Do I Need To Clean The Toilet Tank?
Staying up to date on your plumbing maintenance is important in order to keep things functioning properly. Drain cleaning and water heater maintenance are two things that come to mind when you think of plumbing maintenance. However, there are some things you may never have thought about, like cleaning the toilet tank. Do I really need to clean the toilet tank? Here is what you should know.
How Often Does The Tank Need To Be Cleaned?
In terms of frequency, the toilet tank does not need to be cleaned all that frequently. Fresh water goes into the tank, so it is overall a lot cleaner than other parts of the toilet. However, the parts inside of the tank, like the flapper chain, can start to deteriorate over time. These can create a nasty film to develop in the water inside of your tank. This can speed up corrosion and sediment buildup in your toilet, which in turn will result in more frequent repairs. When you clean the toilet tank, you can prolong the lifespan of your toilet and it's working parts. Ideally the tank should be cleaned once or twice a year.
How To Clean The Toilet Tank
Cleaning the toilet tank is pretty simple. First you want to turn off the water supply to the tank and empty out the tank. The shut off is usually located behind the toilet on the wall. Once the tank is empty you can start scrubbing the inside of the tank. Some tanks may only need a little wipe down, while others may require a little more elbow grease. In addition, you may have sediment buildup inside of the tank, in which case a cleaning solution made of vinegar will do the trick nicely. Vinegar also works as a disinfectant, so it's killing two birds with one stone. After you have wiped down the tank, removed all sediment, and disinfected it you will want to wipe down the parts inside of the toilet. This is also a good time to check and see if any of these parts needs to be replaced. Once you are finished, turn the water supply back on and fill up the tank.
Avoid In Tank Toilet Cleaners
In tank toilet cleaners sound like a good choice, however they can actually cause damage to the parts in your toilet. The chemicals, like bleach, that are usually found in tank toilet cleaners can eat away at the materials that make up the flapper, fill valve, tubes, and float. These parts typically last about 5 years, give or take a little. However, tank toilet cleaners can speed up the disintegration process, leading to premature breakdown and more plumbing problems.
Get Help With Your Plumbing Maintenance
Spring is a great time to check a few things off of your spring plumbing maintenance checklist. Need to schedule your drain cleaning or have your water heater flushed? Let the pros handle it! Contact the plumbing experts at Rooter Hero today to schedule an appointment. 
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