A few spoonfuls of salt poured into the toilet before going to bed. The habit is everywhere on social media, and it keeps coming back. Supporters say it fights odors and residue overnight. Here is what salt can really do in a toilet, how to use it, and where it falls short.
What the salt is for
Salt has two useful properties for this job. Coarse salt is a mild abrasive: when you scrub, the grains help loosen the film and early deposits along the waterline. And salt helps absorb and neutralize some odors, especially when combined with baking soda, which is the classic deodorizer.
The overnight timing is the key. During the night, nobody uses the toilet, so the mixture has hours to sit on the deposits instead of being flushed away after a few minutes.
It is also cheap and gentle. A box of coarse salt costs very little, it is safe on porcelain, and it does not give off the strong fumes of some commercial toilet cleaners, which makes it popular in homes with small children or with people sensitive to chemical smells. That said, gentle also means limited, as we will see.
How to do it
- Mix about 2 tablespoons of coarse salt with 2 tablespoons of baking soda.
- Pour it into the bowl before bed, aiming at the waterline and the sides. A few drops of lemon or citrus essential oil add a fresh smell.
- Close the lid and leave it overnight.
- In the morning, scrub with the brush, insisting on the ring, then flush.
Once a week is plenty. Wear gloves, as you would with any cleaning task, and keep the mixture away from your face when you pour it.
If several people use the toilet at night, choose an evening when you can leave it untouched for at least a few hours, or do it in the morning before leaving the house: the principle, a long contact time, is the same.
A second use: slow drains
For a toilet that drains slowly because of a soft blockage, a cup of salt followed by a bucket of very hot, but not boiling, water can sometimes help break it up. Never pour boiling water into a toilet: the thermal shock can crack the porcelain. If the bowl is truly clogged, a plunger is still the right tool, and a plumber the next step.
Where it falls short
Salt is a supplement, not a replacement for regular cleaning. It does not disinfect, and it will not remove a thick, old limescale crust; for that, see the best way to remove limescale from the toilet and faucets. Do not use large amounts every day either, especially with a septic system, where moderation is the rule for any product.
Other kitchen staples have their fans in the bathroom: some people put baking soda around the toilet, and others are putting coffee grounds in the toilet.
Two spoons of salt, two of baking soda, the lid closed, overnight. That’s the trick.
