Last Updated on November 23, 2019 by Marie Bautista
The toilet can be one of the most challenging things to do around the house simply because many people view it as a disgusting chore. However, as squeamish as it can make you feel, it’s also something that you should strive to do regularly. Otherwise, you will be risking not just aesthetic issues but also a wide sort of health problems. A dirty toilet is also a source of embarrassment and can reflect badly on your housekeeping skills, especially when you have guests over.
To help you keep your toilets looking and smelling clean and fresh, here is a convenient and easy guide on how to efficiently clean your toilets. Follow these tips and never have trouble with cleaning your toilets ever again.
- Remove everything around the toilet.
Cleaning a toilet can be a messy affair that you get really tempted to avail of washroom hygiene services, because there’s a very good chance of water and toilet cleaner splashing all over the place. As such, it’s a good idea to remove everything situated around the toilet before starting. This includes toilet paper holders, bathroom sprays, plungers, personal hygiene items, towels, and any other items that could get dirtied during the cleaning process. This spares you from extra cleaning effort, prevents contamination, and ensures that you have enough space to comfortably work around.
- Flush and add the cleaning solution.
With everything out of the way, you can now start the cleaning process. First, put the toilet lid down and flush. This gives you a fresh bowl of water to work with while also preventing any splashing or spraying. Then, open the lid back up and apply your choice of cleanser to the bowl. Try to get the cleaner applied as close to the toilet rim as possible to ensure that any dilution is minimized. After this, close the lid and simply let the cleaner sit and do its thing as you clean other parts of the toilet.
- Clean the exterior of the toilet.
While you wait for the cleaner to soak into the grime of the toilet bowl, start working on the outside of the bowl. Spray a cleaning cloth (microfiber cloths work wonders) with your choice of cleaning liquid and then wipe down each surface as you go. Go from top to bottom to avoid dripping. Make sure to wipe everything, including the tank and the lid, the flush handle, and the back of the toilet, too. Remember, just because it’s not visible doesn’t mean it shouldn’t get the same cleaning treatment. Work your way down to the base and then give everything a final wipe with a clean cloth afterwards.
- Clean the toilet seat.
If you haven’t already been wearing rubber or latex gloves (and ideally you should have been since the beginning), now’s the time to do so. The toilet seat is actually the second dirtiest part of the toilet and you certainly don’t want all of those germs to touch your bare hands. Spray the seat itself and the rim, as well as the inside of the lid with your preferred cleaner, and simply wipe everything down thoroughly. Any grime that’s accumulated in the corners or hinges should be cleaned away as well, either with a scrubbing pad or an old toothbrush. Like before, use a separate cloth to give everything a final rinse and wipe.
- Clean the inside of the toilet bowl.
By this time, the cleaner you applied earlier should already have done its job; now is the time to finish cleaning. Starting from the rim, make your way downward while scrubbing thoroughly. Make sure to get every bit of grime and stain before moving onto a new area to avoid doing multiple passes. Keep going until you get to the bottom of the toilet bowl, and then give that area a good scrubbing too. Once everything is sparkling clean, put the lid down and flush.
- Wipe up any drips and spills, dispose of trash.
Wrap things up by wiping down any drips and spills that came from your cleaning efforts, and throw any disposables into the trash bin. Give your toilet one last rinse and wipe-down, and then replace everything you removed during step #1 back in their proper places.
And there you have it – a six-step process on how to effectively and efficiently clean your toilet. Do this once or twice a month to prevent any odors and unpleasant stains from building up, and stop any diseases from befalling your family or guests.