning and flushing properties.
In addition, the minor cracks also allow solid waste to accumulate in the ridges. These are hard to remove with flushing and can cause bacteria and other species to come on them.
You can also feel the smell when you open the toilet seat lid because of these bacterial growths. The chemical ingredient can kill these bacteria and make them clean.
Sanitizing properties
Caustic soda has sanitizing and disinfectant properties which can remove molds and fungus from their surfaces. In addition, the strong alkali neutralizes the acid, making the surface germs and dirt-free.
Dirt and debris accumulate on the fixtures when you do not clean them regularly. You can face sanitizing problems in the guest bathroom because these are not frequently used, and people do not clean them regularly.
You can pour the liquid caustic soda solution to give them a new and shiny appearance.
It can remove all of the urine stains on toilet seats during urination.
Contain hypochlorite
Hypochlorite is the active ingredient that is the main constituent of caustic soda. Hypochlorite is beneficial in removing mineral residues from toilet bowls.
Thin white mineral films come on these surfaces because of the continuous water presence. Therefore, the chances of forming a thin white crust increase when your main supply contains hard water.
Hard water is rich in mineral contents and leaves stains on the clear bowl surfaces. Active ingredient hypochlorite breaks this limescale build-up and clears the affected area.
You can see the shiny and clear surface again after their application. However, limescale build-up makes the yellowish surface water which can affect the appealing appearance.
Can you use caustic soda on all types of toilet bowls?
Toilet bowls are available in the market with various designs and materials. The construction material depends on their price and manufacturing brand.
Different bathroom fixture manufacturing companies use various materials according to customer choice and reliability. You can see them in ceramic, porcelain, steel, and wood, each with a different price range.
Most manufacturing industries use porcelain and ceramic materials because of their high-end quality and durability. They are made of high-strengthening material, which lasts longer and is at less risk of creaking.
The surface of porcelain and ceramic materials are porous, and you can use every type of cleaning chemical on them because these cannot seep inside.
You can use caustic soda on the porcelain and ceramic toilet bowls. However, I do not prefer using them on steel because the bleaching agents can damage the exterior coating and expose the metal surface.
The metal surface can rust easily during water exposure during the flushing mechanism. Moreover, you cannot use these harsh chemicals on plastic surfaces because they can produce cracks.
It can also fade the color of plastic material because of its less durability. In addition, wooden toilet bowls are porous, and you cannot use these chemicals.
The harsh chemicals can easily ruin the wooden material when you frequently apply them for cleaning.
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